Jay Voters To Decide On Major Improvements, Renovations

Voters will hit the polls Tuesday to decide a number of runoff elections and bond issues. One of them addresses safety, especially during severe weather. In Jay, voters will decide whether to build storm shelters for students.

The school bond issue in Jay covers four different areas: major improvements and renovations to the vocational agriculture/technology building and also, improving traffic flow with extra lanes for drop off and pickup of students, but two areas cover keeping kids safe during severe weather.

One portion of Jay's $12.4 million school bond issue would build a new elementary cafeteria. Not only would it be a much larger, more efficient one, it would also serve up peace of mind for elementary principal Jan Fasano, since the cafeteria would double as a storm shelter.

"There's only so much we can do to keep them safe, and we worry intensely, and when we see those clouds coming in, and the winds coming, we certainly worry,” Fasano said.

The new cafeteria/shelter would be 12,000 square feet and built to FEMA standards. It would have plenty of room for the elementary students, teachers and staff.

Jay Superintendent, Charles Thomas said, "You probably did those drills, where they took you out in the hallway, covered your head, and knelt down, well they found out that's not an effective method of preventing injury and harm in tornado situations."

Another dual purpose building would be built on campus, a sports facility which would double as a storm shelter with enough space for 850 people.

The tornado that hit elementary schools and killed students in Moore really got school leaders thinking about ways to pay for shelters.

"You saw the destruction in Moore, and the destruction in Joplin, and there's is no good plan unless you have the right facilities to put your students in,” Thomas said.

Area emergency management leaders would also have access to the shelters in Jay to open them to the public when needed.

Fasano said, "We want our students safe, and the only way we can do that is reach out to our community."

The school bond proposal has to be approved by 60 percent of voters in order to pass.