By Bill Grubb

ROGERSVILLE — Shrinking roofs that are causing leaks have Hawkins County School officials looking for ways to stretch the money available for capital improvement projects.
    The Hawkins County Board of Education met with architect Don Solt Thursday to discuss leaks at Surgoinsville Middle, Surgoinsville Elementary,  McPheeter’s Bend, Carter’s Valley and Rogersville Middle School.
    “One of the things about the lack of rain was we were able to forget about the leaks but now that we have been getting rain again they are still there,” Solt said.
    The architect noted several of the leaks can be traced to the same problem, the aging membrane roof surface is shrinking and pulling away from the edge.
    Solt suggested replacing the roofs with new membrane roofs that would be secured to the decking material to prevent future shrinking.
    The architect estimated Surgoinsville Middle School would the most expensive roof to replace, at approximately $480,000, because of the size of the area to be covered and the shape of the building.
    “Roofing a round building is a little harder than a traditional building,” Solt said.
    The architect estimated the cost of roof work at Surgoinsville Middle School at approximately $250,000, work on a portion  of the Rogersville Middle School roof at $220,000 with the cost of work at Carter’s Valley and McPheeter’s Bend approximately $128,000 for each school.
    Director of Schools Charlotte Britton estimated the school system would have approximately $900,000 available for all capital outlay projects, including several already discussed by the board including the installation of bathroom doors that can be locked at RMS as well as the replacement of exterior doors at Cherokee and Volunteer High Schools.
    Increasing the amount spent on the projects would require the school system to use reserve funds.    
    Board members voted to instruct Solt to begin preparing specifications for the McPheeter’s Bend and Carter’s Valley projects and to look at ways to divide the larger projects.
    In other business, the board approved a $7.1 million bid from Hale Construction, Morristown, for the construction of a new Clinch School.    
    The board also voted to adopt a resolution designating September 18 as School Bus Driver Appreciation Day for the system’s 91 full-time and 30 part-time/substitute bus drivers.
    The resolution notes, in part, bus drivers are “the first representatives of the school system to see students each day” and set the tone for the day and that drivers have helped make school buses “the safest form of ground transportation” 40 times safer than the family car.
    The board also welcomed three new members, Burl W. Smith, Michael B. Williams and Holly Green Helton, elected in August.  Charles Fuller, Kathy Cradic and Debbie Shedden, already serving on the board, were also elected in August.
    Fuller was selected to serve as chairman and Dykes was elected vice chairman, defeating Shedden.