City council amended the 2012 operating budget to accommodate repairs to the roof of the Parks’ building, located at 15 East Lake Hill, Feb. 6.
Council approved the replacement of one area of the roof at an estimated cost of $30,000 with funding coming from the corporate contingency fund. The current balance in the corporate contingency fund is $150,000.
On Oct. 17, staff presented council with a recommendation to replace all three roof surfaces at a cost of $90,000. Council unanimously agreed to table the motion so staff could get a second opinion on the cost and condition of the roof.
The building was originally constructed in 1981 and there are three adjoining roof surfaces of varying heights.
Swan Roof Consulting Inc. provided the original estimate and Tremco Ltd. Roofing Division provided the second opinion.
“Swan recommends the replacement of all three surfaces and bases their recommendation on the age of (part of the roof) and the inability to ascertain the condition of (another part),” said Rob Brietzke, team leader of building operations and corporate properties.
“Tremco is recommending minor repairs immediately, further testing and then replacements in the future.”
Brietzke said Swan’s recommendations are based on observations, testing and analysis and Tremco’s are based on observations only. Swan’s new estimated the cost of re-roofing is $80,000 and Tremco’s is $110,000.
Alderman Allan Hunter said he felt the areas of the roof that are saturated with water could be fixed without replacing the entire section.
“You can go in and cut out the areas of wet insulation until there is no more water,” he said.
“The City of Airdrie needs to look at roof assets and put preventative maintenance program in place. We are doing a disservice to our assets.”
Alderman Glenda Alexander said she has been in property management for many years and she has learned never to procrastinate when it comes to roof repairs.
“A Band-Aid solution won’t work,” she said.
“You are just prolonging the inevitable and it can result in an increase in costs.”
Brietzke agreed.
“While the deferral of the replacement may seem attractive from a current budget view, it simply deflects the cost to future years at a probable higher cost,” he said.
“However, given our economic situation, I think we can stretch out a couple more years on the other parts of the roof.”
Mayor Peter Brown and Hunter voted against the motion to amend the 2012 operating budget to accommodate repairs to the roof.
“I was not convinced that this was the best way to go and was not something I could support,” said Brown.
“Alderman Hunter has a lot of experience with this and I supported his opinion.”
City staff will continue to monitor and maintain the areas of the roof that will not be immediately replaced and will look into restoring them in the 2013 capital budget process.
