By MICHAEL STRAND

Salina Journal

BROOKVILLE -- Planned renovations at Ell-Saline Elementary and Ell-Saline Middle/High School will include storm shelters built to FEMA specs and other additions not originally considered part of the project -- and will still cost less than expected.

Voters in the district approved a $6.8 million bond issue in April to pay for improvements at the two schools, but a combination of declining interest rates and increasing competition for construction jobs meant the district would likely be able to do more with the money than originally planned.

Over the summer, board members debated whether they should expand the scope of the project to use more of the money, or stick with the project as it was sold to the voters.

At Monday night's board meeting, several board members said choosing was a tough decision but voted 5-1 to add storm shelters at each school, bleachers in the new multipurpose room at the elementary and enlarge the dining area at the middle/high school.

Even with those four projects added, the winning bid, from Busboom and Rauh Construction of Salina, was just over $5.5 million.

"Even with the alternates, we're still under what was anticipated," said Superintendent Jerry Minneman. "It's going to cost the taxpayers less."

Board member Cheryl Higgins, who voted against the additional projects being added, maintained that when voters approved the bond issue, they weren't voting for a dollar amount, "but on what we said we needed," and she opposed doing more than that.

But board member Delbert Armbrust said the original proposal called for re-enforcing interior walls at both schools for storm protection, and building the storm shelters under the new additions was just an improvement on the idea of storm safety.

In all, the two storm shelters will cost $543,000; the elementary school bleachers, $10,700, and expanding the dining room, $78,000.

"I've fought this in my head for days," said board president Jamie Bradley. He said he finally decided to support the additional projects because it would be very difficult and expensive to make similar improvements later.

"You can't build a basement under a building later," he said.

He also said he thought spending money on safety was justified.

"How am I going to feel five or 10 or 50 years from now," if a tornado hits a school and people are hurt or killed, "and I had a vote in my pocket that could have prevented it?" Bradley said.

Board member Marty Kramer said he, too, could see both sides, but came down on spending the extra money for safety.

Not joining

The board also decided, at least for now, not to join Schools for Fair Funding, an organization of about 40 districts statewide that is considering suing the state over cuts to school funding.

Minneman said he had struggled with recommending joining the group.

The organization charges districts annual dues of $2 per student, which will increase to $5 is a lawsuit is filed.

Minneman said that, as an individual, he supports what Schools for Fair Funding is doing, but "I don't feel good about asking our patrons to pay more."

Armbrust quoted from a recent editorial in the Ellsworth Independent/Reporter, which argued that spending money on a lawsuit isn't the answer to a lack of funds.

Board member Geena Kejr agreed with Armbrust, and noted that the recent budget cuts have affected all parts of state government -- not just schools.

"I don't feel comfortable taking patron money and putting it into a lawsuit," said board member Jeff Parker.

Join the Discussion:

Salina.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here. Read our full online terms of service policy.

Post a comment
Your best chance of getting your comment posted:

• No profanity
• Be civil
• Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

Comment:

Poster:

Enter text seen above:

Read our full use policy.