Pickett Co. Making Upgrades To Community Center For An Emergency Shelter

Pickett County plans to purchase a generator to make the Byrdstown community center into an emergency shelter.

County Executive Carey Garner said the need for the equipment arose after many residents were left without electricity during the February ice storm.

“We don’t have anywhere for a disaster for the people to come to for storms, ice storms or anything,” Garner said. “So, we thought if we could put a generator in at the community center that would have somewhere if there is a power outage that they could at least have somewhere to stay.”

Garner said the county has received bids for the purchase, which will be opened on Friday and be considered for approval during Monday’s commission meeting.

In a separate project, Garner said bids for the completion of the center’s overhangs will also be opened Friday. Garner said the renovations began years ago but were never completed.

“They put in a new roof and some cooling units on the roof, and they just got done to the final steps of the overhang and never sealed the under hang,” Garner said. “We have problems with birds going in there and nesting. We feel like it is something we need to finish.”

Both projects are being paid through a Governor’s Local Support Grant. Garner said whatever the price is for the approved bids will not be paid by tax payer’s money.