School Facilities Committee Meeting Minutes - May 11, 2000

Facilities Advisory Committee
Minutes of May 11, 2000
The Facilities Committee of the Allamakee Community School District met on
Thursday, May 11, 2000 at 7:35 p.m. in the library at the High School.

Members present: Fran Gruenhaupt, Omer Troyer, Arnie Snook, Bruce Kubitz,
Craig Phipps, Dave Mathis, Karen Mathis, Fred Smith, James Bieber, Larry
Dundee, Mary Jo Meyer, Peggy Perry, Randy Kruger, Russell Roth, Sandra
Ehrhardt, Scott Melcher, Barb Melcher, Virgil Thorstenson, and Tom Baxter.

Members absent: Erin Berns, Greg Morningstar, Jerry Heck, Mary Jo
Nordheim, Nancy Walleser, Norman Delphy, Ron Herman, Joe Peters, Steve
Wiedner, Heidi Hesse, Heidi Anderson and Kathie Heck.

Others attending were Don Haler.

Fran Gruenhaupt opened the meeting by reviewing committee procedures and
purpose. Mrs. Gruenhaupt was commended on the fine job she does in
presenting the committee's business on the radio each week.

The listing of basic assumptions was reviewed from the prior weeks minutes.
An additional assumption was added to the list with the deletion of
assumption 9 and 10. The additional assumption would be "To investigate
repair vs. replacement of the Allamakee Community Jr. High building".

The Allamakee Community School Budget was discussed as some community
members have questioned why the emergency fund is quote "so large". The
annual budget is $10 million of which one third should be available as
general reserve. Allamakee Community Schools has $800,000 in the general
reserve. Therefore, the answer to the question is that the emergency fund
is not large but rather small compared to other schools the same size. If
the general reserve were any smaller it would be considered a negative
solvency which would raise bond interest rates.

Items to be communicated to the public were listed.
Funding - comparisons within conference, comparisons within state, two
graphs - dollars coming in and dollars going out, total picture of state
funding, property tax funding (only 30% of school budget), Physical Plant
and Equipment Levy (PPEL) funds, list of what PPEL was used for in the past
and current financial condition of school district.

Basic awareness of building conditions, concise graphs and breakdowns of
repairs needed and costs.

Positives about our education, statistics on grades, numbers attending
college and colleges attended.

Uses of school buildings, 350 uses per year that are non-school related.

Stress safety, everything is necessary and essential.

Stress our goal of having a excellent education for all children in our
district.

Hold informational meetings for explaining with all civic groups possible
in the county.

A long discussion was held regarding replacement or building new. It was
decided there is no choice whether something is done, but what will be
done.

A list of frequently asked questions was reviewed and answered. It will be
distributed at the next meeting.

Two items to be presented to the school board may be: 1) should the Fire
Marshall investigate the Jr. High building to determine it's safety? 2)
authorization to replace Jr. High and add 9th Grade addition to High School
and build new for 7th and 8th Grades.

The next facilities meeting will be held on Thursday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m.
at the High School library. The committee will present some options to the
School Board at the May 25 meeting. This will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the
High School library. It will be open to the public and the media will be
present.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Jo Meter