SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ROOM EXPECTED TO BE CLOSED THROUGH MARCH

The Board of Education meeting room, which has been unusable since September due to the collapse of the ceiling in the room below it, is expected to be out of use until at least March.

District officials did not respond to requests for comment or details on the likely reopening or the extent of damage, but sources within the district offices revealed that March was the latest date to re-open the first-floor room. It is unclear why the delay has occurred as the school board had initially hoped to return to the meeting room as early as this month.

Since the collapse during the week of Sept. 16, 2016, the board has been forced to meet in other locations including the Columbia High School auditorium and library. Last week, they met at South Orange Middle School.

Relocating the meetings makes it more difficult to broadcast them live and record them for later posting online.

On Oct. 17, the board approved a resolution to hire four firms for storage, construction and consulting related to the repairs under an emergency no-bid provision in state law. But it did not indicate a cost estimate.

The board's next regular meeting is set for Dec. 19.