GAS — Gas council members will meet in special session next Tuesday to discuss how to proceed with upgrade of the old Gas School as a community center.
They reviewed recommendations from Shoeb Uddin, an engineer with Sunflower Design, Topeka, Tuesday night, but found estimated cost beyond their means.
Shoeb outlined in an email estimated improvements would cost $252,100, and suggested the city seek a Community Development Block Grant to pay half.
“We don’t have the money to pay half,” if Gas were successful in attracting a CDBG, said Mayor Darrell Catron.
Councilman Larry Robertson suggested putting $15,000 in the 2015 budget, which will be put together in the next month or so, and “do one item at a time.”
At the top of Uddin’s list was a new roof at a minimum of $56,000. Others were wheelchair lift and bathroom remodeling, $45,000; sidewalk, roof drainage and grading, $40,000; miscellaneous items, $16,000. Completing project costs were $12,900 for construction management and inspection, and $20,000 for grant administration.
Gas obtained the school for a token payment of $1 after it was abandoned by USD 257 a year ago. Plans have centered on making it a community center, with a small library, and a place for senior citizens to gather. Some talk of moving City Hall there has surfaced.
Among things Uddin will be asked next week is whether in-kind services — labor and equipment on the city’s part— might be counted as its share of a grant match. Also council members wondered about the possibility of upgrades being done by the city and volunteers.
Catron said he would approach Allen County commissioners about helping financially to establish a senior center in the school, much as they have done in Iola, Humboldt, LaHarpe and Moran.
A new community storm shelter was placed next to the school, in the northwest part of Gas, last month.
Catron noted electricity had not yet been connected to the shelter, nor had benches been installed. The shelter is available in the event of severe weather.
Permission was given for the Iola Amateur Radio Club to use Fees Park June 28 and 29 for its annual field day events. Members Dale Roberts and Ralph Romig were on hand. They told commissioners setup would start early on June 28 and activities would run into the afternoon of June 29, a Sunday.
