Local nonprofit seeks commission support for Generations Next Academy safe room funded largely by FEMA grant

Pierre Alexander, representing the local sports alliance, asked the Robertson County Commission to bless a proposed Generations Next Academy campus on roughly 10 acres in the Bransford area and described a plan anchored by a FEMA-designated safe room. "The pillar of that whole campus is going to be a FEMA safe room that can house or protect 1622 people in this community," Alexander said, adding the safe room would be phase one of the project funded by a $5.8 million hazard-mitigation grant.

Alexander told commissioners the grant would cover the concrete safe room structure only and that the nonprofit would be responsible for the remaining 25% match and additional fundraising for daycare, sports fields and other campus elements. He said the grant was submitted Sept. 5 after FEMA encouraged an early submission and estimated it could take two to three years to complete architecture, geotechnical work and construction if funding is secured. "Phase one is the safe room," Alexander said. "Once that money is allocated, it's there in three years if you need it."

Several commissioners asked practical questions about traffic, evacuation planning and coordination with emergency management and the school system. Alexander said he had begun discussions with Emergency Management Agency staff and that an evacuation plan and flow-of-traffic mitigation were included in planning. Commissioner Head noted the grant covers only the safe room and asked about other project costs; Alexander repeated that those would be covered via donations and fundraising. The commission did not take formal action on the project at the meeting but asked the group to keep commissioners informed of grant progress and fundraising activities.