Thursday June 23, 2016 Vol. 4, No. 17
The Weekly Post
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Elmwood school board considering construction By JEFF LAMPE
ELMWOOD – The Elmwood School District may be getting another facelift. Actually, the proposed project discussed Monday’s meeting of the school board would involve a complete remodel of the high school and new construction that includes a cafeteria addition, new district offices, restrooms, concession stands and new parking lots on the east and west sides of the current building. School board members present Weekly Post Staff Writer
voted unanimously to award a contract for architectural work to DKA of Peoria. But board member Mark Davis stressed that if the state budget situation worsens, the district does not have to move ahead with Phase II construction, estimated to cost $7 million. Phase I work on the new junior high was completed this spring. “There’s going to be a point where we either push the plug in or pull it out,” Davis said. “But we need to keep moving ahead until we
Dura leaves school board for coaching
know where we’re at.” Funding for the project could come from the issuance of bonds through the local levy process, said Chad Wagner, District 322 superintendent. “Each Unit District (K-12) is allowed a bond to debt ratio of 13.8 percent of their overall Equalized Assessed Valuation (EAV),” Wagner said. “Elmwood’s approximate EAV is just over $79 million, which means we can bond out just under $11 million without having to go to
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Two things I really enjoy in the summer time are fresh corn on the cob and homemade cherry pie. It’s a little early for local corn. My friend, Jimmy Buckley, who runs the Garden Spot vegetable farm west of Princeville, says he will have sweet corn in a couple weeks. I can’t wait. I have butter and salt on standby. I have already enjoyed a piece (a couple, actually) of fresh homemade cherry pie. For Father’s Day, my daughter Rebecca made cherry pie and homemade ice cream to top it off. In our family a cherry pie is considered a delicacy and making one is almost a saFor The Weekly Post
For The Weekly Post
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Summer delights: pie & corn By RON DIETER
By KEITH BUTTERFIELD
BRIMFIELD – The Brimfield School District gained a new high school girls’ basketball coach and lost a long-serving School Board member all within a matter of a minutes at Wednesday’s board meeting. Maribeth Dura, a School Board member since 2002 and the junior high school girls’ basketball coach for nine years, resigned from those positions after being named the high school girls’ coach by the board. Dura replaces long-time Brimfield girls’ Coach Jim Blane, who retired after the 2015-16 season. The actions came at the end of a short open board meeting following a 55minute executive session on personnel. During the 20-minute open session, the board also approved a three-year teachers’ collective bargaining agreement, as well as salary increases for other staff. The short gathering marked Superintendent/Principal Joe Blessman’s last meeting before his departure to become superintendent at Orion effective July 1.
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This is a preliminary architect’s sketch of a possible new entrance to the east side of the Elmwood school. The entrance could be built under Phase II of construction currently being considered by the school board.
Dean Troutman started a 500mile walk to Memphis on Sunday after media interviews with the likes of Kelsie Thorud of WEEK 25 (at right). Troutman is walking to raise money for St. Jude and plans to complete his journey in early August. “I wanted to do something for the kids of St. Jude, and I needed some exercise,” said Troutman, who last year walked 700 miles to raise money for Troutman Park. To donate or follow Dean, visit troutmanstrek.pbworks.com. Photos by Collin Fairfield.
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