Engineers earlier this year informed the school that a portion of the high school roof over the family life science classroom should be reinforced. Building codes have changed since the school was erected in 1969 and the facility does not meet new codes.
The district received authorization from the Health and Safety Department at the state level allowing the district to utilize $89,000 of state funds to help cover the cost of the repairs.
“I don’t really see a need for the repairs,” Dean Hanson, board member said. “I feel the engineers are over reacting. This project is loaded with a lot of unknowns.”
Mike Walijarvi, building architect when the school was built, suggested at an earlier meeting that the district could use a monitoring process to warn them when the building trusses were under excess stress. District employees could also go up and clear the roof off after heavy snowfalls.
Ron Morton, construction manager who worked on the elementary/middle school project, suggested the district repair one truss to get an idea of the work involved and expenses for the remaining work.
The board is unsure which option they will utilize. The roof repair work probably would not take place until next summer, Caldwell told the board.
Hockey agreement
The Paynesville/New London Hockey Association asked if the aluminum bleachers by the football field could be used in the ice arena during the winter months.
The hockey association also asked if it wouldn’t be possible for the district to collect the $160 participation fee since the hockey association doesn’t have any hold over the participants. In the past, the fee was collected by the hockey association.
Under the new proposal, the funds would collected by the school then turned over to the hockey association to cover their expenses. The district would retain $20 per player which is the district’s participation fee.
The district does not pay anything out- of-pocket toward the hockey program, Caldwell reminded the board. The hockey association picks up the expense.
This will be the second year for the high school hockey program.
The board approved both requests.
In other business...
•The board accepted the resignation of Wilfred Kulzer, custodian, effective Oct. 31.
•The board approved hiring Claudia Fletcher as an instructional assistant in the elementary and middle school to work with non-English speaking students.
•The board approved a long-term custodial substitute agreement with Bev Thomes.
•The board approved staff development grant proposals from the middle school special education teachers Lorraine Skrypek, Heidi Allen and Karen Knowlton; and the high school physical education teachers, Carol Smith and Brad Skoglund.