By Andreas Yilma Citizen’s News
NAUGATUCK — The borough is looking to remove old and damaged asbestos vinyl flooring in three schools.
The Board of Mayor and Burgesses unanimously approved to spend $400,000 in funds from the capital reserve account for the removal and replacement of vinyl asbestos flooring at City Hill Middle School, Andrew Avenue Elementary School and Salem Elementary School.
“We need to replace our flooring because it’s getting old,” School Business Manager Bernice Rizk said. “It’s in need of repair.”
Rizk said there’s no danger to students or faculty members because the asbestos is in the flooring. Once you pull the flooring up, that’s when there can be danger, she said.
Many old school buildings have asbestos flooring. Andrew Avenue has the most flooring that needs to be replaced due to the layout, according to Rizk.
Borough school officials will first need to get commitment from the Office of School Construction Grants and Review out of the Department of Administrative Services. The Board of Education has apply to the state to get 75% funding, Rizk said.
School officials can’t put the work out to bid before getting approval from the state.
“Something like this would have to be done over summer break,” Rizk said.
