(Undated)– Several northwest Iowa schools will share in more than eight million dollars in modernization grants. That word today (Monday) from U-S Senator Tom Harkin.
Locally, Aurelia, Cherokee, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn, Pocahontas and Sibley-Ocheyedan were awarded 25-thousand dollars each.
The grants require a 50 percent match from the local school district.
Harkin says the funding is included in the Fiscal Year 2005 Omnibus Appropriations Bill.
The grants are to be used for construction projects and upgrades to meet fire and safety codes.
According to the General Accounting Office, 79 percent of Iowa schools reported a need to repair or upgrade buildings and facilities. An infrastructure study conducted by Iowa State University in the mid-1990’s found that 3.4 billion dollars is needed to modernize public schools in the state.
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