Van Buren school board outlines repair priorities on 10-year plan

KEOSAUQUA ? The Van Buren Community School District Board of Directors met Feb. 29 for a work session and two closed-session employee discussions.

During the work session, the board outlined many of its priorities on repairs to Douds and Keosauqua facilities and placed them into a tentative 10-year plan, according to Superintendent Lisa Beames.

Repair work identified at the elementary center in Douds includes: placing backflow preventers, mortar and tile work to the gym, boiler room repairs, concrete work, fencing, bleachers, stairway, windows and HVAC to water boiler.

Work at the secondary center in Keosauqua includes: concrete work, doors, new boiler, parking lot repairs, lockers and electrical service.

Both centers have roofing needs, as well.

The board also considered various expenses such as vehicles, phone system repairs, technology, ongoing athletic expenses, such as the track and how to ?plug? them into the 10-year plan.

According to information Beames presented, the school board, appropriations are paid through Physical Plant and Equipment Levy and state Secure and Advanced Vision for Education revenues.

Other needs that could be considered are a fire escape at Douds, baseball and football crows nests, kitchen hall cast iron pipe and other improvements.

While the plan is tentative and not ?etched into stone,? it gives the board more clarity on future plans, Beames said.

No action was taken during the work session.

Board went into two closed sessions: one to discuss an employee evaluation; and the other to discuss an employee.

In other business:

? The board approved Adam Perkins as a new hire for secondary science teacher; accepted the resignation of eighth-grade girls basketball coach Jeff Roe; and approved adding Jason DeHart and Brad Goehring as track volunteers.

? The board approved a drivers education contract reduction of $3,302. The instructor will go from being a three-tenths fulltime employee to a two-eighths fulltime employee.

? The board approved the following fundraisers: Sports Boosters, selling Van Buren logo items from March through May to purchase a banner listing conference, district and state championships for each sport; Spanish Club?s carnival on March 31; and Spanish Club?s junior high dance this spring.