Funding for Spencer School Improvements Receives Significant Boost
Tuesday, June 25th, 2019 -- 8:44 AM
(Focus on Marshfield) -Funding for Spencer school improvements has received a significant boost.The School District of Spencer announced it is the recipient of a $2.5 million FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant. The funds will go toward the construction of a 28,850 square-foot dome structure as part of the district’s $5.98 million improvement plans approved by voters in April. The facility is capable of acting as a community shelter in the event of an EF5 tornado or other emergency situations, a fact which made it eligible for the grant. Its dome shape was chosen since it requires half the energy of a conventional building for cooling and heating. Due to the grant, the annual tax impact on residents is projected to lower from $90 to $64 per $100,000 in assessed property value each year.
The grant will also allow funds for extra projects not to exceed $750,000, including restroom renovations, replacement of the high school elevator, and enclosing an unusable outdoor area at the elementary school. These plans are currently in discussion. The timeline for the project will be affected by the grant. Once this is completed, the funds will be distributed to the school in late fall or early winter. Meanwhile, the district will commence relocating the elementary office by this fall, a move meant to provide more restricted access to the school.
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