| Photo [in original story] by Mona Sandefur |
Renovation plans discussed at domestic violence shelter
WEST FRANKFORT - The plans are drawn, and organizers and volunteers met Saturday morning at the Franklin County Women's and Children's Domestic Violence Shelter to talk about the next phase.
“The purpose of this meeting is to get this project going,” said Glenn Poshard of the Poshard Abused Children's Foundation.
“Gary Rone and members of IBEW have been conducting golf tournaments for a number of years, with the proceeds being set aside for this project. Both Gary and I, among others, wanted to see a domestic violence shelter in Franklin County. The golf tournaments netted $100,000, which is committed to buying materials to renovate this building.”
Jeff Shurtz and Shawn Bond, both SIU employees, attended to discuss the first phase of interior renovation, which includes the removal of a few walls, installation of individual restrooms, and the addition of a firewall, to name a few.
Members also discussed plans to replace the roof, which is expected to whittle away at the savings.
Poshard said property and liability insurance has been paid for six months, saying he would like to see the work completed and the facility open by the end of June.
“We have volunteers who are committed to the project, including IBEW, Laborers International and plumbers union members who will do what is necessary to get this building ready to open,” Poshard said. “We also have church groups who have said they would work on individual rooms.”
The Shelter is to be divided to house women and children of domestic violence in one wing, with sibling groups to be housed in another wing.
Poshard said Jim McPhail has agreed to organize volunteer groups, to work as needed. John Reach will serve as project manager. Franklin County Habitat for Humanity board members Gail Borton and Bud Montgomery attended the meeting, participating in the walkthrough of the facility and taking measurements of rooms and hallways, while proposing restructuring ideas.
Architect Bond said the restroom would be converted to include individual-use rooms, instead of the commercial setting used when the structure served as a nursing care facility.
Shelter organizers Sara and Shawn Bond said bathtubs are required in the restrooms, in order to comply with state regulations.
Shelter organizer Shawn Bond said the roofing materials could be provided at cost. Montgomery recommended contacting local roofing companies about providing materials at cost, or donating materials. Members discussed the option of replacing the current flat roof with a rubberized membrane roofing, which would require contractors, or installing trusses and asphalt shingles. Borton and Montgomery said Big Muddy Correctional Facility provides the trusses used in homes built by Habitat for Humanity.
SIU Physical Plant employee and Benton resident Jeff Shurtz said he had assessed the facility from an environmental standpoint.
“The glue that is used on the floor tiles does contain asbestos, but that is the only place that asbestos components have been found in this building,” Shurtz said. “The asbestos has to be removed by a licensed contractor.”
Shurtz said he would volunteer his time to remove the tiles and glue from the areas to be converted to restrooms. “The tiles will be heated and removed and the glue then heated in order to be removed,” Shurtz said.
Architect Bond said the ceiling tile and grid system must be removed in order to install the new sprinkler system, and water pipes.
Poshard said Frank Savka, McPhail and West Frankfort Chamber of Commerce employee Linda Clark would be working to contact volunteers when needed.
Shelter secretary Sandy Davis said Clark would serve as a contact to organize and send groups to work on the renovation project.
Legislative committee chairman Nancy Bundy reported letters have been sent to legislators to receive support for the project. Poshard said Senator Gary Forby and State Rep. John Bradley are trying to determine if grant funding is available to pay for materials.
West Frankfort Mayor Larry Warren said everyone is anxious to see the project get under way.
Davis said church groups are anxious to get started on individual room renovation and are waiting to be notified.
Poshard suggested Rone and IBEW members receive recognition for the $100,000 initial commitment, saying he has contacted additional people for monetary support.
Davis said committees are working on plans to announce renovation, fund raising and dedication, to occur within the next several weeks.
Supporter and volunteer Goebel Patton said the facility is greatly needed in Franklin County.
Poshard said approximately one-half of residents at the Women's Center in Carbondale are Franklin County citizens.
Montgomery said the facility would enable children to remain in their own schools.
“I work with the Youth Detention Center and see a lot of kids who are taken from homes and put into different schools,” Montgomery said. “Having a shelter of this caliber in Franklin County would prevent children from changing schools.”
Renovation plans also call for the commercial kitchen to be reduced to a smaller scale. Montgomery suggested contacting Whirlpool to provide range and refrigeration units, saying Whirlpool provides washers and dryers to Habitat for Humanity homes.
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