PCBOE requests partnership for storm shelter project

Published 8:00 am Thursday, May 29, 2014

Superintendent Michael Barber visited the St. Clair County Commission last week to request a partnership between Pell City, the PCBOE and the commission to construct a storm shelter near Pell City High School.

Barber told the commission that he received a phone call from the EMA during the January storms. The EMA requested that Dr. Barber open up the small shelter behind the lunchrooms at the high school, and he said sure. The EMA requested that he open the shelter because the front of the courthouse was covered with people standing outside because they had ran out of room in the basement.

Barber continued by saying that he feels that there is a potential solution for future disasters. He said that the board received a grant from FEMA a while back for a storm shelter, and they were hoping to build it in the near future, attaching it to the already standing CEPA building. 

Barber said that the plans for this shelter have already been presented to the building commission, but the grant is only good for one more year. He said that he had already reached out to the city for the partnership, and he came to the commission to find out where they were at in order to get everything started. 

Another thought that Barber presented to the commission included the accessibility of the High School from the interstate. If the interstate were ever to be backed up like it was from a snowstorm or some other disaster, people would have a good chance of making it to the high school. 

The shelter is planned to have 1,000 or more seats available. It will also include a restroom and will sustain 150 mph winds. The grant for the shelter is 75 percent funded with a 25 percent match. The grant does not, however, cover any fixtures. Barber said that he would like to add some paint to the wall, put some type of flooring down and add a drop ceiling.

Barber said that he currently has the shelter out to bid now because he knew that the city and the commission would want exact figures. He also pointed out that the building would of course be available for disasters, but it will also be available for city and county use when it is not being used as a shelter. 

The city, according to Barber, has not voted to partner in this project, but he said that they did respond favorably to the proposition. “I’m not asking for anything other than any questions today,” said Barber. “But I would like to come back, maybe at the next work session, and then I can give you some exact figures.”

Chairman Stan Batemon asked if Barber had intended on splitting the cost of the remaining 25 percent among the three parties in this partnership. Barber said that was his thoughts at the current time. 

The commission liked the idea of having a shelter in the Pell City Area, and they said that they had help fund projects like this in the past. The commission welcomed Barber to come back with more information.