School Board Minutes

Red Rock Central District No. 2884

Monday, March 3, 2008

A Special Meeting of the Board of Education, District #2884, was held in the Lamberton Board Room on Monday, March 3, 2008, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Members present were: Clarke, Derickson, Kelsey, Moldan, Myers, Rogotzke, and Westerman. Superintendent Brennan, Principal Olson, Christine Schmidt, A.J. Yadav, Giles Riley, Joe Dietl, and Denise Clarke were also in attendance.

Superintendent Brennan opened by introducing the special guests for the meeting – Dr. Rita Messing and Mr. Dale Dorschner of the Minnesota Department of Health.

Superintendent Brennan went on to give a brief description of the mercury issue in the Lamberton gymnasium. He explained that a representative of Minnesota Pollution Control had found amounts of mercury in the science labs and mercury vapors in the gymnasium.

Dr. Messing explained that there are 3 ways for mercury to get into ones systems – those being 1) breathing in the vapors; 2) eating fish with mercury content; and 3) swallowing an amount of liquid mercury.

The mercury vapor readings in our gym are 1200 nanograms/cubic meter, while anything below 800 ng/m3 is acceptable. Although a reading of 1200 is not a number to get extremely concerned about, it does need to be checked. Both Dr. Messing and Mr. Dorschner agreed that increasing ventilation in the gym should bring the mercury levels down to below 800. They recommended that the District 1) do future monitoring; 2) ventilate; 3) evaluate the cost over a period of years; and 4) evaluate occupational exposure over the years.

It was also recommended that Superintendent Brennan and the Pollution Control Agency create a plan of ventilation and follow up with a fall reading. If this is working, that’s all that will need to be done.

The meeting was declared adjourned by Chairman Derickson at 6:30 p.m.

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Alan J. Clarke, Clerk Denise Clarke, Recorder