The tile floors in the back half of the church have been in need of replacement for some time. About three or four years ago we noticed a large crack in the floor of the social hall and in the tiles around the vents. For more than a year the tiles in the Social Hall and Office Hall have been popping up. The cracked and popping tiles are a safety hazard and clear evidence of old age. The Buildings Committee believes that the larger cracks are a result of an earthquake that happened several years ago. We obtained a report from a structural engineer that assured us that the floor is sound. All the contractors, who have given estimates, recommend removing the existing tile, skim-coating the entire area and filling in the cracks as needed before re-tiling.

Over the last 6 months, the Building Committee (Elizabeth Breeden, Lorie Craddock, Jude Bias, Beverly Gorham, Kim Grover) and Steve Rogers (Facilities Manager) have reviewed contracts and specifications with several contractors for the repair and resurfacing of the Social Hall, Office Hall, Ramp Hall, and Mailroom floors. We recommend using a VCT tile, similar to what we have now, and that all of the floors be done at the same time for the least disruption and greatest cost savings. We plan to accept the bid from the Ceiling and Floor Shop with a quote of $22,817. We are making every effort to have the work done (it takes about 2 weeks) in late July or early August, to lessen the impact of the loss of the social hall for use by the congregation. In addition, a few weeks after the floor is installed, we will need to have it sealed and waxed. ($1650)

The total cost of the project is estimated at $25,000, including a small contingency. We had plans for a special fund raising, but just last week, we were notified that Satyendra Huja, in his will, donated most of the money to cover the cost of this installation. We are exceedingly grateful that this donation will let us keep our facility in good repair.