The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

The Bridge City school board will form a committee Thursday to figure out how to repair property damaged by Hurricane Ike. 

Superintendent Jamey Harrison said this week the committee will include teachers, parents and community representatives. The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. in the intermediate school’s library, 1029 W. Roundbunch Road. The public is invited.

A bond issue is not an option, he said, listing as factors the economic downturn (in both Bridge City and the nation); and the financial struggle Bridge City residents have faced after Ike. “With everyone hurting so badly, it would be irresponsible for us to [consider a bond],” he said.

“We will have an open discussion, and will innumerate several options that have been identified as potential options. We will have future meetings and discuss the negative or positive results of each option.”

All district buildings received some type of damage, he said; the most extensive to elementary campuses Hatton and Sims. Those sites will be toured at Thursday’s meeting.

“Hatton took on about two feet of water. Sims was damaged much worse, receiving [more than] four feet of storm surge,” Harrison said last week.

Sims repairs are estimated from $4 million and $6 million and will be considered a capital improvement project, he said. Sims is a cinderblock building with underground conduits, and damage there was primarily electrical and mechanical. Equipment such as chillers and boilers will have to be replaced.

Hatton, also an old cinderblock building, encountered mechanical, electrical and plumbing problems. An early adjusters’ assessment put repairs in the $2 million range. Most of the building will likely have to be rewired.

Temporary repairs have been completed at the intermediate and junior high schools. Permanent repairs are planned for this summer when students will be out.