photo by: Shelley Hanson

Marshall County Board of Education members Brenda Coffield, right, and Duane Miller read over paperwork during the board’s meeting on Tuesday.

Two schools in Cameron are another step closer to having backup generators that will turn on when the power goes out during storms and other emergencies.

Marshall County Board of Education members on Tuesday unanimously approved hiring Savage Construction Co. of Wheeling to install the new emergency generators at Cameron Elementary School and Cameron High School at a cost of $504,500. This price includes the labor, concrete pad installation and hookup of the machines.

Savage was the low bidder. Other bidders included Lombardi Companies at $509,500 and Master Service at $748,000.

Mike Price, facilities director for Marshall County Schools, said the actual generators were purchased last April from Cummins Generators. The elementary school generator cost $276,000 and the high school generator cost $651,000.

Price said both generators will be diesel fueled. They are expected to be delivered by February and ready to use by spring.

Price said the generators are much needed for the schools as many of the electrical lines that run to the buildings are in wooded areas. Storms and high winds often damage those lines and leave the schools without power. This causes school cancellations and early dismissals.

Rebooting computer servers, HVAC and other systems also must occur after an outage.

“It’s very necessary,” Price said of the project.

In other matters, the board approved renewing an agreement with West Liberty University regarding its nursing program. The agreement allows WLU student nurses to observe Marshall County’s school nurses and their work in the district.

Superintendent Shelby Haines said each school in the district has its own school nurse, thanks to a tax levy approved by voters.