District 158 sues contractors over faulty school construction claims

Huntley Unit District 158 is suing numerous contractors who built two of its newer schools in Algonquin, claiming repeated water leaks could cost as much as $500,000 to fix.

The suit seeks more than $50,000 in damages from eight contractors that built Conley and Mackeben elementary schools.

District officials say shoddy workmanship led to problems at the two schools, which opened at the district's Square Barn Road campus in 2005.

The district says a number of construction flaws allowed water to seep into buildings and collect within walls, damaging them.

"Over the past several years, continuing, numerous and substantial leaks and water infiltration has occurred at the new elementary schools," the 22-page lawsuit reads.

"These leaks and water infiltration caused damage inside the new elementary schools and presented potential health hazards to the children, teachers and other occupants of the new elementary schools."

The district began discussions with its lawyers, architects and contractors late last year to determine who was responsible for the leaks.

At the time, Superintendent John Burkey said the district would pursue legal action if it wasn't able to resolve the issue.

"There has not been a resolution yet," Burkey said. "You could certainly draw the inference that we were not able to get cooperation."

The district has not repaired the leaks.

"We want the vendors that did it to do the repairs," Burkey said. "It definitely was not a district issue, and we need to get those buildings fixed."

The contractors named in the suit are Illinois Masonry Corp., Shales McNutt Construction, Gilfillan and Callahan Architects, Arrow Road Construction, Boller Construction, Hargrave Builders, McHenry County Glass and Mirror and Nelson Fire Protection.

None of the contractors returned calls seeking comment.