A computer-generated model of the new Washington Irving School building. Courtesy graphic
JACKIE ALBRECHT NEWS EDITOR
Waverly-Shell Rock Superintendent Jere Vyverberg announced Thursday FEMA will pay for the relocation and rebuilding of the 35,218 sq. foot Washington Irving building.
This announcement came after the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division determined the Washington Irving building was over 50 percent damaged in the summer flooding.
“Not only will [the funding] be able to provide us with the resources, it will also be able to get two buildings out of potentially more damaging flood problems,” Vyverberg said.
The FEMA funding will combine with funding from the state as well as local bonds. A local bond issue election is schedule for Tuesday, April 7.
If approved, the bond combined with the FEMA money will fund a new school for middle and junior high students.
“It will allow us to have all of our fifth through eighth grades all at one site. It will replace an 86-year old building that has also been flooded three times, and it will also replace a building that was, obviously, over 50 percent damaged and in the floodway, as well as the floodplain,” Vyverberg said.
The district said the bond would only increase individual property tax by $1.51 per $1,000 taxed over 20 years.
According to the Waverly-Shell Rock Building for the Future Web site, the school board believes a shared project has many academic and resourcing benefits, as well as only needing to come before voters once.
The amount FEMA will give to the district is dependent on the bids for the new building.
“There is 35,218 sq. feet in old Irving and FEMA will cover all of that at whatever price the square foot comes back for the bid,” Vyverberg said.
FEMA funding will also support land acquisition, construction of ancillary facilities, parking lots, playground equipment, site preparation, contingency and architectural fees and demolition of the old structure if necessary.
At Thursday’s special school board meeting, the board passed a motion showing their commitment to buying down bonds.
“The school board is committed to paying off these bonds as early as possible, and they’ve demonstrated that commitment to a resolution that stated that,” Vyverberg said.