Molokai Educational Center Flooded

 Soaking cancels classes for two days.

By Marie Nowell

Signs announcing cancelled classes were posted outside the Molokai Educational Center (MEC) last Thursday due to flooding. A drinking fountain ruptured overnight causing up to several inches of water to accumulate.

The facility remained open only for students who needed to complete tests. MEC professor and coordinator Donna Haytko-Paoa and other staff discovered the leak when they arrived to work Thursday morning. By then, water had flowed into surrounding classrooms and hallways.

The main concern was flooding in the computer classroom. There was four inches of water found in the electrical boxes, which are located on the floors.

Most of the water was expelled using a borrowed pump. Soda machines and other materials had to be moved into other areas while fans were used to eliminate the smell and moisture in the carpet. Technicians said they would wait until Monday morning, before bringing the computers back online.

The MEC will celebrate its 10th year anniversary next August and, up until now, has not had much maintenance problems.

Other recent maintenance problems include a leaning light pole that had nearly fallen over over. MEC’s poles are held up by four bolts under a cap. After realizing the leaning pole was held in by one remaining bolt, MEC staff checked adjacent lights and said that attention will be given to those which need it.

Haytko-Paoa said that the school’s air conditioner also needs maintenance. In one wing of the building, the AC was not turning off as it is programmed to do over the weekends. MEC is trying to be energy efficient and is currently working on the problem.

“The building is starting to show its age”, said Haytko-Paoa.

Haytko-Paoa noted that the “staff has been great and they are keeping the students out for health and safety reasons.”