Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Shelter topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tiny Hilltop seeks state help for new multipurpose building to add tornado-rated shelter capacity
Summary
Officials from the small city of Hilltop asked for $2,273,000 from the state toward a $4.5 million multipurpose building that would double or triple storm-shelter capacity and include city office and meeting space; proponents said most residents live within a quarter mile of the proposed building.
Chair Cagle presented House File 222 on behalf of the city of Hilltop, which asked the committee to support construction of a new multipurpose building that doubles the community's tornado-rated shelter capacity.
Ruth Nelson, city clerk for Hilltop, testified that Hilltop is a small community of roughly 971 residents (testimony corrected to modest size in record) with about two-thirds of residents living in manufactured housing across four trailer parks. Nelson said the existing city hall basement is not storm-rated and can be packed only "short of 200 people"; the proposed building would be tornado-rated on entrance and able to hold up to 700 people, and would also include a small city office and meeting room.
Nelson said the city has completed design and planning and is shovel ready; she said the total project cost is about $4.5 million and that Hilltop can contribute about $1 million from reserves and has secured roughly $75,000 in private funds, but still needs state partnership. The city requested $2,273,000 from the state during testimony.
Committee members expressed support and asked about local leaders; no appropriation was adopted at the hearing.
