NATIONAL GUARD HELPS PERRYVILLE SCHOOLS SAVE

PERRYVILLE -- The Missouri National Guard is set to initiate a project in Southeast Missouri that typically would be done by a private contractor.

A new access road for the Perryville Junior High School will save Perryville schools a little money and give guardsman a weekend project that could last until August.

Federal law prohibits the National Guard from taking work from private contractors, but with the proper permission -- and paperwork -- some exceptions are allowed.

"The school called the state, an EPA study was done, and the unit was appointed to do the work," said Capt. Robert Jones.

The Perryville and Jackson units of the 1140th Combat Engineer Battalion will be creating about 2,500 feet of road from Highway B to the parking lot of the recently built Perryville Elementary School.

Jones said the area was congested with parents' cars and school-bus traffic. He said school officials needed the new access road to relieve some of the congestion.

"We began work on this about a year and a half ago," said Ron Fitch, superintendent of Perryville Schools. "It's been good for both parties, because we get the road and they have weekend responsibilities to fulfill with their training sessions."

Fitch said the guard also has helped with other public school construction projects, including the school track.

"With the construction of the junior high multipurpose building, we were having too much congestion and needed a new access road," he said. "So we began work to get the guard back."

Fitch said the district must pay for some gasoline and meals for the guardsmen. He said the officials will gladly make the provisions considering the normal cost of creating a road.

Jones said as many as 30 guardsmen will work on the road during the weekend. Some of the men also are staying in a tent at the work site during their weekend tours of duty.

The road will be topped with gravel when the guard completes its work. But Fitch said a hard surface might be part of a long-range plan for the road.