Board OKs

contract to

design plan

for heating,

ventilation

Possible cuts

of more than $700,000 for

next year

By KEVIN SWEENEY

Journal Editor

NEW ULM -- The District 88 School Board on Thursday authorized the district administration to contract for designs and specifications for a new heating and ventilation system in district buildings, and it got a glimpse a possible budget cuts totalling over $700,000 for next year.

The board authorized Superintendent Harold Remme to contract with the Institute for Environmental Assessment, and Kagermeier Olseon Hobbie Architects to design heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for New Ulm Senior High, Jefferson Elementary and Washington Elementary.

The HVAC systems are intended to solve the problems the district has been fighting with mold in the buildings for the past few years. Inadequate ventilation systems are believed to be allowing moisture to build up and mold to grow in the buildings.

The total cost of the new system could be around $6 million. The design is the first phase of the project. Once the design and specifications are ready, bids can be solicited for the installation of the systems.

The board approved another round of mold removal in the three buildings this summer. EnviroTech, a firm out of the Twin Cities, had the lowest of four bids for removing mold in areas of the three schools this summer, with a bid of $82,400. Brennan Construction of Mankato was the sole bidder for reconstruction of the areas, with a bid of $213,000.

Possible cuts

The board received a report listing possible spending cuts for next year from the administration. The board had earlier asked the administration to come up with a plan for cutting spending by $700,000 to $800,000 next year. The board will study the recommendations and discuss them at its next meeting.

Most of the spending cuts, $383,200, will come from teaching staff cutbacks, mostly of them due to student enrollment decreases. The administration is recommending cutting 9.5 full-time positions or their equivalent. The high school would lose 3.5 classroom positions, while Jefferson, Washington and New Ulm Middle School would lose one each. Two special education positions that serve all schools are also recommended for cutting, one special education teacher and one mental health therapist.

Other cuts would come from holding back on textbooks and equipment purchases ($136,000), 1.87 non-teaching staff positions ($43,500), holding off on major maintenance projects ($90,000), support systems ($40,000) and activities ($13,500). Another $7,000 would be raised by increasing some activity attendance fees.

The two activities recommended for reduction are cutting the cross country program ($10,100) and cutting middle school golf (which would be combined into the 7-12 golf program).

Administrative offices would feel the cuts as well, with $10,000 reductions for each of the following offices: business office, superintendent's office, technology office and building and grounds.

* In other action, the board approved several new or revised policies, including one that prohibits bullying in the district. The policy defines bullying and declares the district will not tolerated or condone bullying. It sets out procedures for reporting bullying, protecting those who report it, and how it will be investigated. Penalties can range up to suspension and expulsion for students, suspension or termination for teachers, and banishment from school activities or loss of school contracts for non-school persons.