Школьный совет Мобайла одобрил срочный ремонт Муффи после обнаружения термитов

MCPSS board approves Murphy repairs, questions future termite prevention The Mobile County school board approved emergency work Monday to address termite-related structural damage at Murphy High School, but the problems uncovered at the historic campus are now prompting questions about how the district protects its schools from termites in the first place. The total cost of the repairs at Murphy is not yet known, and the full extent of the damage still has to be determined. During Monday's meeting and in interviews with NBC 15 afterward, school board members questioned whether more regular inspections or preventative measures could help the district identify termite problems before they reach the point of structural damage. “My question was, do we have a termite bond? And the answer is no,” board member Parsons told NBC 15. “My answer then, I asked why.” Parsons said his concern extends beyond Murphy and to how termite issues are handled across the Mobile County Public School System. “It seems like we do some, maybe not others, but I know as a homeowner, I make sure I got a termite bond,” Parsons said. “And I think our schools, we've got to do something different [than] what we're doing now.” Part of Murphy High School's library and two computer labs have been closed to students and staff because of termite damage. MCPSS previously told NBC 15 the two computer labs had been relocated to another building, while an unaffected wing of the library remained in use. An emergency declaration dated Aug. 10 says temporary shoring will need to be installed to stabilize affected areas. Selective demolition will then be necessary to determine the full extent of the damage before permanent repairs can be developed and competitively bid. According to the declaration, repairs could include the repair or replacement of termite-damaged structural members, trim boards, casework and portions of the roofing. The district plans to use Allred Architects for architectural and engineering services and seek at least three contractor proposals for the emergency work. Neither the full extent of the damage nor the total cost of repairs has been determined. The situation at Murphy is now raising another question: Would it be more cost-effective for MCPSS to pay for regular termite inspections and preventative measures, rather than pay for potentially extensive repairs once damage is discovered? There is not yet enough information to determine which approach would cost the district less. But board members said Monday they want the district to look at how termite problems are identified and addressed before they become more serious. Board member McDade said termites have been a concern at other schools within the district. “We've had this concern about termites in some of our schools,” McDade said. “So basically what we're suggesting is that facilities, the supervisors of each facility or each of our schools, make us aware of it before it become detrimental.” McDade said the size of the district's campuses makes identifying problems early particularly important. “Most of our schools, we have large spaces,” McDade said. “So we have to make sure that we go and check those spaces to make sure that if we have an issue that we correct those issues as soon as possible.” The question is also about more than money. At Murphy, termite damage progressed to the point that portions of the school were closed because of structural concerns. Parsons said he believes the district needs to take a more preventative approach going forward. “It's something that we've got to address,” Parsons said. “And now we've got a problem.” “I don't want to have these problems any longer,” he added. “We need to be more proactive to it, in my opinion.” Parsons said board members are continuing to ask questions and hopes the Murphy situation leads to changes in district procedures. For now, emergency work at Murphy can move forward following Monday's approval. The district has not yet announced a final repair cost or a timeline for when the affected portions of the library and computer labs will fully reopen.