A dispute over a new high school site continues as an attorney, representing a group of Colquitt County Citizens opposed to the Packer Park location, has suggested it has not been approved by the state.

The head of the Colquitt County School System countered that a recent letter from the Georgia Department of Education calling for hazard mitigation related to a rail line that runs near the site is a normal part of the building process.

In a July 29 letter, John Ramage, the state education facilities consultant, said that hazard mitigation is required to comply with the education department’s policy.

The system plans to build a new high school estimated to cost more than $40 million on Doc Darbyshire Road adjacent to the Packer Park sports fields. It has issued $24 million in bonds, to be paid back with special local option sales tax funds approved by voters, and has been approved for about $19 million in state funds for construction of a campus scheduled to open for classes in the fall of 2015.

In comments accompanying the state Department of Education’s letter, the agency outlined the need for fencing to prevent students from access to standing bodies of water as well as standing water that could accrue during flooding events.

It also notes the proximity of a rail line near the site and the how far various hazardous chemicals could travel by air. A spill of N-Pentane — an industrial solvent — could result, for example, in a cloud extending up to 1,170 feet and an explosion could produce a range of 3,516. The latter would produce a lethal zone that could cover half of the campus.

“The state of Georgia has no restrictions on what may be transported on rail lines within the state of Georgia,” the agency said in the comments. “In consideration of this fact and that the risk hazard report and addendum to the risk hazard report are over two years old; the Facilities Unit of the Georgia Department of Education must operate under the conclusion that hazardous materials are transported on the Georgia-Florida Rail Road rail line.”

Based on that information, the Department of Education will require that an on-site shelter be established within the school, with a separate internal circulation unit that would prevent the influx of outside air. The school also needs a central shut-off switch to shut off the flow of exterior air into the building in the case of a spill-related emergency.

“The above site is approved provided the Colquitt County School System insures the following mitigating measures,” the report said.

Michael Strickland, a Moultrie attorney who has appeared before the school board to voice opposition to the site, said in an email accompanying a copy of the letter from the Department of Education that the state’s response shows that the site has not yet gained state approval.

“The guidance provided by the Georgia DOE in the attachments to the letter shows what must be done to develop a ‘safe and suitable site.’” his email said. “Those things have not been done as of July 29, 2013. As the enclosed document shows, items 4, 5, 6 and 7 relate directly to the railroad and what must be done in order to obtain state approval.

“These requirements are significant and can come at a significant cost. The danger of (the) railroad is a significant issue to the Georgia Department of Education and should be to the Colquitt County Board of Education.”

Schools Superintendent Samuel DePaul said that the department’s requirements are being addressed by the school architect. The entire campus will be fenced, and the shelter and ventilation requirements will be taken into account.

“Those are things we’ve got to address,” he said. “That (changes) are done for any site that’s built.”

DePaul did not know what the ultimate impact will be on the cost of the school project. The system is in the process of getting prices on various components of the project, and the mitigation work will be wrapped into the corresponding work, such as the heating vacuum and air conditioning system — commonly known as HVAC.

“It’s going to be part of the bidding and specifications that we’re doing,” DePaul said. “We should have a final (cost) number by the end of the month.”

“The site’s the site. We’re moving ahead. The board hasn’t changed anything,” he said.