Donations pay for school roof repairs

By Maureen Robertson

Donations from three sources are plugging leaks at Ramona schools.

Roofers completed some repairs earlier this year, and other work started after the recent storm that dumped 3.55 to 5 inches of rain, with varying amounts recorded in different sections of town.

“That was a heck of a storm,” said Ed Anderson, maintenance and grounds supervisor for Ramona Unified School District, noting that the rain found numerous places to leak, primarily at Ramona High.

Before the storm, Ramona resident Mitch Roe of Roejack Roofing donated the lion’s share to roof repairs — about a $26,000 value in materials and labor — said Anderson. The school district matched his donation with $2,876 toward the estimated $12,000 to $13,000 value to reroof Room 17 at Ramona Elementary, added Anderson.

Additional work by Roejack included other repairs at Ramona Elementary, valued at $6,900; Olive Peirce Middle School, $3,200; Ramona High, $3,100; Barnett Elementary, $1,300; and James Dukes Elementary, $990.

Responding to reports of numerous leaks at Ramona High from the recent downpour, roofer Jim Brown and his crew from Brown Roofing and Construction arrived last Wednesday morning and got to work.

They found 10 leaks in the I Building. Most of the estimated 40 leaks on the campus are on the I Building and gymnasium, commented Brown, who had dirt that reached about 18 inches up his right arm. That was the arm

he used to pull dirt and other debris from one drain.

“I started pulling out trash, all sorts of debris, there was lots of leaves and dirt, and then I felt something,” he said.

It was an empty Diet Pepsi can.

“That Diet Pepsi can had clogged the drain,” said Brown.

Once he removed the can and cleared the rest of the drain, “it’s free flow,” he said.

Brown, who started in the roofing business in 1979, specializes in fixing leaking roofs. Brown Roofing & Construction, headquartered in Encinitas, became known to Friends of Ramona Unified Schools (FORUS) through one of the volunteer group’s members, Dave Patterson.

“We’re trying to do the best we can with what you’ve got,” he said to a FORUS member, estimating the work and materials would cost from $7,000 to $10,000. “This is the first step in getting rid of water, stopping the leaks caused by water issues.”

He spent time at no cost earlier in the school year, checking roofs at Ramona schools with Anderson to determine what problems needed solving.

“Our specific skill is to spot leaks and fix them so you don’t have to do the entire roof — and that’s not easy,” he said, noting, “You’ve got to think like a raindrop ... We think it’s money well spent.”

The spot roof repairs and maintenance could save the district several million dollars, said Brown.

“This will buy you time and save a lot of wear and tear,” he said, standing outside one I Building room that had visible ceiling damage from leaks.

Stepping inside the classroom, Brown noted one ceiling tile break, referring to it as the “Pepsi ceiling.” The teacher in the classroom full of students pointed to evidence of mold on one wall.

By 10 a.m., Brown and crew had filled six construction bags with debris.

“It could have blown through in the last storm,” he said.

His firm, now owned by son Andy Brown, is licensed and insured, said Brown, commenting,” I find leaks and fix them. That’s my career.”

FORUS money to pay Brown Roofing comes from donations from the community. Donations so far total nearly $10,000, with plans for a fundraiser at ChuckAlek Independent Brewers on Saturday and a fundraiser at Ramona United Methodist Church in June.

FORUS donation canisters are in numerous businesses in town, and donations also may be mailed to Dave Patterson, Roof Project chairman, at 1003 Sixth St., Ramona, CA 92065, with checks payable to FORUS Roof Project.

Also contributing to school roofs was Weatherproofing Technology, a subsidiary of Trimco, said Anderson. That firm donated $5,000 to $6,000 of repairs to the Ramona High School locker room roof and the roof over the middle school kitchen, he said.