Bids were recently opened for a community storm shelter in Somerville, according to Morgan County District 2 Commissioner Randy Vest.

The shelter will be located at the Somerville Area Volunteer Emergency Services department on Perkinswood Road.

Vest said the shelter will be able to accommodate 96 people and will be the same model as the local ones purchased with FEMA grants, but this particular shelter will not be funded by FEMA.

“We were informed that FEMA grants would no longer be available for community storm shelters until another natural disaster hit and a state of emergency was declared,” Vest said. “Every community needs a storm shelter, and I wanted to do this as a commissioner for the Somerville community. We became committed to getting Somerville a community storm shelter even after we realized it wouldn’t be covered by a grant. We didn’t want another disaster occur and possibly lose lives while we waited for a grant.”

District 2 is spending almost $48,000 on the project and will provide site work. The volunteer fire department will help fund other project costs.