Question: Who's the School-Roof Boss?

Training for a computerized system that would monitor everything you'd ever want to know about the new roofs on the four solar-paneled schools -- except the panels -- was before the School Building Committee Tuesday night. Problem was, nobody knew who should go to computer class -- town maintenance or school maintenance.

Mayor April Capone has floated a proposal for the town to absorb the school maintenance operation, which was presented to the Board of Ed on Feb. 7. It triggered a spirited debate but no decision was made.

The School Building Committee got a peek at what the training would entail from Tim Mulcahy, territory manager for the South Windsor-based Garland Company, supplier of the roofing materials for the schools that got panels. His firm would run the system, called Dry Zone (included in its contract), provide the training and sell the school (or town) the software.

Mulcahy said Dry Zone provides "detailed" inspection, diagnostic and repair reports, cost estimates for repairs and tallies up anticipated annual expenses. It's also a place to record roof problems, like leaks and pipes that need draining.  Garland's roofs on Momaughin, Overbrook, Deer Run and Joseph Melillo Middle schools are under a 25-year warranty.

"Basically it helps you keep a running total of what's going on with each roof," said Mulcahy.

All communication between school maintenance (or town maintenance) and Garland would be conducted by email. Invoices are posted on the site and payments are made through there. It also keeps a running history on the roofs.

"So this is all without a phone call," said committee member Lew Langella.

Mulcahy said his firm would assign three contractors to East Haven for the labor. The school administration (or town administration) would single out a contractor per job.

"Does the Board of Education have a [roof] maintenance program?" asked committee member Norman Brody.

Chair Joe D'Albero shook his head no.

"We need cooperation from whoever you deem" to be in charge, said Mulcahy. "You get out of it whatever you put in. If we don't get the cooperation from everyone ... "

"So you're still depending on the eyes and ears of the people in the [school] facility to notify you guys if there's an issue," said Brody.

Mulcahy said Joe Travaglino, director of school buildings and grounds, reports stuff like roof leaks to him, but so far the calls have been "false alarms," such as a plumbing problem.

Committee member Sam Giglio spoke in favor of getting folks trained on Dry Zone. "Ten years from now we won't be sitting here," he said. "Whoever is in Town Hall will have a track record." Giglio playfully added he won't be in around in 10 years and then he and Langella joked about being alive or dead then.

"The Board of Ed doesn't even know when a roof is leaking," said Tia DePalma, the sole school board member at the meeting.

School Building member Joe Luciano asked what it would cost to add the other four East Haven public schools to Dry Zone.

"Once we buy the software, you don't care how many buildings are on there?" Brody asked Mulcahy.

No, said the man from Garland, no extra cost to be set up in the Dry Zone system. But there are charges. Mulcahy said it's around 3 cents per square foot for inspections and up to 15 cents per square foot for repairs per building. He said town property could also be added to the system.

Paul Hongo, director of town affairs, said that wouldn't be necessary. He said assistant director of town affairs Ralph Mauro has done a "good job" with the town buildings. "What we're concerned about is the Board of Ed," said Hongo.

"Remember one thing, too, we still have to bring this to the (school) board and they haven't gotten back to us about the solar panel (maintenance)," said D'Albera.

"They haven't?" said DePalma.

At its Feb. 7 meeting, the school board voted to hand over the panel upkeep to the town -- expenses and all -- but reportedly hadn't sent a letter notifying the Board of Finance, which had sent the item to the Board of Ed.

"We're hoping they'll relinquish the entire maintenance to the town," said Hongo. "Everyone's worried we're going to fire Joe Travaglino. There will still be a place for him."

The committee tabled the item until a decision is made about the proposed maintenance merger. That discussion will continue on Feb. 24 in Town Hall, with Capone, Superintendent of Schools Anthony Serio, Travaglino, the Board of Education and the School Building Committee.