Scott County government to help Kelly schools get new well

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County will sponsor a Community Development Block Grant grant to ensure a reliable water supply for Kelly schools.

"We've been asked to be a sponsor because they have to have a county sponsor for a CDBG," Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said during the regular County Commission meeting Tuesday.

The grant funding is for a new well to supply the school district with water until the Public Water Supply District of Scott County Number 4 is up and operating, the Standard Democrat newspaper reported.

The entire district, preschool through grade 12, is located at 4035 State Highway 77 in rural Benton.

"Our well system has been kind of limping along now for a couple of years now," said Don Moore, superintendent of Kelly schools.

The water district is not expected to be able to supply water until the fall of 2010.

"Hopefully it will be before then, depending on how the construction goes," Burger said.

Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn said construction on the water distribution system appears to be going very well so far.

In the meantime, the new well funded by the grant will ensure the schools have "a reliable water source for this year," Moore said. "We're afraid to try to get through the year with what we have."

What the current 20-year-old well is able to produce during operating hours is far short of the 6,000 gallons used by the school district each day, according to Moore.

"Our demand has increased but the well is not performing as it once was," he said. "We're not able to get enough water."

The district is pumping additional water during evening hours and storing it in tanks to keep up with the water demand. "We're afraid to keep using the banking system because if the well does go completely out, we would have nothing," Moore said.

The Missouri Department of Economic Development has already allocated $20,251.07 for the project, according to county officials, but was waiting for the county to confirm they would sponsor the grant application.

Scott County's name will be on the application and the money will be deposited in county accounts, Burger said.

"It will come to us and we will funnel it straight to them," said County Clerk Rita Milam.

Pertinent addresses:

4035 State Highway 77, Benton, Mo.

131 S. Winchester St., Benton, Mo.