Small Town News

Another cracked brick in the wall

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Despite a wall that is essentially falling apart, officials at Mt. Pleasant School in Rolla insist students and staff are in no immediate danger.

According to superintendent Brian Palmer, school officials first noticed damage to some bricks located along the south exterior wall of the 'old' gymnasium last spring.

Palmner indicated steps were taken last summer that were aimed at solving the problem. Chief among those steps was the installation of a gutter system.

This spring, Palmer explained a small section, or approximately 20 bricks, or two rows of 10, had been removed, causing him and other school officials further alarm.

"The reason we're losing the bricks is because of the deterioration of the foundation underneath," said Palmer.

A consultation with CW Structural Engineers in Bismarck was held following the latest discovery. Palmer indicated CE Engineers deemed the building safe.

"We do not have any danger of being inside the gym," Palmer said.

Before steps are taken to fix the

problem, officials will first try to determine why it is happening and the extent of the damage.

"We don't know what the state of the foundation is underneath the ground and it runs over five feet below the ground," Palmer said. "We plan on doing some soil sampling and other tests to better understand why this is happening."

Although the older of the two school's gymnasiums, it gets utilized nearly every day.

A majority of elementary athletic events are held there, in addition to physical education classes and graduation.

"The wall isn't in danger of falling down," Palmer said. "Behind the brick is sturdy blocks according to engineers."

The walls in the gym aren't the only thing school officials are concerned about. Palmer indicated the roof is leaking and in need of future repairs.

When asked how much it would cost to fix the foundation, Palmer said it was too early in the process to know.

"The wall isn't in danger of falling down. Behind the brick is sturdy blocks according to engineers."

Brian Palmer, Mount Pleasant School superintendent



Copyright 2010 Turtle Mountain Star, Rolla, North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 Turtle Mountain Star Rolla, North Dakota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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