Structural engineer has track record
In case you missed it, staff writer Taft Wireback discovered Hermon Fox's costly structural mistakes in another school district.
You can also read reports Guilford County Schools received from Sutton-Kennerly engineers regarding the flaws at Eastern, Kernodle and Hairston (please note that these reports were originally sent to TFF Architects and to the school system later). I had an independent structural engineer review the reports and identify any red flags. Tim Mays, an assistant engineering professor at The Citadel in South Carolina and past president of the state's structural engineer's association, designs schools in South Carolina and is familiar with regulations in North Carolina. He had this to say:
"My guess is that this will be quite costly to both the contractors and the engineer of record. According to the reports:
1) The buildings were not built to the engineer’s requirements and fixing the buildings will be costly
2) The engineers design appears to be grossly inadequate in regards to lateral force resistance (wind, earthquakes, etc.).
It appears that parts of the building have little to no resistance to lateral forces from wind. For example, a very strong, albeit uncommon, 80 mph wind may collapse a portion of the building as constructed. Keep in mind that 90-100 mph wind speeds occurred in Memphis, TN just a couple of years ago. I would have to see the drawings to tell you “theoretically” what would happen when, but the reports show clearly that the buildings were unsafe for even decent lateral forces."
Mays also wondered if Sutton-Kennerly should have shown more concern for student safety in the reports. While the reports make recommendations for repairs, the engineers do not recommend the non-gym areas be closed.
Mays said Guilford County Schools could learn two lessons from this: the importance of special inspections and requiring a peer or independent review of structural designs. While larger engineering firms typically do this in-house, sole proprietors may skip this process for cost savings, Mays said.
In other words, during the bidding process the district could explicitly instruct architectural firms to require sole proprietor engineers to do a peer or independent review of the plans before sending them to county and state officials for verification. Mays said this step should not be that expensive.
"A quick-over look review would have caught this," he said.
Guilford County Schools does not currently require that additional step, instead leaving design reviews up to the engineers, who are liable for any flaws.
Do you think an additional review would be helpful or is that a waste of (taxpayers) money?
Comments (16)
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Morgan, the waste of taxpayers' money is accross the board with the programs endorsed by the Board of Education and implemented by Dr. Grier and his building full of administrators that could not locate 10 of the 100+ school buildings in the county wide system if their lives depended on it.
One thing that is consistent is the inability of the School Board to check the background of anyone or any company. Or if they do perform background checks they choose to ignore the results.
One more time, please "GOOGLE" Dr. Grief's name and see what you find in under 30 seconds. Then do another 60 seconds of work and check out Mr. Fox, it's not that hard. Why don't these people use their taxpayers' dollars-issued laptops and do a little work?
If they are unable to do a little basic "blocking & tackling" they'll never score a touchdown.
Posted on August 24, 2006 5:20 PM
I was wondering what happened to Fox and Grier. I used to see them at Palm Springs playing golf together every year.
That Grier would take a mulligan on every hole. Apparently he feels that much like his golf shots, that kids are expendable.
Posted on August 24, 2006 5:32 PM
Sounds like Mr. Fox and Dr. Grier have very similar Track Records.
I think Half-XXX would best describe the Work that both of these men have done for our school system.
Posted on August 24, 2006 5:49 PM
Wait taxpayers, the REAL kicker hasn't occured yet! The REAL kicker will knock you for a LOOP! Just wait till NOTHING happens over this very scary and potentially dangerous, not to mention COSTLY incident. Nothing will happen AT ALL...well, except the big fat raise that the Board of Education will give Mr. Grier.
This will be just ANOTHER Sweepitundertherug incident and Terry will walk away smiling, with a bigger bulge in his pants. Take that however you wish because both sides will be bulging. I think he honestly gets off on these close-calls!
Posted on August 24, 2006 9:17 PM
My wife Jane just got back from taking the children to school. She told me that Southwest and the surrounding roads had a few hundred yellow "Save our School" signs.
I guess those parents just cant forgive the School Board for taking their kids. Its probably a reminder that there are lots of people out there still fighting.
Posted on August 25, 2006 7:38 AM
The black and yellow landscape is beautiful but I was hoping to see a display in that yard on Southwest School Road. :(
Posted on August 25, 2006 7:47 AM
"Do you think an additional review would be helpful or is that a waste of (taxpayers) money?"
What do you call the millions that it is taking to make the "structural enhancements" that's going on right now? What's the tab now, $6 or $7 million? That doesn't even begin to calculate the potential cost of the safety of school children and staff that was endangered by this antic.
And, why would the schools choose to skimp on a few extra dollars for an extra review when they spend money like drunken sailors on leave? There's more here than meets the eye. An enterprising reporter should be able to get to the bottom of this. And, Cooke thinks that the time for a new bond referendum is here? Puleese! With the public confidence of the school board and administration in the toilet right now, they must have their brain disengaged from reality.
Posted on August 25, 2006 9:05 AM
I could not believe what I heard last night and the BOE meeting. For them to spring the cost of the fix as over 7 million without any advance notice is unbelievable.
Posted on August 25, 2006 9:30 AM
Not only did we spend over 7 mil on the 'enhancements' but Sharon Ozement went through the capital improvement stuff very fast, but not fast enough that Anita Sharpe didn't catch that they wanted 2.2 MIL MORE for the Smith academy! total of 2.3 to buy the building 1.5 to do what they asked for and now 2.2 more!
what gives that is almost 50% increase
Posted on August 25, 2006 12:24 PM
I will only vote for the next bond if my husbands Company gets more than its fair share of business.
I need a new Lexus!
Posted on August 25, 2006 12:28 PM
Does anyone know if the taxpayers of this county can request an audit by a neutral party?
Posted on August 25, 2006 4:03 PM
Does the 50% increase at Smith have to do with certain minority contracts that do not have to be bid out?
How hard is it to get a price on the cost of a simple renovation, get a contract and stick to it???
Posted on August 25, 2006 5:44 PM
Grier has a track record too. Why don't you blog that!
Posted on August 25, 2006 6:55 PM
We can't really expect this current school board to look into backgrounds before issuing contracts.
In 2000 the News & Record reported that both of the final candidates for the GCS supe job, Terry Grier and Gene Denisar, had been fired from previous jobs and both were controversial.
Then Susan Mendenhall said that both were worthy of leading Guilford County Schools.
Geez. I don't know about that! (tg)
The article said that Denisar was accused of ordering the account finance director at a previous job to use illegal accounting practices. The Teacher of the Year banquet was cancelled that year because teachers said they would boycott the event.
The same article said Grier worked only 17 months at one job and then was fired for "undisclosed reasons". Grier fought the dismissal in court and lost. He then went to Tennessee. He cut popular programs and made parents and teachers mad. Several citizens ran for the school board in order to gain a majority of board members to fire him. He saw the writing on the wall and left.
Susan Mendenhall is quoted as saying, "I think they're both good candidates."
How many times has she fallen off that wagon and bumped her head?
Posted on August 25, 2006 9:32 PM
Wouldn't it be nice if susie took dotty, deena, walter and grier with her!
One thing I will give her credit for she had enough sense not to run! I wish dotty had some sense!
Maybe falling off the wagon has done her head some good.
Posted on August 25, 2006 10:44 PM
127.
Posted on August 26, 2006 7:51 PM