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Polk outlines plan to make Tenorock High a special-needs shelter; permanent generator timeline extends past next hurricane season
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Summary
Polk County staff briefed the board on a state grant to fund a permanent generator at Tenorock High School to serve as a special-needs shelter, but lead times and partial grant coverage mean the campus may need leased equipment to be fully operational before the next hurricane season.
Polk County School District staff told the board on Feb. 25 they are moving ahead on a state grant to install a permanent generator at Tenorock High School so the campus can serve as a special-needs shelter.
Assistant staff lead Josh McLemore and Superintendent Fred Hyde said the district recently received a rough copy of the grant from the Florida Division of Emergency Management and that some grant paperwork needs correction. "It looks like we're about to cross the finishing line with this," McLemore said.
McLemore and Hyde said vendor lead times for permanent generators are substantial — "33 plus weeks" in early vendor estimates — so the district may not have a second permanently installed generator in place before next hurricane season. Hyde said the district plans to relocate an existing generator from McKeel to Tenorock to provide one of the needed units and is working with Polk County on options for a leased generator to cover the gap.
Hyde outlined why two separate power sources are needed at Tenorock: one to operate the cafeteria/food-preparation area and a second to support an ancillary building for residents and pets. He said the grant will not cover the full cost of two permanent units and that county cost-sharing or lease arrangements are under discussion. McLemore said the initial capital costs were "around 1.7" (reported by staff as an approximate figure).
Staff said they expect to bring the grant agreement back for formal board action during the March board meeting. Board members asked about the grant’s origin; Hyde said it originates with the state and he was not sure whether it is a FEMA pass-through.
Why it matters: the project expands the district’s shelter network for medically fragile residents, but procurement lead times, partial grant coverage and installation logistics mean the district must plan temporary measures before the installation of permanent equipment.
Staff said the district will continue coordination with Polk County emergency management and Citrus Connection (for transport of medically fragile residents) as the map and shelter designation are updated.
