The Alachua County School Board’s request to county commissioners for hardening from the new fairgrounds as a disastrous situation shelter is deprioritized on account of deficit of funds.
Hardening the facility would reinforce the infrastructure for being better to handle dangerous weather, for instance hurricanes. The fairgrounds could then be utilized for a further emergency shelter.
Karen Clarke, superintendent of Alachua County Public Schools, wrote correspondence into the county commission stating concerns with using school district facilities; occupancy during hurricanes can leave the faculties within the undesirable state, along with the practice cuts into educational time.
“We shared our concerns with all the commission concerning the county relying so heavily on our schools as shelters,” district spokeswoman Jackie Johnson said. “It affects the time period students are at college due to schools being turned off early those of you that flee their homes, and staying closed late for cleanup. Any additional needs may also affect is very important of our own facilities.”
According to Johnson, the teachers district struggled with shelters and funding during Hurricane Irma. The district’s hope was the hardening with the new facility plus a new, larger shelter would lessen the burden on schools during emergencies.
Johnson said after Irma, there was clearly flooding and drainage issues at many schools, and damage to roofs resulting from wind and rain. When electrical infrastructure is broken, it will make it hard for schools to shelter those with special needs who might require medical equipment.
“When our facilities are employed by 28,000 kids and 4,000 employees every last weekday, along with the schools are shut down, this means a great deal of families are required to find some technique of taking good care of their kid if he or she aren’t going to school,” Johnson said.
During hurricane Irma, 16 within the 18 shelters were Alachua County schools, in accordance with the letter by Karen Clarke. The colleges had trouble accessing generators and funding each of the meals they provided. Some were stuck seeking shelter in schools which have flooding and damages to roofs and electrical infrastructure as a result of unexpected improvement in shelter demands.
In 2006, county commissioners voted to buy the Wesemen Tract, located at 4700 NE 63rd Avenue, to become the newest site from the county fairgrounds.
The provide the latest fairgrounds was $25 million, although with the existing plans, the total estimated charges are $42.5 million.
Clarke’s letter towards commission demanded funding to visit toward hardening the facility to relieve the strain of hurricane season to the school district.
In a gathering on March 29, the Alachua County Commission decided up against the school board’s request of hardening in the new fairgrounds facility due to the relocation project already being $17 million over budget. This can add another $3.Two million on the budget, reported by Ramon Gavarette, director at Alachua County public works.
“State policies state that it’s the responsibility of your school board to ensure that the housing and emergency shelters can be bought,” Pinkoson said, “but i will carry on and assist them in wanting to mitigate a lot of the unfortunate circumstances that occur because of any emergencies or disasters which may take place.”
According to Gina Peebles, assistant manager of community and administrative services for the board of commissioners, they’re going to have to hold off to the hardening until they can receive a grant.
“Hopefully their state might find the wisdom in funding this project, to deal with people from all over the state run. Alachua County was required to provide five shelters to your hurricane when it became 18,” Pinkoson said, “it would be the state who asks us to present these shelters, and that means you would hope they will likely aim to assist as much as funding.”
