School Board Approves Football Combine

WAITSBURG – A discussion of the Feb. 9 special election results and a vote on the Dayton-Waitsburg 2016 football combine were top agenda items at the Feb. 10 Waitsburg School Board meeting.

Special Election

“We clearly need to celebrate the success of the maintenance and operations levy,” Superintendent Carol Clarke said. “We had really strong community support. That says we’re doing something right.”

As of Tuesday, the levy, which will collect $559,000 in 2017 and $570,000 in 2018 was passing at 69.7%, well above the required simple majority approval.

The proposed $4.8 million, 20-year capital improvements bond, which requires a super majority approval of 60% to pass, currently sits at 57.01% approval. The bond funds would be used for facilities improvements, including air conditioning in all three school buildings, a district kitchen remodel, parking lot improvements, a new field house, and an all-weather track.

Clark said she had spoken with a representative from public finance firm Piper-Jaffray who said there is still a possibility the bond could pass. At the time of the meeting, the bond was at 56% approval.

“He said he has seen it happen. We need 48 more “yes” votes to pass if we have no more “no” votes. So do the math. If there are about 70 ballots out there and two-thirds are in favor, it could still pass,” she said.

Clarke asked the board what they wanted to do as far as next steps, assuming the bond does fail. With the current election being certified on Feb. 19, she said they would have time to pass a resolution for the next special election on April 24, but she didn’t think that allowed time to gather community feedback.

She said there is another special election date in August, but she had been advised that people are not thinking about school in August and special elections held then are more likely to be voted down.

Board Chair Ross Hamann asked Dr. Clarke to see about structuring a capital levy rather than a bond.

“If one project stands out more than others we can attack them one at a time. Get the money, do the project, and pay it off in a short time. And it only requires a simple majority to pass,” he said. Clarke said her recommendation to the board would be to take a breather, talk with constituents, and wait for the November special election to try again.

Dayton-Waitsburg Football Combine

Dr. Clarke said she had in hand the WIAA application to request a combine, and it was ready for signatures. The four-year combine agreement will allow Waitsburg and Dayton high schools to play football as a 2B team and program costs to be split 50/50. Clarke recommended the board approve the combine and Hamann asked if there was any discussion.

“I don’t think we need any,” said board member Russ Knopp who moved to approve the combine. The vote was approved unanimously.

Band Instrument Rentals

Dr. Clarke explained that fifth and sixth grade students are required to take band, with seventh and eighth graders having it as an elective. Students may use school instruments but are asked to pay a $50/year instrument rental fee.

Clarke said the district has difficulty collecting the fees and that some parents have objected to the fee, saying it is a financial hardship and they shouldn’t have to pay it since their students are required to take the class.

“As a parent, I agree with that,” said board member Marilyn Johnson, who had requested the discussion be added to the agenda.

“We don’t require students participate in sports but we provide their uniforms. Is this different? We’re requiring them to participate in band and we’re not willing to provide the ‘uniform’?” said Knopp.

Clarke said Band Director Brad Green keeps his eye out for used instruments that he has purchased with a $1,500 grant from the Blue Mountain Community Foundation and monies donated from Ed Lawrence. She also said that some parents have been generous in donating instruments or selling them to the school at a “very reasonable” price.

After further discussion the board voted to do away with the annual rental fees but to continue to require that students and parents sign a contract of care stating their responsibility for covering the cost of any damage to the instrument.

Personnel

The board unanimously approved the resignation of Lynnsey Bailey as Youth and Government Advisor and approved Kathy Carpenter as her replacement. They approved the hire of Joe Rhymes as head coach for middle school softball and Brett Mayberry as head coach for middle school baseball. Clarke said there are still positions open for assistant softball and baseball coaches.