A Call For Zero Tolerance Of PFOAs At The Berlin Elementary School

By Doug La Rocque
Following ceremonies to honor this year’s retiring personnel and those being granted tenure, the Berlin Central School Board opened last Tuesday’s meeting with public comment and heard an impassioned plea from Petersburgh resident Emily Marpe asking the District to do whatever is necessary to ensure water levels at the Elementary School are PFOA free.[private] The most recent testing of the Berlin Municipal Water System puts the PFOA levels at 10 parts per trillion.  The level which the EPA considers to be unsafe is 70 parts per trillion.  Marpe lives less than a half mile from the Taconic Plastics plant, which the Department of Environmental Conservation is holding responsible for the PFOA contamination. She asked the School Board to pursue the installation of a carbon filter system, a request the Board was open to, but indicated there were many variables and that they needed more information.  Citing her own blood level of 322 parts per billion, and her daughter’s levels of 207 parts per billion, she told the Board she does not believe the school’s water is safe.  “That has nothing to do with politics, that has nothing to do with money, it has to do with the pure basic science that it is a man-made chemical and it does not belong there, it does not belong in our children.”  Marpe said she is not sure if the District could get the cost of a filtration system covered under the recent Superfund designation.  She asked the Board to consider approaching Taconic Plastics and asking them to fund the filter and maintenance.  “Because you need to realize that the children from Petersburgh have been hit hard, and they attend your school.  Every time they take a sip out of a water fountain, it should be clean water.”
Following Marpe’s comments, Board President Frank Zwack asked if they should consider a “zero tolerance” resolution, but other Board members indicated they need more information before they would be ready to vote for such.  Board Member Jeff Paine asked if they could have some answers by their August meeting. Marpe told the Board that the most common sense solution would be to simply ask Taconic Plastic to pay for it.  While Board members seemed to agree, she got no firm commitment yet that the question would be posed.  Zwack did thank Marpe for her report, and when it comes to the safety of the children,urged “don’t ever back down.”  It should be noted it is only the Elementary School water in question.  The Jr.-Sr. High School in Cherry Plain has its own well, which was tested and PFOAs were not detected.
Phase 3 Of Elementary School Reconstruction
The Board moved on to discuss bids for electrical work at the school, with Superintendent Dr. Stephen Young indicating they were coming in about $100,000 less than planned for.  He suggested the savings might be used for additional work that is needed but not as yet included in the plan.  Board Member Jim Willis asked why such a disparity in the bids, and did they have to go with the lowest bidder.  He was concerned the lowest bids may not have included all the work they need.  The Director of Buildings and Grounds, Cyril Grant, assured Willis that the architect went over the bid specifications with each bidder to ensure all aspects were met.  Board President Zwack asked “is there going to be a timetable that is reportable to the Board throughout the construction process?”  Zwack is concerned about the project not being done on time, and urged that not all payments to the architect and contractors be made, until all reports are filed.  He indicated they are still missing some documentation from Phase 2 of the project.  He raised the question if there is a project manager, and if not, should the Board consider hiring one.  Grant noted that there is not an allotment in the budget at this time for a construction manager, and that to hire one could add significantly to the cost.  He assured the Board the architects have it built into their contract that they visit the site on a frequent basis, and that he is comfortable with their ability to monitor the work and bring the project in on time, before the opening of the new school year.  Their concerns mollified, the Board then voted unanimously to move forward with the project.
School Psychologist Bruce Weiner Honored
Prior to the regular Board meeting, school administrators took time to honor the many members of the Berlin Central School community who were retiring at the close of this school year.  Nancy Mills, the Director of Pupil Services, described Weiner as a Berlin institution.  After 35 years of service to the district, Weiner tells the Eastwick Press “we have a great school, the kids are awesome, respectful and it is a loving place to work.”
Weiner is also well known for his many magic tricks, prompting his colleagues to call him “Magic Man.”  Other comments include “kind, compassionate, caring and innovative,” as well as “the king of optimism.”
Also honored on their retirement were instructors Frank Demagistris, Paula Gonzales, Dianne Mosher, and Laurie Broadwell, bus drivers Rob Jaeger and Carol Yerg, as well as custodian Shirley Oswald.  Granted tenure were D.J. Connolly, Leslie Eliashuk, Meredith Hammond, Donna Kelly, Stephanie Kisel and Stephanie Kneer.[/private]