By Bill Grubb
News Editor

ROGERSVILLE - Rogersville City School Principal Bill Walker will also serve as the director at the school, at least temporarily until a new director is in place.
    Walker, who has sought the job on two previous occasions, was tapped to serve the dual role at Tuesday's school board meeting.  He actually assumed the duties that evening, explaining several items in the absence of outgoing Director Sherry Terry, whose contract expired June 30.
    The RCS board is in the process of selecting a new director, but does not intend to have someone in place until August 1.  State law dictates that even though Rogersville has a one-school system with approximately 680 students it must have both a director and a principal.
    "I will do whatever I can to help."  Walker told the board.
    At the meeting the board also agreed to have several contractors examine hail damage to the roof at the school to get the insurance carrier to agree to provide additional funds.
    According to Walker, the several roof surfaces at the school sustained hail damage earlier this year, including the roof shingles as well as metal roof over the gym and lobby.  The meal pavilion and the school's canopy also sustained damage.
    Although the insurer submitted a figure for the repairs, Mike Ford, with The Garland Company, told the board he does not think the money offered will repair all the damage.
    Ford has been working with the school to repair several roofs and to develop a long-range plan for roofing projects.  Last fall the consultant suggested a timetable that included roofing projects in phases.  He also suggested, for example, the roofs of the 1950s and 1970s portions should be replaced with a new white roofing material that will not only provide a new roof surface but will also help with energy consumption.
    "Looking through some of the numbers Travelers (Insurance) has provided, I believe they are undercutting the school system.  What they are willing to pay and what it is going to cost to replace the shingle roof and to repair some of the other structures, I think the need to get their numbers higher," Ford said.
    The roofing consultant expressed his opinion that the offer "grossly underestimated" the actual cost.  He suggested school officials should get actual cost estimates to determine a more realistic cost figures.
    "With these numbers you can go back to Travelers and say you're off a little bit," he told the board.    
    The consultant also said the board should look at any settlement and allocate the money to the replacement of aging as well as damaged roof surfaces.  He noted, for example, the metal walkway roof was dented but was still serving the purpose and was not leaking.   Any money the school receives due to that damage should be applied elsewhere, Ford said.
    "Maybe you should put that money into doing roofs that are on the five year schedule.  If you can get that done under an insurance claim, to me that is a good use of public funds,"  he added.
    Walker said the storm damage had caused leaks in one classroom and in the gym over the walking track.
    Ford noted while the damage needs to be repaired and said the ideal time to do work at a school is wen students are not present, the repair and replacement project will probably not get underway until after students return in August, with the school project estimated to take a couple of weeks.
    "We don't want people on the roof hammering while school is in session, so we can have them come in after school and work until nine o'clock at night which will bump the cost up a little bit," Ford explained.
    Walker also noted that it might be possible to schedule the work to take place when classes aren't in session during fall break, October 10 through 14.
    "Traditionally fall is a very dry period, so we should have good weather," Walker said.
    In other business, the board approved several budget amendments and approved a proposal to purchase the necessary equipment to establish an independent network for the school's computer equipment, rather than continuing using a system that is maintained by another party.