Bottom Line

The board will be asked to endorse a new five-year, facility-improvement plan that contains $20.5 million in projects for existing school buildings.

The year-by-year schedule of projects is designed as a guide for distribution of money from the district’s capital outlay fund, which is separate from the budget for teacher salaries. There is a special tax levy for capital-outlay expenditures.

Background

The list of projects excludes construction that would be financed by the proposed $59 million bond issue. It will be on the April 1 ballot.

Projects in the plan for 2003-2004 include a $500 bookshelf for the principal at Lawrence Alternative High School, $15,000 for parking-lot lights at Pinckney School and $150,000 to replace carpeting at Southwest Junior High School.

Other business

• Receive comments by Scott Morgan, board president; Randy Weseman, superintendent, and board members.
• Review a five-year facilities plan for existing district schools.
• Consider a proposal to convey Grant School’s deed to Grant Township for use by the community. The district closed the elementary school by Lawrence Municipal Airport in 2002.
• Consider a proposal to add $6.3 million in property insurance coverage for Lawrence High School. The $25.6 million in coverage would cost the district $22,808 annually.
• Consider a $27,657 contract with NCS Pearson of Mesa, Ariz., to provide technical support for the district’s student records computer system. It would be a $6,006 reduction from the current fee.
• Consider giving preliminary approval to policies on district goals, attendance areas, school year, board member orientation, expense reimbursement, consultants, voting, solicitations and computer use.
• Receive a report on a National Endowment for the Humanities grant involving West Junior High School’s effort to create a computer database of historical resources.
• Review architectural images of projects from the board’s proposed $59 million bond issue.