Calcasieu Parish School Board Member Tony O’Banion provided this DeQuincy High School Gym update:
When FEMA funding was announced and a value of the project was put in place on the DeQuincy High School Gym project, no funds were released at that time. The demolition process was done, temporary lockers were put in place, but no digging was allowed until the Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation (EHP) could ensure that no Indian artifacts were found on site.
This process is now complete and when approved, rebuilding of our gym can begin. Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, was instrumental in getting this process pushed through.
Building plans, bid package and money are ready and waiting to be signed for project to begin, upon FEMA approval. Without FEMA approval 90% of our cost would not be reimbursed.
Upon completion FEMA will reimburse the state, and the state will then reimburse the parish. The fact that our gym was a total loss, complicated the process.
O’Banion is constantly working toward moving this process forward and resolving the many obstacles and road blocks along the way.
