Members of the Houston board of education discussed costly roof repairs Monday night for Hiett Gymnasium, which is leaking, and took care of issues related to the new school year at their monthly meeting.
Gary Barbe from Sam Winn and Associates, the district’s architect, said leaking at the gymnasium is causing problems. Barbe said inappropriate installation of previous work over the years makes a solution costly. The board is expected to discuss the issue further.
Nearby, any remaining classes in the Fine Arts Building have been moved because the district believes it is not safe. Voters in April narrowly defeated an issue that would have demolished the building to make way for a new structure, which would have connected to the Hiett Gym.
The board took action on several issues related to the start of the school year in August:
-Approved bread bids from Sara Lee, hired Stallcup Pest Control and awarded the milk bid to Hiland Dairy. No action was taken on propane, gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products until a June 23 budget meeting.
-Okayed repairs to a sawdust-powered boiler at a cost of $25,350. American Boiler of St. Louis will do the work.
-Authorized exterior summer painting by Spectrum Painting at a price of $14,500.
-Approved changes in student handbooks for the high school, middle school and elementary schools.
-Increased the price of meals due to increases in food supplies. Student lunches will increase from $1.25 to $1.50. Breakfast costs also will go up a quarter to $1. The prices for reduced lunches and breakfasts are unchanged at 40 and 30 cents, respectively. Despite the increases, the costs remain well below other conference schools, said Superintendent Clinton Waters.
-Approved resignations from Karen Cavanaugh, middle school; and Alison Pamperien, home economics.
-Hired Derick Heflin, a Rolla native, for several slots: middle school computer applications/keyboarding, high school English and assistant football coach.
-Re-employed Billy O’Neal as assistant football coach.
The board also approved dissolution of the district’s sick leave pool. Members approved increasing the number of sick days that can be accumulated from 60 to 90. Under a formula, a 20-year employee also would receive 17 days for accumulated sick leave.
Members will meet June 23 to finalize the 2008-2009 school year budget. Under the tentative document, the district’s salary schedule base would increase $500 to $26,500. The board also will consider increasing steps on the schedule – starting at the bottom – by $25 increments.