Jemison Middle School is still as empty as the budget for its future renovation project.

The middle school is comprised of grades 5-7 and currently operates in Jemison Intermediate School, which was built last year to alleviate overcrowding in Jemison’s other three schools.

Lack of adequate state education funding seems to be the only roadblock.

“We want to do something as soon as possible, but we’re just having to wait,” Chilton County Superintendent of Education Dave Hayden said. “Right now, it’s just not in the budget to do what we need to do.”

Hayden said the old gymnasium has been declared unsafe and would have to be demolished and rebuilt.

Beyond that, an architect and a structural engineer would have to conduct a total re-evaluation of the entire building.

Before any work is done, the Board of Education must approve the recommended renovations, and the final step is getting permission from the state to proceed with the project.

Hayden said the goal is to make improvements to the school in “the most economical way possible.”

“You have to do the best economically speaking and for safety purposes,” Hayden said. “We’re just not sure when we’re going to be able to do it.”