The Caldwell County Board of Education is seeking a grant through the EPA’s Brownfields Cleanup Grant to fund the removal of hazardous materials from the Butler Campus Annex Building.
According to school officials, the building was constructed in the 1960s as an additional classroom until the late 1980’s when it was then used as an alternative school, continuing education center for seeking a GED, and college classes. It was also used as a meeting space and storage facility before being closed due to hazardous materials contained in the construction. It has been deemed off-limits for several years.
On Wednesday, the board held a public information meeting in the Butler Auditorium, and although no one from the community attended, school officials moved forward with the grant administration and process presented by Tammie Sanders, the district’s grant writer. She said the Brownfields Cleanup Grant is a big grant offered by the Environmental Protection Agency.
click to download audioThe purpose of this grant, she added, is not just to remove the hazardous materials from the Butler Annex Building but to repurpose the site. Sanders said some of the ultimate goals are to stimulate economic development in the area and possibly involve renewable energy, but especially address the needs of the community.
click to download audioSanders said the district’s goal is to address the grant application questions by reusing the site as a possible green space park to target the incident of disease. She pointed out that Kentucky is No. 1 in the nation for childhood obesity with 23% of the population 18 and under suffering from obesity. She added that a green space park-type area for outdoor recreation could be beneficial in this area.
In addition, she noted they want to promote environmental injustice by addressing underserved populations in the target area of Princeton and neighborhoods near the Butler Annex.
click to download audio
Director of Facilities Dustin Cash, who will be overseeing the project, said Air Source Technology, Inc. of Lexington conducted a survey in 2016 that determined the areas where hazardous materials were found in the Butler Annex.
click to download audioOfficials indicate the estimated cost of removing the hazardous materials is $264,000.
At a previous meeting, the board weighed options at that time for dealing with the contaminated site. Those options included: removing the hazardous material and renovating the building, removing the hazardous waste followed by demolition of the building, or taking no action. The school board determined to “take no action” due to the lack of funding. The projected cost of the demolition is $75,000 with the revitalization of the property an ongoing project. The renovation estimate cost for the building at that time was over $2 million dollars, but due to the rising costs of construction materials, Dr. Roach said that cost has now climbed to $4.5 million.
If you were unable to attend the meeting and would like to provide input, call the Caldwell County Board of Education at (270) 365-8000, or contact Tammie Sanders via email at tammie.sanders@caldwell.kyschools.us.
