Artaic Group hired for Re-1J construction project

Artaic Group was hired as the owner’s representative for Holyoke School District’s Building Excellent Schools Today construction project, as approved at the Nov. 3 board meeting.

Approval was given for negotiation with Artaic Group at a fee not to exceed $75,000.

Of course, the action was contingent on the passing of the district’s bond election that day. When it was later determined that ballot question 5A pertaining to the school bond did pass, the district could proceed.

Superintendent Kyle Stumpf told the board that 22 companies contacted the district to express interest in the project. Six of those companies actually completed the proposal, and Stumpf and District Finance Director Ben Rahe interviewed three.

Stumpf and Rahe both noted that they could have gone with any of the three and been satisfied.

They liked Artaic Group’s updated timeline for the project schedule involving two or three different phases. They also noted that Artaic Group came highly recommended.

“I felt they had a good understanding of our project,” said Stumpf.

Artaic Group’s senior project manager Ryan Smelker will be the project leader for Holyoke’s project.

District shows even student count from a year ago

The October count used for school funding is mostly completed, and Rahe said the district is showing an even student count from the previous year.

Total K-12 seat count is 585, compared to 587 last year. Final funded count looks like it will be 606.5, compared to 608.5 a year ago.

Rahe pointed out that the biggest difference is in the Alternative High School. For last year’s October count, there were only seven students classified as students in the alternative school. This year, there are 31.

This will affect funding some since online students are funded at a lower level than students in the regular classroom.

Another funding difference is in free and reduced lunch applications. The number of free lunch applications is down by 11 while qualified reduced lunch applications are up by 12. Free-lunch students receive a higher level of funding.

Final funding details will be in place in December when the state finalizes the student numbers and county assessments are verified.

Rahe reported that first-quarter revenue is trending slightly behind last year. The biggest reason is in the athletic department revenue.

With COVID causing havoc with schedules, Rahe said many parents have held off on paying for athletic passes and a full year’s worth of sports fees for their children. The district has also lost out on gate revenue with the lack of home games.

Expenses are also slightly different than last year at this time, primarily due to timing of some payments as compared to a year ago, Rahe added.

The district spent $5,000 less in custodial supplies. Rahe explained that supplies were purchased in bulk last year and there’s still enough of an inventory to get the district through for now.

Utilities for the high school and elementary school are down $7,500 compared to last year’s first quarter. But on the transportation side, parts and repairs are up by about $17,000.

Tanner is new food service director for northeast Colorado

In the Chartwells Food Service report, Stumpf noted that Heather Tanner is the new food service director for northeast Colorado. Former director Traci Berg was promoted to regional manager.

Tanner is very familiar with the food service program in the area school districts as she has served as the assistant food service director for two years. As a result, she noted that the district will not see any changes with her promotion to the manager position. She has been with Chartwells since June of 2011.

Other business

In other business at the Nov. 3 meeting, the school board:

— Heard details from Stumpf on revised policies dealing with federal procurement, bidding procedures and entrance age requirements.

— Hired Aaron Sprague as an assistant high school football coach at a stipend of $1,861.

— Accepted the resignation of bus driver Mariann Landes, effective Nov. 30.

— Approved nonresident student Dallas Werner for the 2020-21 school year.

— Held a 64-minute executive session at the close of the meeting for the superintendent evaluation.

— Heard a report from board member Jon Kleve on the Oct. 30 delegate assembly.