Oktibbeha County has secured federal grant funding for a $4.2 million storm shelter that is expected to house about 3,500 people during short-term storms, Emergency Management Director Jim Britt confirmed Wednesday.
Work on the project, a roughly 20,000-square-foot facility that will locate on county-owned land near the intersection of Industrial Park Road and Lynn Lane, should begin next year.
Supervisors approved the building’s basic design and authorized the architect to move forward this week. The county has until December to receive final approval from federal and state emergency agencies before turning dirt.
Federal funding will pay for the lion’s share of the expenses, but the county is on the hook for about 10 percent of the cost, Britt said. Since board-approved preliminary work, in-kind services and the land donation all will count toward Oktibbeha’s share, the county is likely to avoid a large financial burden, he said.
“During (Hurricane) Katrina, the forecast here was for 80-90 mph winds. The manager of a local trailer park called us and said residents were looking for a safe place to go, but we didn’t really have anywhere to send them,” Britt said. “We’ve done a lot of good since I’ve been here in Oktibbeha County, but I’m really proud of this project. We had to keep going back to the dipper each and every year, but finally we got it.”
In the works since last fall
Officials first announced Oktibbeha would pursue grant funding for the shelter last fall. In September, project manager Broaddus and Associates and JBHM Architects told supervisors they received a tentative “OK” in pre-application submissions. At the time, the project was estimated to cost about $3 million.
Britt said the facility’s location was chosen because of its strategic placement in terms of Oktibbeha County’s population. That factor played a part in securing the award, he said.
The storm shelter will sit back off Industrial Park Road and have numerous parking areas, he said, and additional land is available nearby for future parking capacity.
“The way this is designed is simply for the short term – just a place to get out of the storm,” Britt said. “That area can cover several schools, manufacturing facilities and apartment complexes.”
Supervisors previously said they supported the project but wanted the facility to have other uses in times of calm weather. The county worked for Federal Emergency Management Association approval to build E-911 facilities at the location, but FEMA rejected the pitch.
Architects previously said the building could be used as a community gathering place by Starkville Park Commission, and Britt Tuesday reaffirmed the storm shelter’s ability to house future emergency management training activities.
“The trend, because of the current financial situation, is for (the Mississippi Emergency Management Association) to hold regional training sessions, conferences and other emergency management classes. MEMA has asked us to be a host county for this area,” he said. “I have never had a place we could schedule these regional meetings. We’ve always had to beg and borrow from others.”
A signature move
Britt, who announced Monday he will conclude his almost 15-year tenure as Oktibbeha County Emergency Management Agency’s lead and retire near the end of June, said securing funding for a storm shelter was near the top of his list of priorities before leaving office.
Britt’s main goal, finding a new OCEMA home, is unlikely to occur before his June 27 retirement.
Discussions on OCEMA’s current base of operations at the Oktibbeha County Jail and a potential move have been held often in the past year but yielded few viable options.
Besides looking into the storm shelter location, at least one supervisor, board President Orlando Trainer, suggested OCEMA could move into the county education building if the upcoming Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District did not have use for the facility after July’s state-mandated merger.
Moving the county board’s administrative offices into the building was also pitched in an effort to provide more space for circuit court at the annex.
A deal where the school district would have leased space in the new city hall facility under construction at the end of Main Street fell through last year, and the school system is likely to continue operating the county education building for its intended purposes after the merger.
Capacity issues have long been apparent at OCEMA, Britt said.
“I was told when I got here that the county would try to find us a new home in two years. We shoehorned 911 in here then, and here we still are,” he said. “Finding a new home is the most pressing issue for the agency, and it’s going to take some coordination when they do find somewhere because you can’t just turn this place off and reopen it somewhere else three weeks later.
The biggest impact of the capacity shortage has been its impact on equipment upgrades. In past years, Britt said, Oktibbeha County was approved for 100 percent grant funding to upgrade its technology but was unable to do so because it simply did not have room at its home.
“If there’s one thing I could change or fix before I left, it’s that,” he said of OCEMA’s spatial issues. “If there was a chance we could get that fixed right now, I would stay on to do it. If they can find a way in the future to do it, I’ll offer my assistance in the transition.”
Successes came from team effort
As Britt proudly spoke of Oktibbeha County’s grant approval Wednesday, he looked back on many other OCEMA accomplishments achieved under his tenure.
From acquiring millions in grants that were shared by local emergency response agencies to assisting with technology changeovers and improving 911’s capabilities, Britt said the strength of his agency is due to the men and women who work for OCEMA and the elected officials who support their cause.
The Dispatch reported Britt asked supervisors for a pay raise in executive session this month, but the outgoing OCEMA director said neither pay nor finances had anything to do with his decision to retire.
Britt, who has worked in public service in some capacity for about 40 years, said the timing was simply right to begin a new chapter of his life and enjoy the benefits for which he has worked.
“All the county employees, they’re more like family than anything else, and I couldn’t ask for a better group than the board of supervisors. Everything that we’ve done here for Oktibbeha County is the result of a team effort from top to bottom,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate here in my time and have enjoyed working with the city, county and university. I’ve also enjoyed just getting out in the community and talking to civic organizations, manufacturers – you name it, anytime they’ve asked if I’d come and run my mouth, I would. It’s been a dream.”
Following Britt’s announcement retirement Monday, District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery said the board will soon begin the process to find his replacement.
“Jim has done a lot for Oktibbeha County by keeping 911 moving in the right direction,” Montgomery said after Monday’s meeting. “He’s definitely leaving behind big shoes to fill for the next director. He’s served his time and thinks he can live comfortably on retirement. That’s why we all work: to eventually spend time with our family like that.”
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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