(Spirit Lake)– Delays with the Middle School project were discussed at Thursday’s Spirit Lake school board meeting.
The project was originally scheduled for completion July 16th. But Superintendent Tim Grieves told the board two issues are keeping the project from being completed. One is a delay in getting electrical work done. Grieves told the board the original electrical contractor has been replaced with a local firm. The other delay is in getting a state fire inspection report completed. Grieves also told the board that some furnishings for the new science classrooms aren’t the right size and will have to be shipped back and replaced. Grieves added the new wing remains off limits to teachers and everyone else until the previously mentioned items are completed. He says it’s causing problems for teachers that want to get into the classrooms to get ready for the upcoming school year.
In other business, the Spirit Lake school board reviewed proposed plans for the Sami Bedell Performing Arts Center. Latest plans call for a one thousand seat facility that would be nearly 40-thousand square feet and about six stories high…making it the tallest building in Spirit Lake. Grieves added the district will probably need to take out 5.3 million dollars in bond anticipation notes to pay for the local match. The balance of the money needed has been donated by Tom Bedell.
The board also reviewed options for the high school gym project. One is to add a two-section gym with 1,800 to 2,000 seats; the other is to remodel the existing gym and add a smaller one-section gym that could be expandable. Grieves told the board the committee that’s studying the matter hasn’t made a recommendation yet on what option should be pursued. Grieves added there’s a possibility a joint bidletting on the gym and auditorium projects could be held in May, 2005.
The board also heard a presentation on the possible establishment of an “Educators Hall of Fame”.
