School Board requests bids for maintenance building

By CHANCE PRIGGE

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The District 88 School Board approved Thursday the request of bids for the excavation and site preparation from local contractors for a district maintenance building as well as for the materials to build it.

While the board hasn't given the go-ahead to build the facility, it is now closer to reality than something that's remained a matter of discussion up to this point.

Superintendent Harold Remme listed a few reasons for the need of such a facility. One of which was security.

"We have had some security problems," Remme said, adding that there has been vandalism such as tire slashing to school property.

The new facility would give the school a place to store equipment in a secure area, reducing maintenance and repair expenses.

Along the same lines, the building would extend the life of equipment and vehicles, which would be protected from possible weather damage.

The facility would also provide a sheltered place for repair and maintenance of vehicles during bad-weather situations.

"It's not very convenient to be finding a snow plow outside in the elements," Remme said.

Were it to be built, the building would be 72 feet by 30 feet, and it would be attached to the heating building at Jefferson Elementary School.

Funding for the building would come from the district's Capital Reserve Fund, which will not affect funding associated with classrooms, program offerings or bus services, Remme said.

The district would save dollars in building the facility because it can take advantage of the New Ulm High School's Building Trades class, which already has a house-building project. Instructors for the class have already said they could fit it in their schedules.

Remme said the experience involved in the project will benefit the students.

In other business, the School Board approved to contract with Cabling Solutions out of Litchfield to upgrade the New Ulm High School's sound system, improving quality and functionality.

The business gave the district a quote of $6,500 for the upgrade, which was more than half of the $13,925.70 quote offered by New Ulm's Dahl Electronics.

Remme said both business' systems would meet the school's quality standards for the upgrade and that references had been checked with both businesses.

Cabling Solutions will install six speakers, amplification equipment, a CD player, a rack-mounted surge protector and a wireless microphone.

The materials may take two weeks to arrive, with school starting in 25 days.

"Hopefully it can be done and in place before school starts," Remme said.

The system will have a one-year warranty for material and installation failure.

In addition, the School Board approved a contract with Sioux Trails Mental Health Center for therapist services during the school year. It has an estimated cost of $8,058.59.

In his report, Remme said busing letters regarding eligibility matters and the new shuttle service will be sent out to all recipients -- including new families, families with a change in eligibility, special-needs families and all other families living within two miles of the school sites -- this week.

He also said the five candidates for the Cottonwood River Integration Collaborative will be interviewed today. The Cottonwood River Collaborative coordinator and the coordinator for District 88 are the open positions.

The CRIC aims to create programs to improve relations between the schools and minority students in five local school districts.

"The candidates are all look very inviting," Remme said.