By Casey Jarmes | The News-Review
SIGOURNEY – The Sigourney Jr/Sr High School has applied for a $140,000 matching funds grant to expand the weight room, adding 625 square feet and connecting it to the school building. During the March 11 meeting of the Sigourney School Board, High School Principal Shannon Webb stated they could add more equipment and have the weight room open to everyone during study halls. Superintendent Kevin Hatfield explained that the grant would cover around half of the cost of a roughly $300,000 project. He stated that they had received $25,000 from a person interested in the wellness benefits and were looking into other grants to help cover the costs. The $140,000 grant will be decided on in May. Board member Adam Clark stated that the $300,000 price tag seemed expensive, for the size of the expansion.
Also at the Wednesday meeting, Hatfield showed the board two bids, one from ESCO Group and one from Atwood Electric, to replace the secondary building’s fire alarm system. One bid is for $230,000 and the other is for $273,663. Replacing the fire alarms was originally planned to be done as part of the infrastructure bond project, which failed to pass in November. Hatfield explained that the system’s panels are old and frequently have false alarms or sensors go out. Worse, repairmen struggle to find replacement parts for the old system. Hatfield stated that one repairman might be able to find parts from an old fire alarm system that was taken out of a school, but that he wasn’t sure.
Board member Steven Seeley stated it would be cheaper and simpler to replace the fire alarms when the ceilings are down during a bigger infrastructure project. Board member Tim Bruns stated he was torn, because it would be terrible if something happened, but he didn’t want to spend more in the event the bond passes. Board member Mike Bensmiller stated that the next bond vote might not pass. Clark stated that the system works currently and suggested trying to get old parts. Bensmiller stated that he didn’t want to take a chance with safety. Discussion was tabled.
The board approved a 28e agreement with the Sigourney Public Library for librarian services, which will give the school more librarian days at a lower cost than the current services purchased through the AEA. Hatfield brought up controversies other Iowa schools had been embroiled in for allowing students to use their school ID at the public library; he explained that the 28e specified that the librarian will follow all codes relating to school libraries.
The district will have a public hearing on the new tax rate at 4:30 on March 25, at the district office. The board has proposed for this rate to be $11.49381 per $1,000 of taxable property.
