Future Fire Hall, the Old Bus Barn Roof Collapses

By Joe Morey

News Editor

Just after the tribal governing board had decided to move the LCO Fire Department into the old bus barn across the road from the current fire hall, the weight of an additional 6 inches of snow on Wednesday, Feb. 20, caused the roof of the building to collapse.

LCO Secretary-Treasurer, Jason Weaver, said LCO School Director Jessica Hutchison has reached out to the school’s insurance company to make a claim.

“I talked with Mark Montano (LCO Housing) this morning to discuss his plan for HUD homes and he has contacted a structural engineer for advice,” Weaver said. “They may be raking and shoveling some of their properties in the near future.”

Weaver said he also talked with LCO Development Director Alan Johnson and the tribe has contracted with them to remove snow and clean up our other steel framed buildings in order to be more proactive.

“For private home owners I would recommend that they reach out to a professional for advice,” Weaver said. Over 30 inches of snow has fallen on the reservation in February and the current forecast calls for 6 to 12 inches over the weekend.

The LCO TGB had recently decided to relocate the LCO Fire Department to the old bus barn so that the new environmental charter school could utilize the current fire hall for a couple of classrooms, LCO Vice Chairman Jason Schlender explained. The current fire hall sits within the school footprint.

Schlender said the fire hall wouldn’t be enough space for the new charter school so LCO School Maintenance Director, Edwin Carley, is doing a grounds audit for space to make sure all space within the school is being utilized correctly.

“We are checking to see if we have room at the school to move around and if we can use any space not used for the environmental charter school,” Schlender said.

Prior to the roof collapse, Schlender said the plan was to move the fire department over to the old bus barn.

“They have five bays and it would take some renovating and some clean up and small-scale landscaping,” said Schlender.

The grounds space audit is not only good for the charter school but there isn’t any teacher’s lounge at the school so we are trying to free up space for them as well, Schlender added.

“The environmental school will start taking kids in August for the next school year,” Schlender noted. “It’s really about accommodating the whole school so that everyone is comfortable.”

Photos from Edwin Carley