The St. Mary’s County Commissioners on Tuesday approved advance funding to begin work on the Esperanza Middle School soil erosion project. A bank behind a ball field at the school caved in as the result of Hurricane Sandy and subsequent rains.The project was originally in the schools’ Fiscal Year 2014 capital budget, but at a recent meeting the school board insisted that the project be advanced out of safety concerns.
Additional fencing and warning tapes have been constructed in front of the baseball field backstop in addition to the fencing that already exists around the entire field. School Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano told the county commissioners that there is another field that can be used until the project is complete.
The commissioners voted to advance $118,483 to begin the design. Total project cost is estimated around three-quarters of a million dollars. Actual construction will take place in the next fiscal year beginning in July. The school board will seek recovery of up to 75 percent of the money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency because the problem was caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Deputy Superintendent for Schools and Operations Brad Clements told the commissioners that the school board owns all of the land on which the work will be done, so no land acquisition to necessary for the project. He said the field won’t be approved for use again until the work is complete.
