Past due: Indian River County schools still awaiting reimbursements from past hurricanes
But before the district tallies how much Irma, and operating evacuation shelters in schools, will run,
"When people need to feel safe (during a storm), they get to come to us," said
Irma caused a myriad of water leaks, destroyed fences and kicked up playground surfaces on campuses across the county, according to the district's damage assessment.
State law requires school boards to provide facilities, staffing and transportation during emergencies. As a result, the district had to front some of the money for helping run shelters.
School officials don't yet have an estimate of how much Irma is expected to cost, but on Tuesday, gave board members a glimpse of how the storm affected the district.
More than
Serving food at the shelters during and after Irma cost almost
The food services department now is using its reserves to get through the school year in hopes of being paid back later, school officials said.
The district is attempting to get reimbursement from the
"We are hopeful we can resolve the matter and be able to be reimbursed as fast as possible," Morrison said.
Even as the district is going after federal-government reimbursements for Irma,
For board member
Zorc said she wants to know if the anticipated reimbursements are for damage or for operating shelters.
"If that's the cost of running shelters and staffing, it's a huge problem," Zorc said.
School districts need to be paid back in a timely manner after storms, Zorc said. Serving the community during hurricanes is a privilege, but lapses in funding end up hurting students, she said.
"We have so many projects we need to complete in the district," she said.
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