By SARAH PARKER
County Line Editor
The Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District agreed Monday to begin applying for a FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure Grant, a move that could lead to a new gymnasium and auditorium.
According to preliminary discussions among the school’s facilities planning committee, the new building, which is intended to provide shelter during emergencies, would be between the high school and the football field, said Superintendent Travis Anderson.
As part of the project, the district also may redo both the football field and put in a track.
In a dome-shaped structure, a new gymnasium would be at the center, and in the outer rooms along the circumference of the building, the district could put in a community fitness and cardio center, meeting rooms, outdoor bathrooms, and a concession area. The Classic Gym then would be turned into an auditorium, Anderson said.
Anderson characterized it as an “exceptional opportunity” and would make N-O-W the “premier school in our area.”
A comprehensive final plan would be presented to the public at a later date, Anderson said.
The safe house would be a “major benefit to our community and not just our school,” Anderson noted.
According to grant writer Jordan Buss, who owns his own firm, JBAD Solutions, plus serves as a Spencer (Wis.) School District board member, FEMA would cover about $1,547,212 of eligible costs for an estimated 8,100-square-foot main-use area. The school district would pay $515,737 in eligible costs and about $590,729 in ineligible costs, such as expenses related to flooring, parking lots, sidewalks, etc. All figures are preliminary.
If the district qualified for FEMA-designated “impoverished” funding, then the agency would pay $1,856,655 in eligible costs, and the district would pay $206,295 in eligible costs and $590,728 in ineligible costs.
Buss said the district did meet “impoverished” criteria regarding per-capita income and population figures, but unemployment numbers would be a “wildcard” in the equation.
Nationwide, FEMA has earmarked $550 million for the grant program this year. Anderson urged the board to consider applying for the grant this year, as, due to the magnitude of natural disasters this year, the money may not be available next year.
Besides getting a grant for the Spencer School District, Buss also has obtained grants for the Abbotsford, Luck, and Owen-Withee school districts.
The district will pay Buss $7,000 for his grant-writing services, and then if it’s awarded, Buss receives 1.5 percent of the grant total.
Board member Julie Radke suggested that the district could offer daycare services in the new building.
Agreeing with Radke, board member Kevin Bauman said that a daycare “would be a big help to us.”
Radke’s other suggestions were English classes for native Spanish speakers, Spanish classes for native English speakers, and an expansion of agriculture education and technical education space.
Board member Cari Keith questioned how the district would fund a redone football field and new track. In response, Anderson said school employees were working on a grant.
He added that he hears “twice a week” that people want a track built at the school.
The deadline for the grant is Jan. 22, with a selection announcement June 1 and an expected award date of Dec. 30. The district would have three years from the selection announcement to complete the project.
Anderson maintained, “Education is very competitive right now,” and enhanced facilities could attract people to the school district and increase enrollment.