Safeguards in Place to Ensure Consentino Roof Patchwork Done Correctly: Fiorentini

Emergency roof repairs at Consentino School are expected to wrap up this week, Mayor James J. Fiorentini said. (Courtesy photograph)

Emergency roof repairs at Consentino School wrapped up in time for Monday classes, Mayor James J. Fiorentini said. (Courtesy photograph)

As emergency patchwork repairs were carried out at Haverhill’s Consentino School, Mayor James J. Fiorentini personally visited the job site to make sure the project was expedited and done to the city’s satisfaction.

A plan to replace sections of leaky roofing that left water pouring into hallways and classrooms during a late November storm was completed in time for the opening bell Monday—but it is by no means a long-term solution. In fact, it’s only intended to bide time until the state responds to Haverhill’s request for state aid to make a major overhaul to Consentino, Fiorentini said.

“We know it will not last—we need a new roof,” Fiorentini told WHAV Monday morning after he verified the patch job was carried out successfully.

A project management team under the direction of MTH Environmental’s Pieter Hartford was hired to oversee the roofing company carrying out the interim work at Consentino, the mayor said.

Flooding at Consentino (Courtesy of Ted Kempinski)

The middle school in Haverhill’s Mount Washington neighborhood has long been a point of debate for city officials. When a statement of interest seeking Consentino aid was discussed last spring, Councilor Colin F. LePage argued that the plan submitted by the office of former superintendent James F. Scully was basically a copy of a previous submission with no evidence of additional study or investigation. That application was rejected due to a lack of available funding.

At the same time, Council Vice President Thomas J. Sullivan advocated for modern facilities for students in every part of the city—not just at Consentino.

“Every school is a great school, because schools are about more than buildings, but for equal educational opportunities, it shouldn’t matter what neighborhoods they live in and what school they go to,” Sullivan said.

An answer to the city’s most recent application for aid is expected from the state School Building Authority by Dec. 12 or 13, Fiorentini told WHAV.