ORANGE PARK, Fla. -- Wendy Reinecke's daughter attended Montclair Elementary, but this mother hasn't actually been inside of the school in eight years. "She is in college now, but it's a good school," said Reinecke.
But this summer, mother nature could force her back. County leaders want to turn one of the school's buildings into a hurricane shelter.
"It's nice to know if your electricity goes out, or we have big trees around here, if a tree fell, we have a place to run too and be safe," said Reinecke.
Clay County Emergency Management would use $87,000 in grant money to design and install the hurricane shutters. And if a storm is strong enough, the doors would open to the public.
"We still have areas where structures may not be built to the building code standard to stand up to tropical force or hurricane force winds," said Clay County Fire Chief Lorin Mock.
So far, 10 schools in Clay County have hurricane shutters installed. Nine other schools have buildings built to withstand hurricane force winds.
"This is Florida, anything can happen," said Reinecke.
"You never stop the planning process for hurricane season. There is not an off season for it anymore," said Chief Mock. If Clay County's Board of Commissioners approve it, Montclair Elementary will be added to that list before the next storm is named.
The Clay County Board of Commissioners will vote on retro-fitting the elementary school Tuesday during its afternoon meeting.
