LC Fiscal Court Votes on New School and New 911 Center
LAWRENCE COUNTY School Superintendent Katie Webb addresses the Lawrence County Fiscal Court to express her gratitude on behalf of the school system for voting yes on the sale of the Lawrence County Community Center. BSN photo Roberta Cantrell
By Roberta Cantrell
BSN Editor
Lawrence County fiscal court met on regular session Tuesday, Jan. 20, and with two of the biggest items on the agenda being the sale of the Lawrence County Community Center located on Bulldog Lane near the LC High School being sold to the Lawrence County Board of Education and the LC E911 Center being moved to a new structure that is being built in Louisa that will house first responders including police and fire department were addressed.
The fiscal court did vote to pass the sale of the community center to the BOE who plans to turn it into an elementary school that will house Kindergarten and Preschool classes complete with a cafeteria, office and library.
Also moving first grade classes out of the old building at the Louisa West Elementary, the BOE plans to open up the wing of the Louisa East building that was being used for adult education and turn it back into classrooms leaving the West building that was built in 1954 and in need of much repair, completely vacant.
Lawrence County Superintendent Katie Webb said it was a good day for the Lawrence County school system.
Webb also said the auditorium/cafeteria can still be used by the community after a formal request is made and accepted.
“We are so thankful to the Magistrates, Judge Carter, and the LC community for this partnership that will let us move our students out of the current Louisa West, as well as improve safety on Bulldog Lane,” said Superintendent Webb. “This is a huge step forward for our students and our district, and will give young learners a better, brighter place to learn and grow. Thank you all!”
It is not known when the remodeling of the community will start to change it over to the elementary school but plans and blueprints have already been drawn up and now that the sale has been voted on the project can move forward.
Louisa Mayor Harold Slone also attended the meeting hoping for an answer to a proposal he brought before the court in last month’s meeting.
The mayor who announced at that meeting the city received a grant of just over 3 million dollars to build a new facility to house Louisa Fire Station 1 and the Louisa Police Department, proposed that the county also allow the architects to add in an additional Lawrence County 911 facility within the structure.
The mayor explained to the fiscal court and LC Judge Executive Phil Carter how important it would be to have all emergency responders in the same facility that would be located in the empty lot just across the street from where the fire and police stations are presently located.
According to a resolution for the relocation of relocating 911 to the new Louisa Emergency Communications Response Center it reads that it will provide enhanced redundancy, security, technology, space and operational capabilities that meet or exceed applicable state and federal standards for 911 and emergency communications operations and will promote efficient use of public resources.
Mayor Slone said the building would be state of the art complete with safety features for the 911 employees, first responders and volunteers should there be a tornado or other weather-related incident.
With the new structure being built on property owned by the city and with funds awarded to the city the mayor needed to have the county on board with relocating the 911 system which is owned by the county into the facility once it’s built.
The 911 center is currently attached to the Lawrence County Courthouse near the LC Sheriff’s Office.
However, when Mayor Slone brought up the subject during January’s meeting Judge-Exec Phil Carter said they hadn’t had time to discuss it and they would get back to him later.
Mayor Slone asked “should I take that as a no? I have a meeting with the architect January 28th.
Magistrate Rick Blackburn decided to make a motion to go into executive session and discuss it, instead of waiting and it was agreed on by the court have the mayor get with the county attorney and work out the details to move forward on moving the E911 center that is currently located at the courthouse downtown Louisa.