FAIRBORN — Supply chain hiccups could delay the construction of some of Fairborn’s new school buildings, according to a report by Fairborn City Schools Director of Business Affairs Jeff Patrick.
At the most recent board meeting on July 1, board members heard that construction on the new Fairborn Intermediate School has encountered its first major hurdle in building the roof. The polymers used to build the adhesive roof are in short supply, and orders for materials made by subcontractors in February have gone unfulfilled. According to Patrick, construction on the roof could be delayed to as late as November.
“We’re starting to see some major problems with manufacturing and supplies and demand,” he said. “It is what it is, we’re trying to deal with it, but it is pretty bad news.”
Steel shortages have also hit the district hard, necessitating delays in construction of the high school. Patrick said he and contractors are working on solutions, but the costs of materials, including steel, lumber, and paint, are changing every day.
“If we ordered [steel] today, we would get it in nine months,” Patrick said. “The longer we wait, the more likely it is it won’t be until next summer that we have steel on site.”
“We’re not the only school district in this boat,” Patrick added.
The district expects to start moving dirt on the new high school by the end of July, which has not changed.
In other construction news, the district has changed landscaping subcontractors for Fairborn Primary School and progress on landscaping continues apace.
