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Hearing set on Lincoln School sale
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| Steel beams give form to the Fitness Center under construction at Keokuk High School. The nearly 6,000-square-foot facility will be connected to Wright Fieldhouse and contain a large weight room, an aerobics room, a training room, a laundry room, restrooms and a wide corridor from the fieldhouse to the outside. |
By Diane Vance/Gate City Staff Writer
The Keokuk School Board will hold a public hearing at its next regular meeting on a proposal to sell Lincoln Elementary School, 1402 S. Seventh St., to the Keokuk Municipal Waterworks at the district's asking price of $146,000.
The school board's next meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13, in city council chambers, City Hall, 415 Blondeau St. Residents can direct verbal or written comments to the school district and or at the public hearing.
In April, Keokuk Municipal Water Works offered the school district a 90-day right of refusal option on the Lincoln School property. The Waterworks has been looking at sites around town to build a potable water storage site, according to general manager Bill Cole.
Last night, Cole attended the school board meeting and said the Waterworks is ready to purchase the property. The school board can vote on the sale after the public hearing in October.
“We have no plans at this time for the building,” Cole said Monday. “We have no plans to demolish the building. We're looking at options. We're entertaining several options. It's zoned residential. The building is experiencing some vandalism.
“Building the water tower will be about an 18-month project. We're building it behind the school in the playground area. We've finished up the geological and archeological surveys. The site suits our needs for a water tower.”
According to a Keokuk Board of Adjustment meeting in May, a 2 million gallon, 170-foot-high water tower is planned, doubling the Waterwork's storage capacity and enhancing fire protection in Keokuk. Cole said the tower would serve water needs in Kindustry Park and along the riverfront. Construction may start this fall.
The school district closed Lincoln School at the end of the 2006-2007 school year and put it up for sale.
Greg Reynolds, school district business manager, said he's received a formal offer from the waterworks.
“The proposed sale closing date is Nov.1,” he said. “If the board approves, we can hold an auction for some furnishings in Lincoln similar to the auction we had at the old middle school. I'll meet with Bill (Cole) and go through the building. He can identify what the Waterworks wants to keep.”
Strategic planning starts soon
Interim Superintendent Dr. Lora Wolff said she has sent letters to community members to participate in the district's upcoming strategic planning.
“This will be 12 to 15 people with only one school representative,” she said. “Chuck Betts will facilitate. After the core group does the initial work by the first of November, then it will break out into action groups and we'll pull in hundreds of people.”
Wolff asked the board how it would like to proceed with facility planning now that voters have approved the district's revenue purpose statement.
“We have a facilities plan from a few years ago,” said board President Dr. Bill Davis. “We set priorities based on tight resources. That's changed now with the income from the state 1-cent sales tax revenue. It's an opportunity to look further. The state 1-cent sales tax begins in our district on Jan. 1, 2010, when the Lee County tax sunsets.
“As we know from building the middle school, some priorities take a long time to accomplish. We have useful input from the previous Facilities Committee. We can look at those recommendations and re-prioritize at a school board meeting, at a special meeting or appoint a subcommittee.”
The last Facilities Committee recommended major projects in the district to the school board in November 2006.
Wolff added that the Strategic Planning Committee may give some direction to facility needs.
It was decided to have a sub-committee of school board members work with the Strategic Planning Committee to prioritize facility needs. Board members Tyler McGhghy, Brent Gatton and newly re-seated Dave Barrett volunteered to serve on that subcommittee.
Davis continues as board president
The board re-organized Monday after the Sept. 9 school board elections. Board member Bruce Dunek stepped down after serving one year. Davis thanked him for his service. Incumbent Sandy Stark and Barrett took the oath of office. Each was elected to serve three years.
Board member Julia Logan nominated Davis as president of the board. The board approved on a 7-0 vote.
“Thank you,” said Davis, who has served the past year as board president, as well as previous years prior to a four-year break in service on the school board. “As we know from feedback on evaluations, there is much we can do to improve the board's function. A lot of that falls on the president.”
Logan also nominated Stark as board vice president. She was elected 7-0.
The school board's next meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13, in city council chambers, City Hall, 415 Blondeau St. Residents can direct verbal or written comments to the school district and or at the public hearing.
In April, Keokuk Municipal Water Works offered the school district a 90-day right of refusal option on the Lincoln School property. The Waterworks has been looking at sites around town to build a potable water storage site, according to general manager Bill Cole.
Last night, Cole attended the school board meeting and said the Waterworks is ready to purchase the property. The school board can vote on the sale after the public hearing in October.
“We have no plans at this time for the building,” Cole said Monday. “We have no plans to demolish the building. We're looking at options. We're entertaining several options. It's zoned residential. The building is experiencing some vandalism.
“Building the water tower will be about an 18-month project. We're building it behind the school in the playground area. We've finished up the geological and archeological surveys. The site suits our needs for a water tower.”
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The school district closed Lincoln School at the end of the 2006-2007 school year and put it up for sale.
Greg Reynolds, school district business manager, said he's received a formal offer from the waterworks.
“The proposed sale closing date is Nov.1,” he said. “If the board approves, we can hold an auction for some furnishings in Lincoln similar to the auction we had at the old middle school. I'll meet with Bill (Cole) and go through the building. He can identify what the Waterworks wants to keep.”
Strategic planning starts soon
Interim Superintendent Dr. Lora Wolff said she has sent letters to community members to participate in the district's upcoming strategic planning.
“This will be 12 to 15 people with only one school representative,” she said. “Chuck Betts will facilitate. After the core group does the initial work by the first of November, then it will break out into action groups and we'll pull in hundreds of people.”
Wolff asked the board how it would like to proceed with facility planning now that voters have approved the district's revenue purpose statement.
“We have a facilities plan from a few years ago,” said board President Dr. Bill Davis. “We set priorities based on tight resources. That's changed now with the income from the state 1-cent sales tax revenue. It's an opportunity to look further. The state 1-cent sales tax begins in our district on Jan. 1, 2010, when the Lee County tax sunsets.
“As we know from building the middle school, some priorities take a long time to accomplish. We have useful input from the previous Facilities Committee. We can look at those recommendations and re-prioritize at a school board meeting, at a special meeting or appoint a subcommittee.”
The last Facilities Committee recommended major projects in the district to the school board in November 2006.
Wolff added that the Strategic Planning Committee may give some direction to facility needs.
It was decided to have a sub-committee of school board members work with the Strategic Planning Committee to prioritize facility needs. Board members Tyler McGhghy, Brent Gatton and newly re-seated Dave Barrett volunteered to serve on that subcommittee.
Davis continues as board president
The board re-organized Monday after the Sept. 9 school board elections. Board member Bruce Dunek stepped down after serving one year. Davis thanked him for his service. Incumbent Sandy Stark and Barrett took the oath of office. Each was elected to serve three years.
Board member Julia Logan nominated Davis as president of the board. The board approved on a 7-0 vote.
“Thank you,” said Davis, who has served the past year as board president, as well as previous years prior to a four-year break in service on the school board. “As we know from feedback on evaluations, there is much we can do to improve the board's function. A lot of that falls on the president.”
Logan also nominated Stark as board vice president. She was elected 7-0.
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