Schools to use contingency fund for mold remediation

School officials will use their rainy day money to ward off the mold-abatement storm brewing at Bordewich-Bray Elementary School.

"This is a perfect example of what you would use the contingency fund for," said Bob Anderson, financial director for the Carson City School District. "The account is used to offset expenses that are not already budgeted somewhere."

Members of the school board voted on Tuesday to use the $300,000 in the contingency fund to remove moldy modulars, restore the sites and set up temporary classrooms.

The five modulars at the elementary school were found to be infested with three types of toxic mold in November. Some classes have been moved from the buildings and others will remain in the rooms, where the air inside has tested clean, until the end of the year.

Anderson said the cost to completely eradicate the mold will use the entire contingency fund but he is not worried.

"I feel more comfortable using it close to the end of the fiscal year," he said. "The chance of something else critical happening between now and when school is out is pretty small. If it was August of last year, I'd feel a little more uncomfortable."

He said the $300,000 will take care of the mold abatement costs and no additional money will be allotted for it in next year's budget, which will be presented at the April 9 school board meeting.

Although Washoe County School District is facing major shortfalls, Anderson said Carson City's school budget is balanced.

"We won't be adding money into any programs but we won't be cutting any programs, either," he said.

The school district also is tentatively planning to seek a $3.75 million bond in November's election to build a permanent addition to Bordewich Elementary School.

The addition would replace lost space once the modulars are removed and consolidate a seven-building campus into one school.