School Board may OK contract
to clean up schools’ mold
Brownsville students to begin year in temporary classrooms
By CRISELDA VALDEZ
The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville, Texas, July 23, 2003
BROWNSVILLE — Students at Aiken and Besteiro schools will begin the
school year in temporary classrooms, but the Brownsville school board hopes
today’s meeting is a major step toward moving the children back to their
permanent campuses.
During a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. today in the main administration
building, the board is scheduled to approve a $8 million-plus contract fee
to a mold remediation company to clean up Aiken Elementary and Besteiro
Middle School.
Both schools have been closed since January 2002 for mold remediation.
The contract includes a $100,000 "schedule acceleration" fee to ensure
that clean-up crews complete the job within six months.
"We want to get this going," said Joe Cadriel, president of the Brownsville
Independent School District Board of Trustees.
"The sooner you start, and the sooner the school is on the way to get open."
The adjoining Southmost-area schools were closed after allegations that
chronic mold was causing health hazards. Mold was first discovered at the
schools around 1999 and has been a recurring problem.
The allegations are still under investigation and the subject of two
lawsuits, including one involving the district.
Students were moved to temporary campuses and will be housed in portable
buildings when classes begin Aug. 18.
Board members hope the students can return to the permanent campuses within
seven months.
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