Joplin schools spent about $222M to rebuild after tornado

JOPLIN, Mo. -- The Joplin School District has spent about $222 million rebuilding several schools and constructing community safe rooms after the 2011 tornado, district officials said.

District officials also told the school board Tuesday the district is financially stable, the Joplin Globe reported. Chief financial officer Paul Barr said the district has "increasing operating reserves," providing a "solid foundation" for budget plans.

Barr said the district had about $222 million in revenue after the May 2011 tornado, which killed 161 people and destroyed schools, homes and businesses. The majority of the money came from $86.9 million in insurance proceeds, $68 million in a voter-approved bond issue and premium and $53.2 million from federal and state emergency management agencies.

About $124 million of the district's revenue went toward rebuilding Joplin High School and Franklin Technology Center, Barr said, and about $31 million went toward community safe rooms at 14 schools.

The district and the Joplin Schools Foundation received about $6.7 million in donations after the tornado, Barr said, of which about $227,000 remained at the end of the 2015 fiscal year.

"We're anxious to get those donations working in the direction they were intended," Barr said.

The district's operating fund balances continue to improve, according to Barr, despite balances being flagged in a February state audit and drawing attention in recent elections.

The financial review was meant to increase public transparency and give board members more information, superintendent Norm Ridder said.

Information from: The Joplin (Mo.) Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com