Commission approves use of Iron County Fair Building as school reunification center

The Iron County Commission voted to allow the Iron County Fair Building to serve as an emergency reunification center for Perrewin Elementary and Perrewin High School. The approval followed a presentation from Tony Robinson and Officer Jed Townsend outlining how the facility would be used to reunite students with families during short-term emergencies.

Robinson told commissioners the district wants an indoor location that can safely hold large groups while parents are identified and reunited with children: “So we're asking permission and jump through whatever hoop necessary to see if that could be, an option for a reunification location.” He said the plan would be a contingency and that the incident command team would determine the appropriate site in any event.

Commissioners discussed logistics including staging for emergency-management operations, transport options and access. Robinson and Townsend said reunification is expected to be short term — typically hours — and that, in worst-case scenarios, students may move on foot to the fairgrounds or be taken by school buses when feasible. The presenters described a proposal for secured, locked emergency key boxes and controlled access limited to authorized administrators.

After the presentation the commission moved, seconded and approved the request by voice vote. The motion authorized county staff to coordinate access protocols with the school district and fair personnel, including training and key control procedures.

The approval is procedural: the district will now work with county staff on detailed access, storage and operations plans before any master keys or credentials are provisioned. The commission did not set a public-access schedule; the arrangement is a contingency for emergency use only.