Superior schools buy 17 acres near campus

 


Members of the Superior Board of Education have agreed to purchase and pay $170,000 in cash for approximately 17 acres of land from Scully Estates. The final decison was made during the June board meeting held Monday evening. All members of the board were present except for Matt Bargen.

The newly purchased land lies across the road directly north of the high school and is currently planted to wheat. Expected closing is July 24.

The first goal for the additional space is to build a new bus barn. The bus barn currently is located in the south parking lot. Supt. Kobza said, “Moving the bus barn will make it safer for children.”

Other possibilities for the new property include creating a live ag lab which could include crops, forage and livestock.

“It would be an ideal place should the middle and high school need replaced,” Supt. Kobza said. “ But I want to make it clear we are not considering a bond issue in the next few years,”

“We have new staff finding it difficult to find a house. It provides us with the opportunity to build a duplex where they could reside until they find something else in the community,” he continued.

“The football field stadium bleachers continue to move. We will have to evaluate the situation and decide if we want to replace them or if we want to move the field. There are lots of possibilities for the additional space and it is right across the road. Utilities are a huge cost of new construction and the site is adjacent to city utilities which will save us money,” he concluded.

Other business included approving of $728,227.45 in May claims from the general budget. Part of the increased expenditures are expected to be reimbursed from ESSER II (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) Funds which have not been approved yet. This includes $53,838 to Pine Cove Consulting, LLC for wireless access points upgrade and $18,000 to Strategic Intervention Solutions for math curriculum training.

In addition $20,000 was transferred to the athletic budget. “Gate receipts were down dramatically this past year,” Supt. Kobza said.

$10,000 had been transferred from the general fund to the athletic fund earlier in the year.

“The food service budget is in excellent condition,” Kobza continued. “The beef program has helped. However, what has made the big difference is the free lunch for all students program and the federal reimbursement which comes from the program.”

Each month payroll is the largest part of expenditures. In May it was $489,126.86.

In other business, members of the board agreed to enter an occupational therapist interlocal agreement with Blue Hill and South Central Unified District. It is a long standing agreement which must be renewed annually.

They also moved to accept a portion of the policy manual which they had reviewed.

Supt. Kobza was the only administrator present. He reviewed multiple bills which were passed by the Unicameral this session. Most of the bills seemed to have little impact on the district. LB 322 requires the Nebraska Department of Education to develop a statewide reporting system to allow individuals, including students, school staff, parents and others to anonymously report possible threats to people or school property. The system would then alert the school safety team.

LB 388 provides state funding for project to increase availability of broadband in rural area.

LB 396 establishes a Nebraska Farm-to-School program with provision to provide a school lunch program with locally produce fresh food and encourages healthy eating.

He also reported the elementary gymnasium and the middle school gymnasium have been refinished.

The meeting lasted about 55 minutes.

 

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