Pinellas County School Board to discuss hurricane restoration
Nov 12, 2024
The Pinellas County School Board is meeting on Tuesday.Hurricane Helene caused major flood damage to the district.Two schools, Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 and Gulf Beaches Elementary, were significantly damaged by the storm, resulting in temporary school closures.Then Hurricane Milton caused extensive roof damage to Pinellas Park High and other schools.Now, the district is working to move forward.At Tuesdays school board meeting, leaders will consider hiring a disaster recovery firm to assist with insurance claim support. This firm would help the district navigate the complex claims process and ensure proper reimbursement from insurance and FEMA.Also on the agenda is approving a proposal with a construction company to move forward with the restoration of Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 and Gulf Beaches Elementary School.The estimated total project cost for restoring just those two schools is $9,303,354.According to construction plans, some of the work that needs to be done includes electrical work, painting, floor replacement, installing drywall and doors, fixing the ceilings, and replacing whiteboards and smart boards.The preliminary timeline to complete this is by May 30, 2025.The meeting starts at 10:30 a.m.