Quabbin School Committee Ratifies Contracts, Orders Asbestos Abatement at Oakham School

BARRE — June 8, 2017 — Quabbin Regional School Committee ratifies multiple union contracts and lays out an asbestos abatement plan for Oakham Center School estimated to cost between $70,000 and $85,000. Superintendent Maureen Marshall told the committee and an assembled community task force Thursday that deteriorating asbestos-containing floor tile and mastic in the school's kitchen, cafeteria, and two adjacent hallways must be removed following a May 30 remediation order, triggered in part by a dishwasher failure that caused water damage and worsened tile conditions. Business Director Cheryl walked through a procurement timeline under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 149 that she said would prevent a contractor from beginning work until late August or September, with the building potentially unavailable until mid-November. A public meeting was set for June 13 and an Oakham town meeting appropriation vote for June 20. Marshall flatly rejected community rumors that the closure is a pretext to permanently shut the school, stating that only a town meeting vote — not the superintendent or the School Committee — has the authority to close it. The committee also voted to convene budget and plant and facilities subcommittees by June 14 ahead of a regional assessment meeting set for June 17 in Hardwick.