Chester BOE examining 'leasing' Cohen Complex
<span>As part of a special meeting last Thursday, the Chester District 139 Board of Education discussed an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Chester that may involve the school district "leasing" the Cohen Complex from the city.</span>
<span>This lease would allow the district to use sales tax funds to pay for an infield renovation project at four (fields 1,2,3 and 5) of the complex's five ball diamonds. Field 4 is the T-ball field.</span>
<span>During previous meetings of the board, it was stated that the money generated from the county's voter-approved 1 percent sales tax increase can only be used for new construction or building maintenance.</span>
<span> </span>Barney Mundorf, the district's attorney with the Kansas City, Mo.-based, education law firm Guin Mundorf, and City Attorney Jeff Kerkhover are working on hashing out the language of the deal.
<span>"The fields can be done with the right (contract) language," said Interim Superintendent Bill Riley.</span>
<span>The $67,750 project would be mostly paid for by matching $30,875 payments from the district and the city. Chester Sports Inc. is contributing $3,500, with the rest being made up by donations from various businesses and organizations.</span>
<span>"The test will be if somebody doesn't want the (tax) funds spent for that and spent for something else," Riley said.</span>
<span>Riley said he believes that even if the project was completed, there would still be enough money to renovate the science labs at Chester High School and Chester Grade School.</span>
<span>Michael Heffernan, treasurer of Chester Sports, attended the meeting and submitted an updated proposal to the board. He said one of the changes to the original proposal was repositioning the backstop fencing to reduce the distance from home plate to the backstop.</span>
<span>Heffernan brought the matter to the Chester City Council in March and was told by Mayor Tom Page that the city would consider it during its annual budget preparation in May. Neither the city council, nor the BOE has officially voted on the project.</span>
<span>Tom Welge, the board's vice president, said he had an issue with the term "lease" due to concerns about additional liability to the school district.</span>
<span>From there, the discussion went to Chester Country Club asking the BOE for a roughly $1,500 payment to have the Chester High School golf teams use its course.</span>
<span>Board member Troy Clendenin suggested the district compile a new "wish list" for the sales tax funds due to the increase in new BOE members. Counting Debi Caraway's recent seating, five of the seven board members are in their first year.</span>
<span>In other informational items, the board discussed the progress of the CGS gym construction with the first day of school a week away.</span>
<span>"It is 2,000 times better than three days ago," said CGS Principal Tim Lochhead.</span>
<span>Lochhead said the parking lot was to have been paved by Friday, with striping to be completed today. The gym floor is being re-stained due to problems with humidity when it was first painted.</span>
<span>"The bottom line is it has to be done right and it will be done right," said Lochhead, who added that contractors had to start from scratch with the stain due to bubbles in the original coat.</span>
<span>Lochhead said the date for the grand opening of the facility remains to be announced after being postponed from its original date of Aug. 19.</span>
<span>"We've already postponed once and I think it's wise to say it is 'TBA,'" he said.</span>
Roundup
The BOE accepted the resignation of CGS secretary Sarah Wellborn, effective Aug. 21.
<span>The BOE approved advertising for a three-hour bus monitor/aide for PEP bus to Tilden at $9 per hour.</span>
<span>The BOE approved employing Donna Jany as an eight-hour custodian beginning Aug. 17 at $9.25 per hour.</span>
<span>The BOE approved employing Amanda Jordan as special education teacher for the upcoming school year.</span>
<span>The BOE approved an agreement between the Chester Education Association and the BOE for the upcoming school year.</span>
<span>The BOE approved an 11 ½ month contract for CGS Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Dave Kaiser for $62,292.</span>
<span>The next regular meeting of the BOE is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. in the CGS Band Room.</span>