The Price of Neglect - Not Maintained, Costly Heating Systems Fail in Droves

Washington Post ^ | December 31, 2007 | David S. Fallis, V. Dion Haynes and Dan Keating

[3AngelaD]

The Army Corps of Engineers came to the District in the late 1990s on an expensive mission: launch a massive overhaul of decrepit school buildings, which eventually included spending $80 million to replace ancient heating systems with brand-new boilers to last 25 years or more. Since then, 40 of the 55 renovated heating systems have broken down or needed major repair. Public schools officials failed to maintain the new equipment, leading to problems such as damage from mineral deposits that built up because the water was not properly treated...It would have cost just $100,000 a year to remove harmful minerals from the water flowing into all of the more than 400 boilers in the public schools. But maintenance officials say there was never enough money for it in their budget. As a result, heating systems old and new have been breaking down all over the school district. Administrators had to sink more than $10 million into emergency repairs this year alone...

The failing boilers are a testament to the school system's longstanding inability to keep its buildings in shape or make the best of huge infusions of money. This decade, records show, the schools have spent more than $116 million to replace or overhaul heating and air-conditioning units...

The maintenance and repair problems in the District's schools go far beyond heating systems. Students, teachers and administrators in many buildings have endured broken bathrooms, leaking roofs, lead-tainted drinking water, asbestos contamination and rodent infestations, school records show. In some cases, repair requests have gone years without a response....

[3AngelaD]

One of the reasons I am posting this is that U.S. taxpayers continue to foot the bill for the District's incompetence and corruption. These are your tax dollars at work. Or not. Sounds to me like this "manager," who has supposedly been on the job 19 years and presided over these disasters, should have been relieved of his duties years ago, but there is plenty of other blame to go round. A large part of the problem is there is never any accountability in the District, and no one is ever held responsible for failing to do their job.

[ClearCase_guy]

Huge amounts of money are poured into the DC school system. And 100% of it is wasted. DC is the single best argument for getting government out of the education business and giving people vouchers and control of their own educational responsibilities.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

It would have cost just $100,000 a year to remove harmful minerals from the water flowing into all of the more than 400 boilers in the public schools.

(snip)

The school district is leasing a temporary boiler, installed on a semitrailer in the parking lot, at a cost of about $100,000 for the school year.

DC is a city run by Rat morons with delusions of grandeur despite their all-encompassing incompetence.

[wrench]

The DC gov’t is a trainwreck when it comes to fiscal responsibility. Last time I was there, 60% of their fire trucks and 90% of their EMT trucks were out of service. Most needed engines, but no one would sell any to them as DC would never pay on their purchase orders. Every supplier had been stiffed in the past .

[jwparkerjr]

I’m sure this lack of accountability extends to far more of the DC government’s projects and systems in addition to the heating systems in schools.

As taxpayers we don’t seem to have what it takes to hold the feel of public officials to the fire and make them do what they should. Nothing goes on forever and this will be no exception. If we don’t find a way to correct these problems then the system will correct them for us. That correction will be a breakdown in the systems’ ability to function all. In the end the system-imposed solution will be a great deal more expensive and draconian than one imposed by the tax payers on their own.

[Leisler]

The district admits to spending something like 17,000 dollars per year, per student. I feel costs are double that, around 35K per year. Further less than half graduated, and of those only about another half are truly qualified, so I’d double and double again to arrive at the cost of a educated young adult. We are now looking at costs north of 100,000 dollars, per year.

Further, when kids fail, get pregnant commit crime halved to be housed, then the system, since it said it is responsible, should have these ‘repair’, ‘after purchases’ cost assigned.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Boiler tender 101: always use Nalco water treatment or you will pay for a new boiler. This is just beyond stupidity.

[stefanbatory]

Why was it the Army Corps of Engineers who installed these heating systems??????????

[blackdog]

In order to maintain a boiler system, one must have in their employ, a maintenance person or janitor who can read/write/and perform routine duties.

Well, that excludes any graduates of public school ...............

[freekitty]

Unfortunately that has seeped over into the services we buy. I can’t begin to tell you the screwups I have had to correct even using reputable firms. It seems it’s always costing me more money and time and the service is so lousy; it’s unbelievable. Don’t missunderstand me; there are nice people out there; it just seems I am dealing ith more messups than I use to.

[chrisser]

This is hardly limited to DC, or to even poor school districts.

And, sadly, decades of meticulous maintenance can be undone with just a few years of incompetent leadership.

[VOA]

Students, teachers and administrators in many buildings have endured
broken bathrooms, leaking roofs, lead-tainted drinking water,
asbestos contamination and rodent infestations, school records show.

Sounds like the public schools of The Los Angeles Unified
School District.
AKA "LA Mummified"

Surely no connection as both DC and LA are Democratic Liberal bastions...
(/SARC)

[Thrownatbirth]

This year's DC school crisis is boilers. Last year, it was no books. Before that, it was 85 leaky roofs. Before that, it was bad cafeteria food.

Yet these failed contractors walk away with millions every time. And no one is accountable. Hell, DC accountants themselves were too busy heisting $44 million from DC property taxes.

[printhead]

Our last mayor (Rochester, NY) arranged a close-to half million dollar good-bye package for our last superintendent of schools to leave before incompetence became a visible issue. Of course, Clifford Janey followed the money and now runs the D.C. city school district. As an aside, do you know who he hired as a part-time chemistry teacher? City council member “Bi*** Set Me Up” Marion Barry.

[blackdog]

Like installing phone systems, electricity, plumbing, and hospitals in Somalia. Within a year it’s all broken down and sold as scrap and the local thugs have made the hospital their new headquarters until the diesel generator breaks runs out of oil.

[Mad Dawg]

I have an idea! Let’s put the same people who have oversight over DC in charge of national health care!

[mo]

At some point, reality may dawn on Congress...that Home Rule for the District has been a colossal failure by any measure...

[newnhdad]

They need to keep voting for Marion Barry, he’ll take care of everything.

[Bob]

A minor correction, if I may:

DC is a city run by Rat morons with delusions of grandeur adequacy...

[blackdog]

It's the "need new schools" syndrome. Most people who value education honor their institutions with diligent maintenance. Such institutions might add a wing here or there, or upgrade systems, but the thought of not maintaining their 200 year old facilities is criminal to the alumni.

Maybe the custodian over at Sydwell Friends could hold a class on boiler upkeep for the DC district.