Sewage backup closes school<br>

“Serious repairs need to be completed before the building can be occupied again,” Rodriguez said.

The floor must be removed and replaced along with drywall that came in contact with the sewage. The kitchen play area received the most damage. It was saturated with sewage and is both a safety and a health issue.

Additional investigations by city officials revealed the sewer backup was caused by storm water running to capacity, said city of Williams Field Operations Director Glenn Cornwell.

“Every six months we will check the lines and clean them as needed,” Cornwell said.

City crews will also install backwater lines to assure that a sewage backup at that particular building will not happen again, said city of Williams Water Superintendent Ron Stilwell.

Rodriguez stated he must meet with the contractor who has bid on the repair of the facility to determine the actual cost of the damage. Rodriguez estimated the damage to be between $30,000-$35,000. Rodriguez hopes the building can be repaired within one month.

“Two weeks of that time is actually vacation when school would not be held,” he said.

In the meantime, the 36 Williams Head Start students are attending classes at the Williams Recreation Center. Because the recreation center does not meet state licensing requirements as a day care facility, only five children can attend at any one time. The students rotate every few hours.

“We had to identify children that need care five days a week and meet their needs first. Staff members are also visiting students at home,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez stated that he appreciates the assistance of city of Williams Manager Dennis Wells.

“The staff is working hard during this time,” Rodriguez said. “I thank the parents for their support.”

NACOG manages 26 facilities serving 1,700 children throughout the northern Arizona region.