Former Colbert schoolhouse slated for $21,500 in repairs

City leaders approved a $21,521 bid Nov. 2 to repair damaged flooring in three rooms and the ceiling in one room of the former school building, which last held classes in 1981.

The project will be funded through sales tax money. The city has designated that its SPLOST funds be applied in two areas — water projects and schoolhouse improvements.

Althought this isn’t a major renovation of the old school, which was built in 1926, it will help stabilize what’s deteriorated over the years through water and termite damage.

“The only other choice is to do nothing, and it would eventually fall on down,” said Mayor John Waggoner, who attended school in that building in the 1940s and early 1950s.

The school housed high school grades until 1956, when the county consolidated schools. But lower grades continued to be taught there for the next 25 years. The city has since looked after the building in its retirement.

Colbert spent $45,000 a few years ago to provide a new roof over a large portion of the school, while the Colbert Lions club put a new roof over the lunchroom portion.

Now, the floors need attention.

“What it amounts to is getting the floor leveled up, (so) if you ever wanted to use it for something specific, then you could come in and put title or whatever down,” Waggoner said.