Ring appointed to school board

After interviewing three candidates who expressed an interest in the vacant seat on the Holyoke Board of Education, the board appointed Brady Ring to fill the seat that was vacated with the resignation of Trampas Hutches.

Ring, Eric Luedke and Corrin Myers were interviewed at the Jan. 21 board meeting after submitting applications of interest for the open position.

Sworn in later in the meeting last week, Ring will serve until the next regular election in November of 2021.

When no one submitted an application in the initial quest for a new board member, the board president could have made an appointment at that point, explained Superintendent Kyle Stumpf.

With three citizens coming forward since the Jan. 7 board meeting, applications were requested and 10-minute interviews with each were held at the beginning of last week’s meeting.

Stumpf noted they were pleased with the interest shown for serving on the board. After board discussion following the interviews, board president Pat Wiebers appointed Ring.

Board member Dusty Sprague noted that he went through this same process several years ago and initially was not selected. He encouraged those who weren’t chosen to stay involved and to consider running for election in 2021.

Ring looks forward to being more involved as a board member

With six children, Ring said it makes sense for him to become more involved in their education, and he looks forward to serving on the school board.

“I want to help be part of a team that puts education first,” Ring said in his interview with the board Tuesday night.

Ring is currently the Emergency Medical Services director at Melissa Memorial Hospital, a position he has held for three years. He has been involved in EMS or as a firefighter since 1995, with the majority of his career as a professional firefighter in Greeley and Sterling.

He is a Caliche High School graduate and earned an associate degree from Northeastern Junior College.

Brady’s wife Sara is the director of cardiac rehab at MMH. They have six children: Caleb Deaver, an HHS senior; Cozner, sixth grade; Bodhyn, fourth grade; Ryker, third grade; Loxley, age 5; and Bashton, age 3.

Neenan Company preparing drawings, cost estimates

With a board directive last month to pursue a Building Excellent Schools Today grant with the application due at the end of February, Stumpf reported on the service agreement with the Neenan Company.

 Drawings and cost estimates within the scope of work are required for the BEST grant application, and Neenan is preparing that information, at a cost of $12,000.

Stumpf said once the numbers are in, the board can determine what part of the project they want to include in this year’s grant applicaiton.

Projects included in the Neenan report for consideration are upgrading the JR/SR high locker room for Office for Civil Rights compliance and redoing the elevator to meet current codes for OCR.

Additionally, a different entry system at the JR/SR high is being researched by Neenan for costs. This will include potentially moving the office to the front of the building, near the doors on the south side. A vestibule will be created with access only to the gym or secretary’s office. Visitors will need to be buzzed in for access to the rest of the building.

Costs will then be configured for repurposing the existing office into an upgraded concessions stand/food service site.

Through this service agreement, the district will own the drawings and cost estimates. However, if the district decides to later take the plan to a different company, Neenan requires that the other company have the work stamped under their own engineer so that Neenan is not liable.

BEST grant awardees will be notified in May. Stumpf said the drawings and cost estimates could be used for other grant applications, as well as a BEST grant application next year.

Investment grade audit project proposal contract explained

Stumpf also discussed the contract with Schneider Electric for the investment grade audit proposal.

There is a $40,000 fee for the IGA. However, if the district later uses the Colorado Department of Energy as a partner, that fee can be rolled into a separate performance contract with the department. If there is no contract with the energy department, then the district will pay the $40,000 IGA cost to Schneider Electric.

Stumpf pointed out that the Schneider proposal has a potential energy cost savings of 30%, up to $50,000 per year.

Currently, the IGA is the only project approved. Beyond that, there would need to be a performance contract and then a contract for actual work.

School budget appropriates $8.67 million in general fund

Final budget numbers for 2019-20 were appropriated and the budget adopted at last week’s board meeting.

The final budget cites $8,665,146 in the general fund, with total appropriations of $9,862,671.

Authorization was also given by the board to use a portion of the beginning fund balance in the general fund to allow for expenditures. This is simply done as a precautionary measure, noted Ben Rahe, director of budget and finance.

The following appropriations for the adopted budget were approved for 2019-20:

General Fund $8,665,146

Food Service $267,688

Bond Redemption $530,751

Trust and Agency $47,091

Pupil Activity $351,995

Total Approp. $9,862,671

Rahe reported that the major change to school finance starting this year was converting kindergarten students from half time to full time for the count. The district was actually receiving 58% funding for kindergarten students.

With the addition of full-day kindergarten, the district funded count is at 608.5 compared to 585.4 last year. Per pupil revenue is also up $498.74 to $9,114.92 this year. Rahe noted this will generate an additional $409,386.80 from student funding.

Second-quarter revenue is on the same pace as last year, reported Rahe, adding that expenditures are also tracking at the same percentage as last year.

Other business

In other business at the Jan. 21 meeting, the Re-1J board:

— Reviewed potential agenda items for a Monday, Feb. 24, board retreat while noting that the Feb. 4 and Feb. 18 meetings have been canceled. If something needs to be acted upon in February, a special meeting will be called. Stumpf also noted that March meeting dates are different from normal. Meetings will be held on Mondays, March 2 and 23.

— Hired Bailey Chintala as an elementary paraprofessional for the 2019-20 school year.

— Noted that the transmission recently went out on a route bus and another bus is also out of commission. Alternatives are being considered to determine if replacing the transmission on an old bus is worth the money.

Stumpf said a used bus that is new to the district is expected to arrive in February to be put on a route. It is a 2017 with 23,000 miles, the same make and model as the district’s two new activity buses.

— Held a one hour and 46 minute executive session at the close of the meeting with Stumpf to discuss his evaluation.

— Approved first reading of policies on staff conduct, professional staff recruiting/hiring, support staff recruiting/hiring, primary/preprimary education and public’s right to know/freedom of information.

— Reviewed three policies that will return to the next meeting for first reading. Policy topics are notification of school board meetings, superintendent’s conduct, and first aid and emergency medical care.