“We still have plenty to do,” said Gary Mozingo, School System facility supervisor.
But Mozingo admits it’s not like last summer when he was juggling several construction projects, including the $3.24 million renovation and addition to Iola Roberts Elementary School and a $1 million addition to the high school.
“It was a huge undertaking,” Assistant Schools Superintendent Michael Barber said of the amount of work that went into completing the projects at two schools last summer. “I guess that’s why this summer feels a little different.”
Mozingo said they do have some construction projects planned for this summer, including installing two handicapped rails at each end of Duran South Jr. High School.
He said the School System is rebuilding two handicapped-accessible restrooms at Duran South Jr. High School and adding a handicapped-accessible bathroom at Duran North Jr. High.
“We’re reworking the boys’ and girls’ restrooms (at Duran South) so they are handicapped-accessible,” Mozingo said.
Barber said the School System can perform certain maintenance work during the summer break that is impossible when students are in school.
“We’ll start stripping and waxing the floors for the summer,” Barber said. “With the number of schools we have it is a lot of work.”
Mozingo said the biggest project on tap for the summer is the construction of a new entrance lane at Walter M. Kennedy Elementary.
“The buses will have their own entrance,” he said.
Mozingo said once buses leave the school with students, the large vehicles will share the exit lane with other school traffic.
The school board has already approved a $109,000 road project at Walter M. Kennedy Elementary School.
Mozingo said workers will also service all the heating and air units at all School System facilities.
He said the system has applied for, but has not received word yet about two grants, which would provide funds for the construction of two new storm shelters.
“I think we should hear something in June or the first of July,” Mozingo said.
He said the grants, if approved, would fund the construction of a storm shelter at the Pell City Center, also known as the CEPA building adjacent to the high school, and the construction of a new storm shelter at Williams Intermediate School.
Barber said despite the shortfall of funding, School System facilities are in great shape and the system has enough classroom space for all students.
“If we had the money, there are projects we would like to be working on,” he said.
Contact David Atchison at datchison@dailyhome.com.
