Edgewood Elementary students have dodged rainwater inside the building for the past two years, but not anymore.

The Selma City School Board on Thursday evening unanimously voted in favor to accept an $800,000 bid from CRL Construction to fix the Edgewood roof.

Outgoing interim superintendent Verdell Dawson explained that the delay in the roof’s repair was due to the use of Alabama Public School and College Authority funds. She explained that the funds are tied up in Montgomery, and are subject to stringent regulation. Selma City Schools does not control the money.

The new roof will have several layers of protection for the school’s staff and students — a smaller roof covered by a rubber moisture barrier, and then a large roof on top. The roof will be sloped and comprised of metal and plywood hinges.

CRL was the winner of a second round of bidding. The lowest price tag of the project’s first round of bidding was $1 million.

“That’s quite a cost to fix one roof,” said Dawson.

The bid’s acceptance does not mean construction will begin quickly, though.

“There won’t be people working on the roof tomorrow,” said Dawson. “A long paper trail must be established first.”

The issue was brought to the board’s attention by Henry Hicks Sr. His children attend Edgewood and informed him of the leaking roof two years ago.

Hicks has come before the board multiple times to have the issue resolved and appeared again Thursday.

“I’m serving notice,” said Hicks. “I’m asking nicely for the last time. Fix the roof.”

Minutes later, the board revealed the bidding process and took a vote on the bid.

Prior to the discussion of Edgewood’s roof, trophies were awarded to each school within Selma City Schools. For the first time since the 2001 passing of the No Child Left Behind Act, every school achieved annual yearly progress, including Edgewood.

“Just imagine what they could have done if they weren’t having to constantly move,” said Hicks said in reference to the leaky roof.