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District seeks cleanup grant
The Cottonwood School District is seeking financial support to abate the asbestos in the former Prairie Elementary School buildings located at 907 Lewiston Street, Cottonwood. The buildings, which were constructed in 1956 were largely vacated in 2011 in response to decreased student enrollment. Currently, the school district is only using the newer gymnasium and attached classrooms that were built in 2002. The Elementary School structures are currently for sale and are being considered for redevelopment and renovation. Before the facilities can be repurposed, the School District needs to address the asbestos on site. In 2013, STRATA, Inc., an engineering firm, identified the asbestos problems and provided the School District with an analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA). The ABCA has since been reviewed and information updated by another area engineering firm, Terragraphics of Moscow. The District is seeking $200,000 for cleanup through FY17 Brownfields Cleanup Grant Program that is managed by the Environmental Protection Agency. The grant application is due on December 20, 2016. A brownfield is a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Some of the ideas for reuse of the building include using it to improve healthcare access for the area, to increase availability of career technical training programs, for expanding an after school program, and for increasing day care capacity. The School District is working with Clearwater Economic Development Association and Ida-Lew Economic Development to further explore community needs and the feasibility of programs that could be co-located in the buildings. As advertised, the Cottonwood School District will be hosting a public meeting to discuss the school district’s FY2017 Brownfields Cleanup Grant application. The meeting will be held in the Elementary School Computer Lab on November 21, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. at the Cottonwood School District Board meeting. The School District will also be providing information on December 8, 2016 at the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce meeting. A copy of the draft grant application along with the ABCA will be posted on the School District website at www.sd242.org by 12 p.m. on Monday, November 21. Those wishing to publicly comment on the grant application may do so at the public meeting or send written comments to Rene’ Forsmann at: rfors@sd242.org. The public comment form will be provided on the school district website along with the grant application and ABCA. Written comments will be received until December 14, 2016 at 5 p.m. |
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