6/27/2009 8:58:00 AM Wynot looks at upgrades to school
Linda Wuebben/CorrespondentNew superintendent Richard Patton, who arrived from Alaska, had not even been in Wynot long enough to unpack his clothes when he spoke briefly at a meeting Thursday to discuss possible renovations to the school.
WYNOT - The Wynot Board of Education presented a 10-year bond issue to district patrons earlier this week.
"We feel over the last few years we have addressed our educational needs, improved technology, added 45 class offerings and college credit courses," said board president Neal Hochstein. "Now it is time to look at the needs of the facility."
Details of the plan, which were explained at a public meeting in the cafeteria, add up to around $256,000. But more than half of the money to be raised will be for physical improvements required by the state fire marshal to bring the facility up to fire code.
"We have several issues that the state fire marshal has required us to upgrade over a period of five years," Hochstein said.
Several doors throughout the school, for example, are not up to fire code. It will take almost $50,000 to make the replacements.
Also of great concern to the fire marshal was the condition of the lunch room. A suspended ceiling and new lighting had already been completed to bring the area up to the food service code.
The state official also told the district the gym walls were not up to fire code.
Another concern is a leaky gym roof, which was dripping even as the patrons checked out the mold after the meeting. Moldy locker rooms have also been a problem for several years.
The gym lights are outdated and a rebate for a more energy efficient model would be available. Surveillance cameras would make the school a safer place.
Grouping all the projects together made a more attractive bond package for a bonding company. The upgrade can be passed with the approval of the school board if the levy is only raised 5.2 cents per $100 of valuation for 10 years.
The valuation of the district is currently $68 million. Because of the district-wide 44 percent level of participation in the free and reduced meal program, the district may qualify for a 0 percent bond. The bonding company is checking into this aspect of the process.
The payments for the district on a nine-year bond would be $35,000. On $100,000 of valuation, real estate taxes would increase $52.
Stimulus funds may also be available as the district proceeds with the list of improvements.
"We are looking for the approval of the community," Hochstein told patrons.
The board will open bids on Monday. At the July 9 monthly meeting, a vote will be taken to consider the bond issue. If the bond is approved by the board, the district has set an early July date for the roof construction and a tentative date for the installation of the new floor the first two weeks of August.
"If we're going to have a school, let's run it like a school," Hochstein said. "We've settled for second-best for years. Our kids deserve this. Our community deserves this."
