Cleanup efforts visible at Murphy High School

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Alabama Governor Robert Bentley is suggesting that local officials, like city council members and county commissioners in Mobile, come forward to help pay for repairs at Murphy High School.

The school was heavily damaged by a tornado last Christmas Day.

MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR

Mobile County Schools Facilities Director Tommy Sheffield said he and other school leaders visited with the Governor earlier this week.

Sheffield said, "Yesterday (Wednesday), we actually, the Superintendent, the President of the Board, and I, with the architect, went to Montgomery. We had a conversation with the Governor just to let him know we're still down here in Mobile, and we still had the issues at Murphy."

　 PHOTOS: Murphy High cleanup begins

TURN TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Sheffield said the Governor asked Mobile school officials to reassess the projects and "the estimates: get a little more scope of the work, go talk to our City Council, County Commission, the Mayor, see what the local government is willing to do, and then come back up and talk to us."

But when asked if he didn't say "No money," Sheffield said, "He didn't say 'No.' He did not say 'No,' so, that's a good thing."

HELP FROM LEGISLATORS?

Still, Sheffield said he's hopeful state legislators from the Mobile area will help, too.

He said, "And I think, really and truly, with our representatives, our local delegation up there working with the Governor, I think we'll prevail. I think we'll come home with some money. It may take us some time. But, time is of the essence. We're quickly approaching August out here."　

CLEARING AWAY TREES

And, while the money issues are being ironed out, work continues, like repairing the roof, and removing damaged tree limbs.

Beth Thomas with Alabama Power said, "We provided some people to help do the work today, and we've also engaged some of our partners like Asplundh, RDA and Lewis Tree Service."

David Daughenbaugh, the Urban Forestry Coordinator for the City of Mobile, said, "We've also had a few trees that we had to remove. We've accomplished that, but our overall, long term goal is to make sure that the health of the trees are good."　

HISTORIC PLAQUES

Some of the trees that are being cut down hold special memories and were dedicated for a purpose.

We found a plaque on one that said "Class of 1942, The Class That Went To War.

WHEN WILL STUDENTS RETURN?

School officials hope the Class of 2014 will be back on campus in August.

Sheffield said, "You'll see the new roofs go on, the new windows and the glass go back and the doors go back and, of course, we have Asplundh trimming the trees, and that's about the best its going to get until funding comes around."

NEXT MEETING?

As for when the governor hopes to get another report, he told the delegation two weeks, but Sheffield said,it may take longer to come with a concrete plan.