Bush’s FEMA pulling out $33 million rug from Mississippi School District

FEMA may not fund new school
By DWAYNE BREMER
Jun 22, 2007

Repeatedly over the past 22 months, FEMA officials said in public meetings the school board could build the schools if it raised the elevation above the ABFE.

The recent memo caught state and local officials completely off-guard this week, and now the possibility that FEMA may not fund the school is potentially a serious problem, officials said.

"This is the first we have heard about this," School District Attorney Mark Alexander said Thursday. "FEMA has changed the rules in the middle of the game. Every single step in the process involved reps from MEMA and FEMA. It was our understanding from them that we could build above the ABFE."

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Alexander said if the school district has to absorb the $33 million dollar contract . . . , it could mean "extreme ramifications" for the school district. ***

An artist’s conception of the new South Hancock Elementary School, which would consolidate Gulfview and Charles B. Murphy schools.


“This policy is coming down from headquarters and it is not what the local reps have interpreted."*** Mike Womack, the executive director of MEMA

Thursday, the school district was scheduled to break ground on the new school, which officials hoped to have completed by August 2008.

Last month, the [Hancock County] school board entered into a $33 million contract with Roy Anderson Corp. to construct South Hancock and another school in Leetown. FEMA funding was to cover most of the construction costs.

Repeatedly over the past 22 months, FEMA officials said in public meetings the school board could build the schools if it raised the elevation above the ABFE (Advisory Base Flood Elevation).

The recent memo caught state and local officials completely off-guard this week, and now the possibility that FEMA may not fund the school is potentially a serious problem, officials said.
"This is the first we have heard about this," School District Attorney Mark Alexander said Thursday. "FEMA has changed the rules in the middle of the game. Every single step in the process involved reps from MEMA and FEMA. It was our understanding from them that we could build above the ABFE."

Mike Womack, the executive director of MEMA, said Thursday he believes the school board is exempt from the policy.

"The policy was actually put in place about a year ago, but it said if your project was already underway, then you were exempt," he said. "It's unfortunate that they (FEMA) are taking this position. This policy is coming down from headquarters and it is not what the local reps have interpreted."

Read the entire article in the Sea Coast Echo.