USD 234 board gets peek at top three bond options

Keegan Jackson of Hollis and Miller Architects discussed three potential school bond package options during the regular USD 234 Board of Education meeting Monday night.

Jackson outlined the top three choices a school bond steering committee will likely recommend to the board later this month at a special meeting. All three options include a "baseline foundation" of maintenance, mechanical, and structural repairs.

Last month, Jackson emphasized that 51-percent in state aid would be applied to the potential school bond issue. Jackson said that was a sizable figure compared to other school districts his firm has worked with.

"The 51-percent state aid is key. It's pretty unique," Jackson said.

The top three options in no particular order, are:

* Option 1: Base, district building exteriors, high school structural repair, district energy savings, district technology, district safety and security, district classroom renovations, high school auditorium renovations and high school gym addition. The price tag for this package is approximately $32.4 million, and a cost of roughly 15.9 million to patrons after the 51-percent in state aid is factored in.

* Option 2: Is identical to option 1, except the high school gym addition will not be included. However, district public spaces renovation and a high school stadium renovation is included in this package. The cost of this package is approximately $36.7 million, and a cost of nearly $18 million to tax payers.

* Option 3: Is identical to option 1, except district public spaces renovations and high school stadium renovations are included with this package. The total cost of this package is approximately $40.5 million, with roughly $19.9 million going to tax payers.

A special board meeting has been set for 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 24, to discuss the three school bond options and to adopt a plan. Outgoing USD 234 Superintendent Diane Gross said she is unsure if she will be present for this meeting.

According to Gross, a November election for the school bond issue remains a possibility.

"It's hard to predict what's going to happen in the future," Gross told The Tribune Monday night. "But I do think that's a good possibility."

Gross said the district has immediate concerns which need to be addressed.

"If we don't somehow find a way to get that money sooner rather than later, I don't know how we'll address all of those concerns," she said. "Because we don't have enough money built up in our capital outlay (fund) to do that."

Two community forums were held at Fort Scott High School to receive public input about a potential school bond issue. During the first community forum held in April, members of the public were asked to list and prioritize school district needs. During the second community forum, held in May, attendees were asked to vote on the three bond packages they liked the best, after being presented with eight different options. The vote was not official.

"I think it's been a really great discussion," Gross said. "Not everybody agrees on where the priorities should be. But I think people have had the opportunity to voice their concerns or their ideas and suggestions and what their priorities would be."

Jackson said the three options he outlined Monday were the options the steering committee concluded made the most sense for the district to potentially pursue.

Gross said the steering committee is comprised of "our administrative team essentially, and a couple of our board members." Gross also said the steering committee has met and shared information with district faculty, as well as members of the community.

"We've met with people in the community in terms of the booster club," Gross said. "And these are people that have been identified as being key communicators in terms of the education that's afforded to students here in the Fort Scott area."

Earlier this year, Gross said the completion of a district-wide facilities assessment report highlighted needs in specific areas for the district. At the time, the estimated cost to fix all civil and mechanical issues was between $5.5 and $6 million. Adding to the overall price tag, district technology needs were estimated at around $2 million.

Based on feedback received to this point, Gross said safety and security is a "huge" issue for the district.

"And I think I knew that going into the process," she said. "But it has come across very loud and clear from folks in the community -- that they want their kids to be in a safe environment. And they want to make sure that we've taken all the precautions to ensure a safe environment.

"Not only that, but they want buildings that are not going to crumble around them. And they don't want to be throwing money at something that continues to break down. I would say that it's fair to say that the community sees a need."

Gross said she doesn't think the community will "go overboard and create the Cadillac model, when something else will do."

Additionally, Gross said if a school bond issue passed, it would create an increased tax burden for members of the community.

"Nobody likes to see taxes go up," she said. "But I also think it's an investment in the future. Because the education we provide for our young students here in this community is going to help build the future of Fort Scott."

Meeks reinstated

The board voted unanimously to reinstate Justin Meeks as a board member for the remainder of his term, which runs through June 2015. He is currently serving his second term in position one.

During April's regular board meeting, Meeks resigned effective June 30 due to a change of residency.

On Monday, Meeks cited Kansas Statute 25-2022a, which reads in part, "In the event a member of a board of education elected or appointed from a member district changes residence from one place to another within a school district, such that he or she no longer resides in the member district from which elected or appointed, such member shall nevertheless continue the term to its conclusion without such term being shortened."

Gross' final regular board meeting

This was Gross' final regular board meeting with the district. In April, she submitted her resignation effective June 30. Gross, who became the USD 234 superintendent on July 1, 2012, will become superintendent of the Clearwater USD 264 school district.

Personnel matters

The board approved the following personnel matters for the 2014-15 school year:

Resignations -- Shannon Elias, middle school mathematics teacher.

Transfers -- Carolyn Thorpe, from preschool paraeducator to high school paraeducator.

Employment -- Renee Scholes, high school paraeducator; Moriah Dillow, Winfield Scott paraeducator; Andrew Nelson, Eugene Ware fourth-grade teacher; classified personnel for the central office, food service, transportation, high school, middle school, Winfield Scott, Eugene Ware and preschool center; and supplemental personnel for the high school, middle school, Winfield Scott and Eugene Ware.

Executive session

The board held an executive session to discuss personnel matters for non-elected personnel and to discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative or representatives of the body or agency. No action was taken.