After discussing the millions of dollars it’s going to cost USD 257 to get its facilities in optimum condition, Iola school district board members Monday night authorized formation of a committee to investigate and research construction of a new school building.
During a regularly scheduled report to the board, Scott Stanley, director of operations for USD 257, spent over an hour informing the seven elected officials there’s a $4,623,034 price tag attached to fixing every leaky roof, replacing every outdated, inefficient heating and cooling unit and for the plethora of other district-wide maintenance repairs and upgrades needing attention.
“I know it’s not going to be possible to (make every repair and upgrade) but that’s where we stand,” Stanley said.
And that estimated cost doesn’t include the $250,000 in district wide upgrades and repairs completed during the summer break — resurfacing of the track and tennis court, epoxy flooring in the high school, Jefferson Elementary roof and carpet replacement and new concrete for the parking areas north and west of the high school.
With $542,500 worth of maintenance projects scheduled for this school year alone — the two big ticket items being a $45,000 replacement and upgrade project for the heating and cooling devices on the district buildings and a $420,000 re-roof project for the science building, Crossroads and two sections of Lincoln Elementary, Superintendent of Schools Brian Pekarek said the district simply doesn’t have the money to keep up with the aging school facilities needs.
“(USD 257) just doesn’t have the money available to do all these things,” he said.
Making repairs on the cheap just to get by temporarily means more costly repairs somewhere down the line, Pekarek added.
“We’re just putting Band-Aids on stuff,” he said.
Stanley told the board that until a real investment is made to upgrade district facilities, USD 257 should expect to hear reports like the one he gave Monday night every year.
“Yeah, money is tight, but we don’t even have money to repair anything. To sit here and look at a $10 million expense over the next 10 years and then still have the exact same facilities we have today, that’s a big concern,” said BOE member Mark Burris. “Part of our role (as BOE members) is to make sure the money is spent wisely and I would say we’re throwing money out the back.”
Stanley agreed.
“We’re going to be pumping that money into buildings that were built in 1913,” he said.
Taking a first step toward remedying the situation, Pekarek asked the board for permission to form a committee, consisting of administrators, teachers, parents and board members, to review possible construction of a new school facility.
“It could replace all of our old buildings with a new one,” he suggested. However, Pekarek stressed the parameters for any potential new construction would be set by the current board and the soon-to-be-formed committee.
BOE President Tony Leavitt said the district doesn’t have a choice but to at least look at construction of a new facility.
“What we went over today is going to play a key role in whether we ever do get a new building,” he said. “Is it fiscally sound to continue to pump money into these old buildings … in the next 10 years are we going to be spending $10 million on old schools or are we better off (with a new facility).”
The board unanimously approved formation of the committee.
School board begins probe into new educational facility
