LAPLACE — St. John the Baptist Parish School District leaders are working toward an insurance settlement following an Aug. 14 fire that heavily damaged East St. John Elementary School.

Superintendent Kevin George stressed to L’OBSERVATEUR this week an insurance settlement has not been reached, but District leaders are hoping to have one completed by the beginning of December.

“We have not settled,” George said. “We are still working with the insurance company. They are reviewing the latest documents that we gave them (Oct. 21) when we met with the adjuster.”

George said the two sides have exchanged figures.

“The adjuster, who is working with us, stated he is reviewing those things and is going to send his guys back to look at what we have submitted to them,” George said.

According to the superintendent, the insurance company will either agree with the District’s figure, stick to their original offer or come to a compromise, adding he feels the sides will ultimately meet  “somewhere in the middle.”

“We know the ballpark figure,” George said. “I can’t really disclose that ballpark figure, because it may hurt our negotiations.”

The School District has received advances for payments occurred with contents and the renovation of the former Leon Godchaux Junior High campus, which has housed East St. John Elementary students since the fire.

School Board Member Russ Wise said the insurance company sent the School Board $7.8 million to date.

School leaders have been proactive since the fire, engaging with Yeates and Yeates Architects to create design options for a new East St. John Elementary School, which would be constructed after a final insurance settlement is reached.

School leaders said the elementary school was not completely destroyed by the fire, which complicates the rebuilding and forces multiple options to be pursued. According to Wise, School Board Land and Facilities Committee members are meeting Tuesday to review design options proposed by Yeates and Yeates. The options include rebuilding the exact same structure, moving the school to another location or various forms of remodeling.

According to Wise, the Committee hopes to have a recommendation for the full School Board, which meets Thursday in Reserve.

George said when a final number is agreed to with the insurance company, the District would be in a position to act quickly securing a design and starting the public bid process.

“We will probably just adjust things slightly (with the school design,)” George said. “We still want to make sure we get every single penny we are supposed to get. When we signed a contract with Yeates and Yeates, it was a three-year contract for any disaster or unforeseen events. This fire would qualify as an unforeseen event.

“It does help the process because we are familiar with them, they are familiar with us. They know exactly who to call. They know the lay of the land. They can be very fluid. That saves us months.”

School Board Member Gerald J. Keller said he wishes the process moved quicker.

“It looks like everything is so complicated,” he said. “We’re trying to get something done through the complications of red tape. It just slows it down. As soon as we can get this thing off and running, we’re going to put these kids in a school of their own.”

— By Stephen Hemelt