(Spirit Lake)– The Spirit Lake school board voted unanimously Monday to re-start the search for a new Superintendent.
The board voted to enter into a new contract with Gaylord Tryon, Associates, who’s assisting in the process.
Beth Will, who was re-elected President of the board during the reorganizational part of the meeting, outlined a timeline for the search. She says advertising will take place in October with interviews in early January. She says the goal is to have a new Superintendent in place by the 19th or 20th of January.
In other business, the board unanimously approved a resolution to enter into a study that will look into the feasibility of sharing maintenance and transportation personnel with the Okoboji School District, which was considering a similar resolution at its meeting. October 6th was set as the tentative date for a joint meeting of the two boards to further discuss the matter. Superintendent Doug Latham told the board the state is offering a financial incentive to districts that enter into such agreements.
A patron then asked if Spirit Lake was pursuing talks to share a Superintendent with Okoboji. Will said there had been some talks along that line, but said neither district was willing to jump into that just yet. She added the need for Spirit Lake is more immediate. Board member Scott Wicks added any savings by sharing a superintendent may not be that evident due to additional support personnel that would likely be needed in each district.
The board also reviewed a power point presentation that would be used to promote the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, which is proposed to go before the voters in December. It would be in effect 10 years at a rate of $1.34 per one thousand dollars of valuation. The proceeds would help fund 9.2 million dollars in projects that are part of the board’s 10-year facilities plan. They include an additional wind turbine; technology upgrades; buses; a new kitchen at the Elementary-Middle School; and a multi-use athletic facility that would include new bleachers, concession stand, press box, restrooms, resurfaced track and artifical turf on a multi-purpose field.
This would be the second time this year voters in the Spirit Lake school district have been asked to pass the levy. An attempt earlier this year failed.
Monday’s meeting was the first for Randy Magg as a board member. He was officially sworn in after defeating incumbent Cliff Garvey in last week’s school board election. Garvey was honored Monday for his six years of service on the board.
