District 158 moves to settle lawsuit over leaks

One by one, Huntley Unit District 158 is settling with contractors named in a 2008 lawsuit over leaks at two of its Algonquin schools.

In the lawsuit, District 158 claims that construction flaws at Conley and Mackeben elementary schools, which both opened in 2005, allowed water to seep into the buildings' walls, causing as much as $500,000 in damage.

The school board recently approved a settlement with one of the contractors named in the suit, McHenry County Glass & Mirror. Under the deal, the McHenry firm agreed to fix issues with windows at the schools in exchange for being released from the lawsuit.

"They were cooperative and recaulked some of the windows," District 158 Chief Operations Officer Dave Jenkins said.

Earlier this year, the district released Arrow Road Construction from the suit after the Mt. Prospect company agreed to fix the cement stoops outside some of the schools' entrances at no cost to the district.

District 158 officials hope to settle disputes with some of the bigger contractors named in the suit - including Illinois Masonry Corp. and Gilfillan Callahan Nelson Architects - in upcoming mediation talks, Jenkins said.