Gilman board looks at school facility needs
The Gilman school board is keeping an eye to future building needs.
At Monday’s regular meeting, Gilman school board members looked at the district’s facility plan to continue doing up-keep on the building.
Since 2018, when the safety audit was conducted, the building has had some renovations, but the plan was to make sure that they are sticking to their priority projects. There are three levels of priorities. The first priority projects are projects that are to be completed within the year. The second priority projects are projects that are to be completed next year. The third priority are projects that are to be completed within the next five years. This year they have already replaced the carpet in select rooms and approved the roofing projects to be completed this upcoming year.
District Administrator Walter Leipart said “I’ve already applied for a $100,000 loan for an age 2-5 playground to be installed. In the future we will look into upgrading our 6-12 playground as well.”
The life span of a typical playground is 20 years. The current equipment is reaching that mark. Once some of the polycarbonate cracks, safety of the students becomes an issue during recess.
Drinking fountains will have to soon be replaced due to rusting and everyday wear and tear.
The door access fob lock system will be installed soon, now that the equipment has been delivered.
Long-term future projects include plans to put an HVAC system in the middle school wing of the complex.
Kitchen appliance purchases
The current kitchen appliances are over 40 years old and the staff is finding it harder and harder to keep the existing equipment from failing. Some of the parts are not available anymore to be able to purchase to keep them in working order either. The board approved the purchase of an open burner stove, griddle and two ovens, one for baking bread and the other for cooking foods such as chicken and potatoes. The total estimate for the new equipment is over $66,000 and the funds would come out of federal funding.
In other business:
Holiday concerts are scheduled for December 9 and December 12.
Several projects will be completed throughout the Thanksgiving holiday including the varnishing of the high school gym to make the floor have more grip for the basketball season.
Phil Tallman was hired as JV Basketball coach, and Taylor Hendricks was hired as part-time Kitchen
Aide.
Lori Glepke has resigned as Kitchen Aide and Sam Ewings is resigning as middle school volleyball coach.
An early graduation was approved for a student to graduate at the end of the first semester of the 2022-2023 school year.
The senior class trip was approved for the students to attend a Sunday into Monday trip to the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. This trip will happen in March and will not interfere with spring sports.
Spring Board election will be held on April 4, 2023, with Bruce Ewings Sr. and Valorie Kulesa, both names are listed as incumbents.
The line of credit for the school year was accepted through Superior Choice Credit Union at the amount of $300,000 with a taxable fixed rate at 6.5% for one year. This includes no loan origination fee with no advances after June 30, 2023. This is the same as the past year, but the interest rate has changed. The board approved the line of credit.
