Air Conditioning Equipment for Sigourney Elementary Delayed

SIGOURNEY – During the July 17 meeting of the Sigourney School Board, the board received an update from Rusty Wolfe of SitelogIQ on the progress of the elementary infrastructure update. Wolfe explained that work was going well and that asbestos had been removed from classrooms. However, he noted that the project had run afoul of the state fire marshal due to a lack of fire-rated doors and windows and wooden lockers connected to classroom walls. Wolfe said the fire marshall would be willing to let the school carry out gradual improvements, like replacing doors, aiding fire resistant paint to lockers, and adding smoke seals.

Wolfe also reported that the arrival of the chilled beams, used to air condition classrooms, had been delayed by several weeks and would not arrive until Aug. 2, meaning contractors would have to work hard and call in additional men to get the project done by the Aug. 16 deadline. Wolfe said that the air conditioning might not get installed in some back offices in time, but promised that all classrooms would have air. Superintendent Kevin Hatfield said he was confident work would be done in time and that, worst case scenario, the start of the school year could be delayed by a few days.

The board also met with Paul Horak from Horak Insurance, who gave an overview of the district’s insurance. Horak explained that the district is insured through EMC insurance, who insures most school districts in Iowa. He explained that Sigourney’s premium only went up 9% this year and that the district’s total annual premium went from $137,900 to $150,240. Total coverage went from $34,000,000 to $38,000,000 million this year. Sigourney only has a 1% deductible on buildings over $500,000. The current replacement costs are $21,000,000 for the high school, just over $10,000,000 for the elementary, $520,000 for the bus barn, and $2,600,000 for the administrative building.

The board met with Matt Gillaspie of Piper Sandler, who gave estimates on how much funding the district would have available for a project beginning in 2026. There are three potential funding options available for a project: Voted General Obligation, which must be voted in via 60% of votes on a referendum in November; PPEL Notes, which require a vote in March, September or November; or Sales Tax Revenue Bonds, which do not require a vote but can be rejected via a petition containing signatures from 30% of the voters in the most recent election. General Obligation would be able to raise $8.4 million via a $2.70 debt service levy or $12.7 million via a $4.05 debt service levy. PPEl would be able to raise approximately $2.5 million by issuing $1.34 V-PPEL Notes. Sales Tax Revenue Bonds would be able to raise approximately $1.1 million by issuing SAVE Bonds with a 20-year repayment. Gillaspie explained that the district’s cash on hand should not fall below $1,300,000 over coming years, even accounting for expenses like new buses and a wood shop roof. He stated his opinion that the school’s tax levy should actually go up and down over time, instead of being consistent, depending on how much money the school receives from the state.

The board discussed new state laws allowing teachers to carry firearms in schools with school approval. Hatfield stated he didn’t like the idea because of the possibility of accidents. He said that, if the district were to allow guns, there would need to be strict rules and training. Board member Adam Clark stated that firearm training is good, but is only “half the battle,” and that most teachers would be unwilling to use a gun in a school shooting situation. Hatfield agreed, saying that Secondary Principal Shannon Webb had told him she would never be able to shoot a student. Board member Alan Glandon stated that guns should only be brought in schools by law enforcement. The board approved banning teachers from carrying firearms, with an exception carved out for school resource officers.

The board approved appointing Angie Lamberson as board secretary; the position will be shared with Oskaloosa. The board approved reappointing Jessica Meyer as board secretary. The board approved new policies for inclement weather, chronic absenteeism and Title IX non-discrimination standards.