Doors Arrive for Tilton School Restrooms, But Expired Contractor’s License Adds to Delay

Tilton Elementary School (Jay Saulnier file photograph for WHAV News.)

The Haverhill School Maintenance Department received a bit of a tongue-lashing from the School Committee last Thursday night.

The rebuke stems from a problem of missing doors on the rest rooms at the John C. Tilton School.  Back in April, Committee member Paul A. Magliocchetti revealed the problem after he and Committee member Toni Sapienza-Donais took a tour of the school. At the time, Facilities Director Stephen D. Dorrance said he was aware of the problem and would have the doors replaced by May 1.

However, Magliocchetti said the doors have only recently come in and are now ready to be installed. He explained the reason for the delay.

“The reason for the delay was the city is requiring building permits for a lot of the work being done in the school buildings right now, and there was an issue because the contractor that was procured by Mr. Dorrance had a license that had expired so he couldn’t pull the permit,” he said.

Magliocchetti said, in this case, a member of the school’s maintenance staff had the required license and was able to obtain the permit, but he was concerned the problem was not identified earlier.

That sentiment was echoed by fellow committee member Scott W. Wood Jr.

“I will say this whole discussion about whether bathroom doors were needed has gone on far too long. I consider it an absolute embarrassment that this was even a discussion debated at a public meeting and, quite frankly, unacceptable,” Wood

Magliocchetti also pointed out another potential issue is the need for architectural plans for work at Haverhill High School. He said he was concerned those plans would not be provided in time for work to be done before school reopens.

School Superintendent Margaret Marotta responded she has made arrangements

“The architectural firm that is working on the Consentino building project has agreed to do the plans for the high school, and they have assured us they will get it done in the near term,” Marotta said.

She told the Committee it is her hope to have all work done before the new school year.

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