The Minot Public School Board issued an emergency declaration to address needed roof repairs for the pool structure at Minot North High School at its meeting on Feb. 13.

Business manager Laura Dokken said the roof of the pool at Minot North High School sustained damage during high winds last October. Dokken said the administration was working with its insurance company on a claim. While the roof has been shored up while it awaits repairs, Dokken said there has been water damage observed inside the building.

“We are requesting that the board consider an emergency declaration per this Century Code, so it gives the district an option to not bid it out,” Dokken said. “It’s a pretty high claim. It’s over $800,000 right now and then we have the deductible we have to pay out of our general fund.”

Dokken said an emergency declaration allows for additional quotes from contractors to move the process along.

School Board President Mitch Kraft asked how extensive the water damage was to the interior of the building, and MPS facility manager Jared Edwards clarified it was condensation forming between loose sections of the membrane on the parapet walls of the roof which then makes its way into the building.

“It does some interior damage. Insulation becomes wet. Sheetrock becomes wet. Also, we’re having to destruct things we normally wouldn’t have to. We’re reawakened every day with something new upon us. We’re working with an insurance company who is satisfied with those dollars and those numbers and is satisfied with the design moving forward. They worked very closely with the contractor that actually installed the roof originally,” Edwards said. “The idea is, the longer we wait, the more and more problems will present themselves.”

The board voted unanimously to approve the declaration.