Conservation Comm. says dig... Building Comm. says build... Central School out to bid June 2
Published on May 31st, 2000
STONEHAM, MA - The Conservation Commission has given an Order of Conditions to Gale Associates, the licensed site professionals overseeing the Central School area clean-up, and the School Department has created an addendum for the contract to go out to bid on June 2 as part of the Central School construction project.
In other words, workers are going to cart away contaminated soil and build the school.
Issues of air quality and the depth of soil excavation remain ambiguous. Air monitors will test for airborne contamination, but this may not prevent particles of dust from swirling around the site, said Gale engineer Jim Luker.
At a May 25 Conservation Committee meeting Sandra Conlon, mother of a Middle School child, said her daughter had been experiencing difficulty breathing. Conlon said her daughter had to stay home from school and go to the hospital on several occasions.
According to Conlon, her daughter's breathing problems began when construction began at the old Mann Chemical site bordering the Middle School and the new Central School site.
"I voted for the Central School site," Conlon said. "I just want to make sure our children's health is accounted for."
Gale suggested paving more of the temporary construction access road coming from Central Street than the Conservation Committee favored.
The committee wanted less paving done near the wetlands behind the site. But Department of Environmental guidelines require digging deeper if the surface is not paved depending on the concentrations of contaminants (in this case arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Digging deeper costs more, and School Building Committee member Stephen O'Neil said his committee wants to curtail escalating costs.
For now the Order of Conditions from the Conservation Committee says the top one foot of soil on the side of the access road closest to the wetlands will be removed. At that point, soil testing will determine if the area can be covered with clean fill or whether further removal or sealing with pavement is necessary.
According to the May 24 School Building Committee meeting, regardless of what happens at the Central School site, the building will not be ready to house students until Nov. 13, 2001.
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