An expansion to the Early Learning Center playground is coming after Thursday’s School Board meeting.
Superintendent Stu Moeckel said the center is seeing increasing interest, and he estimates by next year all eight classrooms will be full. With more students, Moeckel thinks it’s necessary to expand the playground. The new playground will be completed by the same company that did the previous upgrade completed by bond money.
The original renderings included a space for new expansion, but the number of kids they estimated in the program has gone up significantly, and it’ll be better to expand now while money is available, he said.
Before the center had its remodel, the district was estimating five classrooms being used; now they’re at six, but could use seven, Moeckel said.
The money for this expansion can be taken out of leftover bond funds, Moeckel said. The total cost for the project is $312,904.
Board member Heather Whalen wanted to make sure this project is the one most necessary with the money left.
Moeckel said he is confident about where the district is at with bond funding. After paying a construction bill, they still have around $6 million available.
Board member Claire Harding asked if there was a way to possibly scale the project down to recoup costs.
Moeckel said most of the cost is going toward surfacing and turf work. It would be possible to say save here and there on playground equipment, but he said he also knows they’re better off doing it now rather than regretting its size later.
The item doesn’t need board approval since it is coming out of bond funding. Moeckel plans to move forward with the expansion in hopes of it being completed during summer break.
During the superintendent report, Assistant City Manager Zack Daniel updated the board on the status of the rural housing incentive district, possibly planned for the new development called Shadow Ridge North.
Daniel said a year ago the board received a similar presentation about the district. After having conversations with the developer, the city requested some different components in the preliminary plat and needed to have further conversations about 23rd Street connectivity.
Between now and when the public hearing for the district is on Feb. 24, the developers will make a plan that will define the public facilities included for reimbursement, such as roads, sewers, utilities, etc. The development agreement will define what percentage of tax abatement the project developers are requesting and for how long.
The developer pays upfront for this public infrastructure before receiving any reimbursement, Daniel said.
Previously, the developer requested 75% increment reimbursement for 22 years but that could change with this new plan, which includes 149 residential lots and 30 maintenance-provided townhome senior housing.
Moeckel said this proposal does not mean they are taking money from the school. With more students potentially coming to the district, that’s increased funding for the district, he said.
Rather, the district will not get the raised valuation of the houses going on the land and funds that are captured there go into a pool to pay for those improvements, Moeckel said.
If the board decides they see adverse effects as a result of this kind of district, they have to pass a resolution saying so, thus halting the project altogether.
“What I would tell you, in my experience, in my four years here, if they could build houses and sell them in Eudora, with the market we have now, they would already have done that,” he said.
Moeckel said if this district is what it takes, he’s willing to listen to the city and hopes the board is as well.
Whalen asked which area in the development would begin first once the developers do break ground.
Moeckel said they’re planning to work from the south to the north because of the infrastructure that already exists in that area.
Hurla asked if by approving this district, it will mean every other developer coming to town would expect to see some form of tax abatement like this one. Daniel said it’s not unrealistic to expect that developers will want to use these programs.
In other business, Dana Chance, the career specialist with JAG-K, updated the board on their third year in the district.
Chance has been the career specialist since day one, so she has seen the program grow and seen her students from sophomore year finishing their senior years.
The program has 30 enrolled, giving the students access to resources to help them grow and explore careers. Chance said she has six students who have graduated whom she still talks to every month.
She’s seen students become first-generation college students and begin internships in various industries.
Moeckel said they weren’t sure where the class would go when they started it, but Chance has created something students talk about, which shows its true impact.
In other business, Food and Nutrition Services Director Nicole Parks said free breakfast has done especially well at the elementary school, with almost the same number of students eating breakfast as lunch. Adding a second meal option for lunch has also increased those numbers at the elementary school, she said.
Hurla asked how staffing is going.
Parks said they are fully staffed other than one position at the middle school.
Moeckel said in January the number of students eating breakfast has tripled and in January the district will serve more breakfasts than they did in all of last year.
Information Technology Director Ron Long gave his 20th and final annual presentation as he plans to retire after this year. Long said many bond projects are already done and some are still on the horizon for later in the year.
Some of the completed bond projects in the department:
At the elementary school:
New audio/video system in the commons
Audio video upgrades in 56 classrooms
New phone system
At the middle school:
New secure entrance
Removal of existing clock system
New building notification system
Audio/video upgrades in 26 classrooms
New phone system
New computer lab
At the high school:
New audio/video system in the Commons
Choir and band audio system
Security camera upgrade
New building notification system
New computer lab
At the Early Learning Center:
Security camera upgrade
New phone system
Removal of existing clock system
New building notification system
New security entrance protocols
Moeckel shared some photos of bond construction projects as well:
