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On Monday, the Valley Grande City Council met at the city hall for their monthly meeting. The council discussed several business items including documents received from the Dallas County Commission about storm shelters. 

During the council’s last meeting on Monday, April 21, Dallas County Emergency Management Agency Director Toya Crusoe presented the council with two storm shelter options. One storm shelter plan could accommodate 75 people, and the other shelter plan could hold 150 people, according to the paperwork Crusoe gave the council. 

“For a storm shelter to occupy 75 persons, it is $152,750,” Crusoe said. “And for a storm shelter to occupy 150 persons, it is $302,750.”

Mayor Wayne Labbe said during Monday night’s meeting that he is certain that the council is going to want the 75-persons storm shelter option. He also said with this option, the council plans to buy two shelters, placing them in two different locations in the city.

“But this is the thing that we need to be aware of,” Labbe said. “The price for this shelter does not include site preparation and there’s a lot of other things on the sheet that are not included in the price such as the electrical. “So what I am looking for here, Jane, is for you to partner with Crusoe and see where they got these bids from.”

Labbe said before the council plans to move forward with their selection of the shelter, he said they would need to know the price of each one with the electrical hook to it. 

After much conversation, he also spoke to the council and Councilwoman Jane Harris about finding out if the Dallas County Commission has applied for any grants or any supplemental funding that could help them along the way.