Othello School Board to convene community committee
Cheryl Schweizer <Staff Writer> | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 4 months AGO
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board will form a community committee to study the district’s facilities and make recommendations to accommodate future needs, possibly including a new construction bond. That followed the release of a draft analysis that estimated it would take about $32.6 million to convert the district’s four existing elementary schools and McFarland Middle School to a kindergarten through eighth grade format. The report was discussed at a special board meeting and workshop Saturday morning.
No time frame was given for establishing the committee. Board chair Rob Simmons said board member Tony Ashton will “bring that (recommendation) to us in the future.”
The move to K-8 will begin with the next school year, which starts later this month. Othello’s elementary schools were K-5 schools; for 2018-19, they will be K-6 schools.
Ashton recommended starting a committee after getting the analysis, saying any remodeling and associated expenditures are “not something the board can approve anyway.
“This would require a bond or public approval for that kind of amount. The board just couldn’t say ‘we approve this plan’ and start spending money without some kind of a vote,” Ashton said.
Ashton was asked to come back to the board with a proposal. “I think a committee would be a good idea. But it has to be very clear and concise what the intent of that committee is,” said board member Jenn Stevenson.
The analysis reviewed the buildings in their current configuration, and what would be necessary to convert the existing schools to K-8. Simmons said in his opinion the estimates envisioned a more elaborate project than the district actually needed.
District officials set out a plan, said assistant superintendent Pete Perez, and the consultants were asked to determine what it would take to implement that plan. Architectural consultants then determined how much space would be needed. “This is (the) first attempt. This is not the end product,” Perez said. It’s up to district patrons to determine what they will pay for, and what Othello can afford, he said.
Board member Ken Johnson said he thought the K-8 plan needed to be part of a larger plan, looking at district needs over at least 10 years. A 10-year plan facility plan is part of district policy. The space analysis identified extensive remodeling so the buildings would work as K-8 schools, he said. In his opinion that work needs to be completed before seventh and eighth graders move to the existing elementary schools, and the remodeled MMS. Otherwise “I don’t think it’s progressing in the right way,” Johnson said.
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER <STAFF WRITER>
Othello School Board approves property purchase
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board has approved an agreement to purchase 81.14 acres of land along 14th Street and Lee Road. The district will pay $2.4 million to the current owner, Terra Gold Farms. The draft agreement was approved during the regular board meeting Monday. The land is located at Lee Road between Seventh and 14th streets. Assistant superintendent Gina Bullis said there are no plans to build on the property now, but district officials plan to keep it as a site for any additional schools. The sale should be completed by the end of January. In other business, a discussion of a site visit to Wahitis Elementary prompted questions about traffic on 14th Street. Construction closed part of 14th Street during the spring, summer and fall, including the stretch in front of Wahitis Elementary. Prior to construction the road had a four-way stop outside Scootney Springs Elementary, but the stop signs were removed during construction and haven’t been replaced. Board member Juan Garza said he had received inquiries about the stop signs, and whether they would be reinstalled. “It sounds to me like they (the stop sign removals) are permanent, right? It’s going to stay that way.” Bullis said she had received inquiries too, and had asked city officials about them, including a question at the Othello City Council meeting earlier Monday evening. City manager Wade Faris told her, Bullis said, the city wasn’t required to reinstall them. The original purpose was to eliminate some of the congestion on 14th, Cemetery and Ash streets when kids and parents were coming and going from Scootney Springs. City officials think the extra lanes will accommodate any congestion, she said. Board member Mike Garza said the stop signs were installed as the result of a traffic study conducted by the district at the city’s request. He asked if the city had done an additional traffic study prior to removal. Bullis said city officials didn’t give a reason for the change. Mike Garza also asked if city officials planned to paint crosswalks across 14th Street at Wahitis Elementary. “I noticed there are no crosswalk designations across 14th” at the school, he said. Bullis said she would ask city officials.
Othello School District land purchase moves ahead
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board is scheduled to review a draft purchase and sale agreement for 78 acres of property along Lee Road at its Oct. 10 meeting.
Othello School Board discusses 14th Street with city officials
OTHELLO — Traffic, traffic flow and pedestrian safety, especially for elementary students, were the subjects of a lengthy discussion at the Othello School Board meeting Monday.