Published: December 19, 2005 08:55 am            

Welton school fate undecided

DEWITT — No decision on the fate of the Welton Elementary building will be made until the summer of 2006, the Central Community School Board determined at its regular meeting, which was postponed until Saturday due to winter weather conditions.

The board rejected 5-0 a proposal from the city of Welton in which the district would demolish the building, survey the property and provide an abstract and sell the property to the city for $1.

Possibilities for using the gym and other dispositions of the property were brought before the board. Putting the property up for bids would lose control of the situation, board member Jim Irwin said, while board member Larry Burken asked what would happen if nothing was currently done.

“Everything is shut off,” Superintendent Carol Hanson said. Preventing vandalism, boarding up the facility, continuing liability insurance would permit the district to let the building sit for a while, she added.

Cost of demolition of the entire property is about $100,000 with partial demolition and asbestos removal set at about $200,000. Maintenance Director Keith Walker said the gym is a standalone facility, and it and the locker rooms (with bathrooms) could be saved without the cafeteria and added classrooms in the newer part of the building. The district could retain that part of the building and use the gym for some years, he said.

Hanson was directed to research options to keep the property and use the gym. Selling the 1.7 acres that housed Mid-park, cost of operation and liability costs will be examined.

Business Director Jan Culbertson reported that the official special education count day, Oct. 28, showed 204 students with weighted count according to needs at 221. The current budget for special education is $2,595,423, and last year’s end-of-year balance was $13,764. There are 23 teachers and 27 aides in the program.

Transportation Director Dolores Bergert gave the transportation report. The budget is set at $165,000, and Bergert said, because of the high cost of fuel, the department might go over that allotted amount. Recent tighter inspection controls have also cause increased expenses.

There are 19 bus routes in the district, 22 buses (two-thirds of them have more than 100,000 miles on them), 18 drivers, two teacher aides and seven substitute drivers.

In a related decision, the board approved purchase of two buses from School Bus Sales of Waterloo for a total of $113,024. The funds will come from the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy.

At the request of Walker, the board approved purchase of a BX2230 Kobota tractor at a cost of about $7,500.

In personnel matters, the board changed the position of Central Middle School Principal Steve Haines from “interim” to “regular” principal. Hanson said there has been good feedback from the staff and he is doing a great job. The change will give stability to the position, she added.

Also Jason Lacey resigned as assistant varsity boys soccer coach and was hired as head boys soccer coach at $2,592; Tom Meade was hired as head boys track coach for one year at $3,064; Ryan Streets resigned as ninth-grade baseball coach; Sheryl Brommelkamp transferred to head baker at the middle school at $10.84 an hour; and Debbie Diercks was hired as food service worker at Ekstrand at $9.49 per hour.

        

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