[UPDATE] Rams Locker Rooms Pass Inspection

Update:

An inpection by Chesprocott Health District shows the boys locker rooms at Cheshire High School pose no health hazards.

The two-page report to the Cheshire School Board states:

"... the locker rooms can be used without a health risk as long as the provided cleaning schedule continues to be followed."

At the request of the Cheshire Town Council, the health inspection was conducted on May 8 with the report released by the school district at its Thursday meeting.

Vincent Masciana, director of management services said the state Department of Health also reviewed the locker room conditions. "It can be used without a health risk as long as the cleaning schedule is fulfilled," he said. "The conclusion is the conditions are not optimal. It's usable, not optimal," Masciana added.

Board of Education Chairman Gerald Brittingham said the inspetion was done to put people's minds at ease. "We must be diligent in our oversight. It won't be brushed aside," he said.

report can be seen in the

Board Approves New Locker Room Building

With little fanfare and only one public comment, the Cheshire Board of Education Thursday night unanimously approved a funding request of $1.5 million to build a new locker room structure at Cheshire High School.

Vincent Masciana, Director of Managment Services, said the proposed structure would cover 8,000 square feet. Three possible locations are being considered within, or near, the Maclary Athletic Complex, he added.

The total cost of the building is $2 million, Masciana noted, but $500,000 of the cost was approved at a public referendum in 2009.

A design and proposal to renovate the existing boys locker room was tabled by the Town Council in March when it became clear that more funds would be needed to provide all-access accomodations to the locker room.

Parents and supporters then packed the Council Chambers in April to voice concern over athletes' health issues, including staph infections, which many felt were caused by the condition of the locker rooms. 

Rather than approve additional funding to renovate the locker room in time for the fall sports season — an action supported by many parents — the council handed the project back to the school board with the suggestion that it resubmit the item as a capital funding project. 

In less than a month, the board did just that, approving the new locker room building as part of a $6.3 million capital budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year. A five-year capital plan of $24.2 million was also approved. It contains about 20 long-range projects. 

The council will begin reviewing the town's and school district's funding requests on July 1.