Board gets a lesson in shopping locally

Harrisburg school board thanked all supporters of the $15 million bond referendum to reconstruct and remodel the high school during Tuesday night's meeting.

The referendum was successful, enabling the district to move ahead reconstructing C building and remodeling classrooms in other buildings. The district is moving ahead rapidly on the project in approving a bid of $33,600 to Tru Bilt Building Company to construct a temporary building for students and equipment during the reconstruction process.

Renovation of four rooms at the high school is planned first, the bidding packets for heating and air conditioning are being assembled and bids are being let for Bonnell Gym.

Due to the successful referendum, Superintendent Mike Gauch asked University of Illinois Educator on Community and Economic Development Susan Odum to speak on the importance of buying locally. The more purchases made locally, the more the school gets from the 1 percent school facilities tax and the quicker the bond for the school can be paid off.

Odum said Harrisburg is fortunate in Southern Illinois in that it is selling more goods than what in-city residents should be expected to purchase themselves. In Harrisburg, outside shoppers account for more than $21.9 million in sales annually. In Harrisburg's 62946 Zip code outside sales account for $1.8 million. But Saline County as a whole is losing $18.5 million in sales to surrounding counties.

The region as a whole of 11 counties - not counting Williamson and Jackson counties - is losing $370 million in sales to surrounding counties or states, Odum said. She said Gallatin County accounts for $39 million in out-of-area spending and Johnson County accounts for $50 million.

Odum said big box stores, regional shopping malls and Internet purchases are developments that have hurt local sales. Surrounding states - southern Indiana, western Kentucky and eastern Missouri are all enjoying large surpluses in sales. In 13 counties in Southern Indiana, sales are $208 million more than what their population can support.

"If you can buy something from the local economy, even if it's a little bit more, you keep in circulating in the county," Odum said.

Saline County obviously doesn't have certain businesses that are available out of the area, but Odum says purchasing in the county first can make a big difference in the local economy.

Gauch noted Saline County has no movie theater and movie buffs will be traveling to Marion, Carbondale, Paducah, Ky., or Evansville, Ind., for that entertainment. But the county loses out if people dine or shop in those areas while they are out. He encourages people to eat in town first, attend the movie and come back to town for purchases available here, rather than give sales tax money to other places.

Springfield trip

The middle school girls volleyball team and administrators took a trip to Springfield recently as guests of State Rep. Brandon Phelps.

While there Gauch spoke with Illinois Senator Andy Manar who is crusading for equity in school funding. In Chicago suburbs, proration of state school funding to 89 percent means schools lose just $29 per student, while East St. Louis loses over $1,000 per student and Harrisburg loses $640 per student. The difference is less populated districts generate less property tax and those schools are more dependent on state funding than more populated districts.

The state had agreed to across-the-board cuts in funding of 2.25 percent, but voted to give a large portion of that back to schools. But in deciding the amount to give back the state took into account the amount of cash on hand districts had. He said some of those northern suburb schools had three years worth of cash on hand and so would receive a larger percentage of restored funding than poorer schools that need it most.

"Funding is not fair," Gauch said.

Nutrition award

East Side School is receiving the Robin A. Orr Award. Orr was an expert in child nutrition and the award is given annually to a school that makes remarkable strides to provide nutritious meals to students.

Principal Scott Dewar said the school was chosen because it maintains five raised bed gardens to supplement the summer lunch program and was nominated for the award by University of Illinois Extension. Five staff will be attending the award convention in Champaign and will be keynote speakers for the event.

He noted the school will have a gardening project May 15.

During the meeting:

Tony Chrisman, head of maintenance, said spring rains have washed out a bridge between Taylor Field and the practice field. In talks with area residents he thinks he can acquire a bridge and have it installed inexpensively.

Chrisman said Harrisburg Township Highway Commissioner Bob Holmes said if the school could pay the township $7,500 to repair deterioration on the road west of the middle school, the township would repair it and take ownership of the road. The township would then maintain the road and clear snow, relieving the school district of that responsibility. Gauch said such a property transfer is a complicated transaction and recommended the board have their attorneys handle the process.

The board accepted the resignations of EOC Aids Patty Pritchett and Sadi Maynor.

The board accepted the resignations of high school golf coach Mike Tison, freshman basketball coach Josh Allen and voted to post those positions as vacant.

The board employed Jason Harbison as volunteer football coach.

The board employed Emma Pappenfuss as assistant basketball cheerleading coach. Pappenfuss has been performing that duty all year, so the board voted to make her pay retroactive to May 20, 2014.

The board voted to dismiss all noncertified coaches for next year with members Billy Smith and Chris Penrod voting no. The board voted to post all vacant coaching positions.

The board approved a leave of absence request for Nancy Drone until the end of the year.

The board voted to fund repairs to a vehicle damaged by a baseball at the Dorris Heights baseball field.