GCCS talks projects: Charlestown High baseball field issues discussed, asbestos removal OK’d at Parkview

High School Sports

Christina Gilkey said the district’s superintendent search committee has narrowed the scope of resumes from 17 to five, but would not comment on who the board will interview. Keep an eye on the News and Tribune for more information on this story.

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May 2, 2012

GCCS talks projects: Charlestown High baseball field issues discussed, asbestos removal OK’d at Parkview

By JEROD CLAPP jerod.clapp@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Wed May 02, 2012, 07:00 AM EDT

JEFFERSONVILLE — Issues with Charlestown High School’s baseball field were discussed and the removal of asbestos at Parkview Middle School was passed under emergency status at the Greater Clark County Schools board of trustees meeting Tuesday.

According to a recommendation to the board from Superintendent Stephen Daeschner, asbestos was discovered in the caulking around the windows of the building, as well as carpet tile in the school. The asbestos was found by a contractor while they were upgrading the windows.

Daeschner said the removal of the asbestos would begin once students are released for summer vacation and cost the district $69,926 if the board awarded the project to the lowest of three bidders. The board voted unanimously to approve the project.

“You really don’t know what you’re getting into with asbestos until you start taking things apart,” Daeschner said. “It was not anticipated, and when they started taking [the windows] apart, they said ‘you’ve got asbestos.’”

The board also discussed problems with Charlestown High School’s baseball field.

Billy Wilkins, a parent of a student on the baseball team, said before the meeting that large pieces of concrete and copper piping have been found in the outfield, making the facility unplayable since the district deemed the project completed in 2010.

Martin Bell, chief operating officer, said there were several issues with contractors, architects and the district that needed to be resolved, but wants to get moving on fixing the problems as soon as possible.

“We have signed off that the facility is done, we have agreed all parties involved are looking at the rock issue, we are looking at different alternatives on how to rectify the rock issue,” Bell said. “We have also agreed that it’s in the best interest to put a sprinkler system in the facility.”

Gilkey said the problem was more than just rock.

“The problem is not rock, it’s friggin’ boulders...,” Gilkey said. “You’ve got to get that material out of there to make it safe.”

In other news at the meeting, the board voted unanimously to raise preschool fees from $125 to $150 and several policies — including leaves of absences and absences for teachers — were passed. Frank Denton, president of the GCCS teachers association said some of his members conveyed to him they weren’t happy with some of the policies, but his organization and the district’s administration worked very hard to make them as agreeable as possible.