Some McCook Public School buildings due for roof repairs

McCOOK, Neb. — Roofing projects are in the works for buildings in the McCook School District.

That’s because some roofs are approaching the 20-year warranty mark and need to be repaired sooner rather than later, said Rick Haney, McCook Public Schools business manager. Haney updated the McCook Board of Education Monday night at the regular meeting on results of the audit done for the fiscal year ending August 2017.

Areas on the roofs at the senior and junior high are earmarked for repair this year, Haney said, with funds coming from the depreciation fund. That fund increased last year by $199,162 according to the audit. Those funds are used for improvement projects designated by the school board at prior facilities and program committee meetings.

“It’s an expensive project but necessary,” Haney said today of the roof repair, with assessments done this year on all the roofs in the district to determine which ones were most in need of work. Bids specifications have been advertised and as the costs will not exceed $100,000, full board approval is not needed, although the board at some point may discuss the repairs, he said.

Strategic planning by the school board, with funds reserved each year in the depreciation account, pay for upgrades and maintenance projects in the district that are coming down the road, Haney said, without causing a sudden spike in spending.

Other projects in the future the depreciation fund will be used for include replacing the track (track surfaces typically last for 10 years), purchasing activity buses and upgrading technology, such as laptops at the high school.

According to the audit, the general fund portion of the budget increased by $20,419 last year, Haney said, with a $16 million budget.

Also at Monday night’s meeting, updated board policies on the consent agenda were approved by the board. These updates included the addition of sending results of standardized assessments directly to parents or guardians of students in grades PK-5, in the policy of “Public Release of Student Test/Assessment Scores.”

Reports given Monday night included those by Student Council representative JoAnn Neel, who told the board that student council members, as well as other high school groups, participated in a “Haunted House” activity for children and that StuCo members will be decorating Santa Claus Lane later this week.

In a report read by board president Tom Bredvick, McCook Elementary PTO purchased a big screen television and cart for a positive behavior “selfie station,” and school district calendars with color photographs of students are available at the school office.