Scott City School Board to discuss $2M safe room project

Plans for a groundbreaking ceremony for a performing arts theater/Federal Emergency Management Agency safe room will be discussed during the Scott City School District's board meeting today.

The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 to 7 p.m. because of the baseball district tournament in Charleston, Missouri.

Project cost is $2.1 million and is funded through a FEMA grant with a 25 percent district match. The safe room grant, which the district first applied for in 2010, is 75 percent FEMA funded and 25 percent district match. With the FEMA-reimbursable items, the new grant amount is $1.5 million, superintendent Diann Ulmer has said. The original award was $1.1 million.

Ulmer said Tuesday the hope is that a groundbreaking ceremony can be held in June, with construction beginning in mid- to late July.

Ulmer said she wants to run it by board members before "setting it in stone." She also would like to conduct the event when summer school students are around.

Zoellner Construction Co. of Perryville, Missouri, is the contractor, and Coreslab Structures of Marshall, Missouri, is designated to pour the concrete slabs for the 8,987-square-foot building, meant to withstand an EF-5 tornado with winds of up to 250 mph.

Ulmer said Coreslab might be able to pour the concrete walls in mid- to late September. That means groundwork could start in mid- to late July. However, all of this is tentative, she said.

The building, which has room for about 1,275 people, will sit between the tennis courts and bus parking lot. It will be available to the public during nonschool hours.

The theater portion, where concerts and plays can be staged, is something the district is building on its own, and should seat about 300 people. The lobby will have a gallery where students can display their art projects.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address:

Scott City, Mo.