Donegal school board members and administrators debated roofing and heating problems at the aging Maytown Elementary School but made no decision April 7 about patching or making repairs for long-term use of the building.

Board member John Coleman listed repair needs in the absence of any long-term building plans in the district, where residents rejected a $114 million plan to replace Maytown school and build a new Donegal High School. The proposal, which was subject to a referendum vote in January, also called for major renovations to the existing high school, Donegal Middle School and Riverview Elementary School.

"The bottom line is the rubber meets the road somewhere," Coleman said. "Maytown is one of those topics.

"We have two repairs we have to make this year, and we need to get moving on the biding process if we are to get them completed over the summer," he said.

He said Maytown needs a major roof repair and boiler replacement.

Coleman did not provide cost estimates for the boiler, but repairs to the flat roof of the main Maytown school building range from $50,000 to $60,000 for simple patching to $300,000 for full replacement.

Coleman said any warranty on patchwork would only apply to the patch. "Two inches from that repair, if you have a problem, you are on your own again," he said.

He said the roof job does not include the asphalt shingle roof on the oldest school building, which has approximately five years of life left to it.

Amy Swartz, business manager, said the goal of any repair is to avoid frivolous spending.

"Because we do not have a defined elementary project, children are going to be educated in that building for another three years, longer depending upon what happens with the referendum," Swartz said.

She said it would be more cost effective to replace the roof instead of repairing it.

Swartz suggested the district "bite the bullet and take out the debt service to repair the roof."

Board member Oliver Overlander asked if any of the repairs would be eligible for state reimbursement.

"No," Swartz said.

Coleman said the estimates were on the high side and bids would give the district a better idea of costs.

"I don't want to have to spend $300,000 to replace an entire roof liner, but I am not comfortable about the (proposed) referendum in November, even if it is only $50 (million) or $60 million," board member James Morrissey said.

Morrissey said he would support installing a roof that lasts longer than patches.

Coleman cautioned the infrastructure at Maytown would not last another 15 years.

"Dry and warm — yes, but not other things," he said. "Three to five years, we can probably hold out."

Coleman said before the district committed to a long-term roof project at Maytown, the board also needs to consider that the roofs on all the modular units at the high school and middle school need to be replaced at a cost estimated at $230,000.

"They are way past their prime," Coleman said.

"John, did I just hear you say our lifeboats are leaking, too?" Morrissey joked.

Superintendent Shelly Riedel said the board needs to act quickly on the two Maytown bids if the work is going to be completed over the summer.

"Contractors are quickly becoming booked for the summer," she said.