Presentations on various topics were the main events during the Monday night North Union Board of Education meeting.
Richwood Mayor Scott Jerew approached the board to help support a project called a Resiliency Center for the Richwood area. Jerew mentioned that grant money is available and currently there is a proposal that grant money could fund 75 percent of the project with the village and other supporters sharing the 25 percent of the cost.
Jerew stated that a committee has been formed to look for grants for a 5,000 square foot center where youth and senior citizens would be using the center for events. Seniors could use the building during the day and while students would gather at the center after school. There is a proposed common meal center for seniors and snacks available for students after school events.
Some of the many organizations involved in supporting this proposal includes United Way of Union County, Union County Senior Services, Impact 60, Union County Job and Family Services, Richwood Civic Center, Pharisburg and Magnetic Springs United Methodist Churches, The Hope Center, Maryhaven, the Mental Health and Recovery Board, Richwood-North Union Public Library and the Village of Richwood. On behalf of the village, Jerew asked the school board to consider donating 1.8 acres of property where the former middle school sat at 16 Norris Street. The basketball court would stay. The proposed facility would also include two classrooms, staff that would help citizens who need a helping hand, counseling, and a host of other opportunities.
Grant funds would pay for staff on duty. The board will discuss the request of the land donation and discuss it at a future meeting.
Jerew also told council that the village would like to coordinate efforts in installing new signs at each entrance to Richwood. On the sign would be recognition of the North Union FFA Agronomy teams who have won the national championship title for five years. They would have to set guidelines as to who would be recognized on the sign. The school board liked the concept.
The high school student council had been asked to tell the board the many events that are taking place and what student council was doing during the school year.
Student Council members Alec O’Reilly, Caleb Isler and Caitlyn Wall addressed the board with items related to academics, athletics and extra-curricular opportunities for students. Board members said they appreciated the information that the students shared with them and look forward to a partnership with the student council throughout the year.
Justin North presented his idea of a project he would like to do for his Eagle Scout project to the board. A member of the Richwood Troop 440, he told the board the areas of the north end zone renovations he would like to perform. The garden at the north end of the football field was an Eagle Scout project 20 years ago, created by Russ Crosthwaite. North stated that over time, the timbers are rotting and falling apart, there is no rebar in the bed to hold the timbers together, the brush in the bed is overgrown and unhealthy, and the bed causes some safety concerns when students stand in the end zone of a football game.
North would like to renovate the project and in a later phase, add a victory bell for students to ring after a touchdown or the end of the game. He presented an estimated budget of the project in the amount of approximately $2,210 and estimated 20 percent for other expenses.
The board suggested that North contact the athletic director, the principal and the school treasurer talk about the project, seeing what monies are available, if he had planned any fundraising to help pay for the project and asked him to return to a board meeting and update the board on the project.
The monthly #NUPride Award was presented to the high school guidance counselors, Kim Chapman and Candace Hunt and school receptionist Sharri Cox for their dedication to the school district, the students and staff and their care of seeing the students are on the right track in their classwork and working towards graduation. High School Principal Janel Chapman gave kind words about their support of the students and the school district.
In other business, the board:
-Discussed the timeline to appoint a new board member and concluded more discussion will take place at future meetings.
-Approved the low bid of Rush Bus Centers and approved the purchase of one 77-passenger conventional school bus in the amount of $81,016, including a 10-year/200,000 mile warranty in the amount of $4,500.00.
-Accepted the resignation of Kathryn Hedberg as elementary school teaching aide.
-Approved employment of Zac Hamilton and Taylor Price as co-middle school athletic supervisors;
-Approved an overnight trip for the boys basketball team to travel to Indiana by charter bus December 27 to Dec. 29, 2019 to play a game against Fairbanks High School.
The next meeting of the school board will be held on Monday, Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the board office.