School Board Holds October Meeting

The Broadus School Board Trustees met for their monthly meeting on Monday evening. The board approved a request from a community member to hold a voter registration booth at a future sports game.

The board approved the resignation of Dustin Lanke as JH Boys Basketball Coach, and hired Mike Richards for the position. They also hired Stacy Hagedorn as JH Girls Basketball Coach, and Kellie Schoenbeck as a substitute cook. The board approved the hiring of a future JH Boys Basketball Volunteer pending background check and fingerprinting, as Richards cited the need for someone to help out while he is performing Activities Director duties at Volleyball tournaments.

The board heard from the Buildings and Grounds Committee on a variety of subjects. Work on the duplex staff housing is ongoing, with work hopefully to conclude and the building ready for tenants by January.

The generator at the high school, which has been a multi-year project, is currently waiting on a breaker box.

Key pads are being installed on some doors such as the weight room or the supply cage in the locker room. Users will be issued a code to access the room. The idea behind the key pads was to streamline key control, which is a constant issue when a revolving cast of coaches and users access a facility.

Quotes for flooring have been received for several rooms at the high school and elementary. The board approved $20,000 to replace carpet at the elementary. The work is expected to be completed over Christmas.

The committee is also looking into backup propane boilers at the elementary and high school.

This winter work will be done on the principal’s house including landscaping to keep water from the basement, and updates to the interior.

The board discussed prioritization of the teacher and faculty housing. Currently there are six units for rent, with another two being built, and the potential of a superintendent’s house in the works.

Current renters include teachers and classified staff, with some on three year contracts and others on year contracts.

During discussion the board heard that the original plan for housing was for new teachers to have priority, but that has since shifted to fill the housing with whomever needed it, and currently there are employees who have other housing in the community but have taken up the school housing to save a long commute.

Discussion was held on future priorities for housing, but a decision was not reached on what it would look like. The need for school housing has become acute as the years progress, with little in the way of housing availability in the community at large.