ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- Potential contamination on the grounds of the Elmira High School has been a concern for many in the area. On Thursday, they got a chance to talk with the people responsible for the cleanup one-on-one.The event was held at the Elmira High School gym. There, residents could walk up to officials, voice their concerns, and hear answers.

    "Our first priority is always going to be to make sure no one's getting exposed to it," said New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Assistant Commissioner of Public Affairs, Sean Mahar. "What we  know is that there's cover systems in place, we have a soil vapor mitigation system in place for indoor air quality. We want to make sure that people are protected. Part of tonight is to show them exactly how these systems work and function so that they can feel confident in sending their kids here and coming into this building."

    Unisys, the company responsible for the cleanup, will be undertaking a major summer cleanup project as a part of some capital improvements the school is making. But DEC officials say they're looking to speed up the whole remediation process.

    "We're having them accelerate investigations on the athletic field so that we can design the cleanup plan and begin putting shovels in the ground by 2019," said Mahar. "Our goal here is to expedite that investigation so that the cleanup can happen more quickly as they embark on fully developing a cleanup plan for the rest of the site."

     The DEC also says portions of Coldbrook creek will also be remediated this year as they work on a cleanup plan for the creek for 2019. They also plan to remediate the track and athletic fields in 2019. In the meantime, the department of health officials say there's no risk to anyone on the property.

    "There is a number of systems in place that prevent direct contact," said New York State Department of Public Health Specialist, Justin Deming. "So without direct contact, there's no concern for health effects associated with any sort of exposure that might be here."

    For residents attending the meeting, they think it was a success.

    "I think it's exactly what the community is looking for," said resident, Andy Patros. "Expediting that process, getting clarification and status along the way, understanding the process better. That's part of the role of our community coalition."

    The Elmira High School, Superintendent, Hillary Austin issued a statement in regards to the contamination saying:
    
    "We are appreciative of the efforts by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to host an information session for staff of the Elmira City School District as well as the Elmira community. Hosting an availability session is a great opportunity for individuals to ask questions and gather information about the topics that are important to them surrounding the soil clean-up at Elmira High School. The District will continue efforts to collaborate with all interested parties towards ensuring a safe learning environment for students and a safe working environment for all employees."