News Releases for June 2008
June 12, 2008
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Hoeven, State And Local Officials Break Ground For New Northwood School
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today was joined by, educators, legislators, and local and state officials to break ground for the new Northwood school, which replaces a facility severely damaged by an F-4 tornado that struck the town last August. The K-12 facility is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2009. About 240 Northwood students are attending a school in Hatton until the new facility is completed.
Hoeven was joined by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Wayne Sanstead; Northwood Mayor Rich Johnson; Northwood Superintendent Kevin Coles; School Board Vice President Linda Tangen; Principal Matt Strinden; the Northwood School Board and Building Committee; legislators from District 19; and representatives of the congressional delegation.
"We are breaking ground this morning not just on a new school for the students of Northwood, but also on a new era for this community," Hoeven said. "This new facility is a fundamental part of Northwood's rebuilding efforts, and a large step toward moving on to a bright future."
The estimated total cost of rebuilding the school is more than $14 million. The State Fire and Tornado Fund under the N.D. Insurance Department has reimbursed $7.6 million for loss of the existing Northwood school building, and an additional $360,000 for its contents, for a total of nearly $8 million. This is the largest claim ever covered by the fund.
Last August, Hoeven requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration to trigger assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and has since worked with FEMA Region 8 Director Garry Briese to secure $5 million for the project, which is 75 percent of the total uninsured cost of the building. The remaining 25 percent is covered by the state and the school district.
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