City to spend at least $3m to rid schools of pests, leaky roofs

Boston school officials will spend at least $3 million next school year to rid schools of pests and to contend with leaky roofs, but lack the money to immediately repair every problem cited in a recent environmental inspection report, an administrator said yesterday.

The report, posted on the Boston public schools website in October, showed that 90 percent of the city's public schools had at least one environmental problem that could worsen asthma or allergies.

Repairing everything at once, from poor ventilation to rodent infestation, would cost the school system about $200 million; Boston schools expect to receive only $30 million from the city to pay for building maintenance the next school year, said Michael Contompasis, the school system's chief operating officer. It would be unrealistic to try, Contompasis said during a meeting of the City Council's education committee.

City councilors urged school officials to use the inspection reports to prioritize what repairs are needed and report back on what they have fixed. Schools also need to inform teachers and principals about the health hazards.

Representatives from the city's Public Health Commission, whose inspectors investigated 134 Boston school buildings last year, said they hope the schools will use the data to be more vigilant about maintenance to prevent minor repairs from becoming serious.

Inspectors found signs of pests, such as mouse droppings, in 71 schools, according to the report. In the past month, administrators in 10 more schools have complained about pests, school officials said.

The 81 schools have submitted pest management plans to the state, said Jeff Lane, the school system's environmental specialist. It will cost the system about $1 million next year to solve the pest problem, he said.

The school system has also identified 29 schools that need new roofs, which cost between $240,000 and $800,000 per building, depending on the facility's size, Contompasis said. Ten schools reported roof leaks during the last rainstorm, he said.

The system expects to spend about $2 million next year on new roofs for about four schools.

Contompasis said the system is committed to fixing every problem and does not want to use the lack of money as an excuse.

''Parents have every obligation to push the envelope, and we must respond to them," he said.

Councilors John Tobin and Chuck Turner said they will ask Mayor Thomas M. Menino to increase the capital budget so schools can hasten repairs, but said they think the problem needs to be addressed at a national level.

At a separate hearing at the Boston Teachers Union Hall last night, Representative John Conyers Jr., Democrat of Michigan, touted a federal bill he has sponsored that would provide grants for mold removal in public buildings and help schools fix contaminated facilities and improve air quality.

Tracy Jan can be reached at tjan@globe.com.