Mercer County Schools says $4.5 million in flood damage at Spanishburg; FEMA review and insurance rules will decide repairs

Mercer County Schools officials told residents at a Feb. 23 board meeting in Spanishburg that the district has filed a FEMA claim after last year’s flood and has submitted roughly $4.5 million in repair estimates for the affected building.

"We have not and we will not — and we cannot — make any decisions about Spanishburg right now," the board chair said, explaining that FEMA must complete its evaluation before the district can bid work or move forward with major repairs. Leslie Lohman, who spoke from a purchasing and treasurer background, and Paul Mackens, who identified himself as the district director, walked the meeting through the cleanup and safety work that has already been done.

Why it matters: officials said federal funding hinges on FEMA’s damage assessment process, which evaluates whether a building is more than 50% damaged (a threshold that can make projects ineligible for repair funding). The district also must satisfy a federal requirement to carry flood insurance at the value FEMA will expect if it approves funding. Staff said current flood insurance covers about $700,000–$750,000 and that the submitted repair estimate totals about $4.5 million.

District staff described immediate post-flood actions taken to protect students and staff. Paul Mackens recounted mud and silt throughout hallways and gym space, large-scale asbestos abatement under tile, cleanup by Servpro, use of air scrubbers and dehumidifiers, and drywall replacement to prevent mold. He said the wastewater treatment plant required temporary pumping and reanchoring so the school could continue operations with minimal interruption.

Officials explained additional administrative steps that complicate recovery. Once a project exceeds about $1 million, the district must work with the state School Building Authority and the West Virginia Department of Education to secure approvals and funding, officials said. They also told the audience the school sits in a floodway — which increases the chance of future flooding — and that securing flood insurance at the replacement value is mandatory before FEMA can approve repair funds.

On timing and outlook, the district cautioned the public that FEMA reviews and permitting can take years. Mackens referenced other counties’ experiences and staff said their current planning estimate — from detailed FEMA review through permitting and construction — could run about five years. "Your kids will be here next year," Mackens said, reassuring families that immediate safety measures are in place and instruction is expected to continue.

Not all valuation questions are resolved. A community member asked when the building was last appraised; staff replied the local floodplain manager uses tax valuation (about $3.5 million), while replacement or new-construction examples can be much higher — staff cited a recently built school at roughly $24 million as one comparator federal evaluators might consider. Officials noted the federal agency may use either tax valuation or replacement cost in its determinations.

What happens next: district staff said they will continue to provide updates to the board and to the community as FEMA returns its determination. There was no decision tonight about the building’s long-term status; officials urged patience and public engagement as the district completes the federal application and follows state building-authority procedures.

Quotes: "FEMA is not processing this type of paperwork right now," the Chair said, describing limited federal processing capacity; Leslie Lohman told the audience the district has "submitted about $4.5 million in total work" to bring the facility up to code; Paul Mackens said, "Your kids will be here next year," emphasizing that short-term instruction and safety have been maintained.

The board said it will report any FEMA determinations, insurance developments or School Building Authority guidance at upcoming meetings; the district recorded a more detailed presentation at a Feb. 3 special board meeting that staff noted is available on YouTube.