Bloomfield clears hurdle for building grant

The Bloomfield School District is awaiting final approval for a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to build a safe room.

The money would be used to construct a $1,478,104 safe room at the school complex. District officials heard from representatives from Bates and Associates Architects in Springfield, Mo. at their regular meeting Monday night, the Dexter Daily Statesman reported.

Brian Orr, an engineer with Bates and Associates, said historically every project that had been approved by the State Emergency Management Agency has been approved by FEMA. He said the grant application was submitted to SEMA two weeks ago and was now being considered by FEMA. He went on to say that it is usually about two months before FEMA gives final approval.

"I don't foresee it not being funded," he said.

The project would be in the form of a 75/25 percent matching grant. The requested amount from FEMA is $1,108,578. The Bloomfield District would have to provide $369,526. Orr said the district's matching funds could include in-kind work. He also noted that FEMA regulations prevented the grant money from being used for painting, floor covering, suspended ceilings and other "finishing work."

Orr said the district could use the facility for other purposes than just a safe room. Regulations do not prevent the district from building a two-story facility which could be used s a gymnasium and the building could be expanded at a later date to include classrooms or other needed facilities.

The primary location of the new safe room as submitted by Bates and Associates would be where the current High School library is located on the corner of School and Missouri streets. The secondary location is east of the high school on what is now a parking lot.

Superintendent Dr. Nicholas Thiele said the first location was preferable because it was centrally located for all three schools.

Board member Dave Cooper asked where the library would be located if the old one is torn down. Thiele said the old multi-purpose room at the middle school could be converted into a two-story structure with the upper half used as an elementary library and the lower half used as a high school library. The multi-purpose room currently serves as a gym, but it does not meet the required dimensions by the Missouri State High School Activities Association.

Orr said the safe room could be open or closed to the public, depending on the board's decision. He said the safe room could be closed to the public during the day during a disaster and open to both students and the public at night. He added that the safe room "cannot be used as an overnight shelter during storms." The safe room is to be used only for temporary protection from storms or disasters, Orr said.

Orr said Bates and Associates had seven safe room projects at school districts around the state submitted to FEMA. The safe rooms are funded through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. He said a project at the Puxico School District has also been approved by SEMA and was awaiting approval from FEMA.

The Cape Girardeau School District considered applying for the money to help construct an events complex at the high school. School board members voted down the measure saying they did not want to act before they knew they had the matching funds. Members also did not want to make a decision until the district-wide facilities plan is complete.