Summer projects continue in the Yankton School District (YSD) amid supply chain, manpower and COVID-19 issues that are affecting scheduling, the Yankton School Board heard at its meeting Monday.
YSD Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Rob Taylor updated the school board on the progress of summer maintenance and other projects occurring in the school district.
New school board President Frani Kieffer jokingly opened the conversation saying, “Everything’s on time, right?”
“At least one thing is,” Taylor said. “The floors of the gyms, they’ve all been resurfaced, and the gyms are back open starting today.”
YSD has received a new kitchen ventilation fan that requires a crane to lift and install on the roof of the high school, he said, adding that work on that is expected to begin on July 20.
“Carpet installers from Innovative were contacted this week, and they assured me that by the end of this week, they should be here to start work on the new carpet project in the high school,” Taylor said.
Board member Kathy Greeneway asked for clarification on the carpet installation project timeline.
“Like everyone, they suffer from manpower issues, I was told,” Taylor said. “Finishing one project before they move on to the next has been an issue for them this summer, not just with manpower but the COVID is still going around, and people are going out for a week or two weeks at a time, so they’ve had trouble fulfilling their other jobs.”
The contractor, who was expected to begin the job last week, now hopes to start this week and finish in 10 days, if there is enough manpower, he said.
Also, the Yankton Middle School (YMS) boiler replacement project has been delayed due to a 17-week delivery date from the manufacturer. The new delivery date is set for mid-October.
Scheduling is important because Initial tear-down of the old boiler involves turning off the middle school’s fire alarm system, and it must take place when there are no students in the building, he said.
YSD Business Manager Jason Bietz took a moment to give the school board a heads up on a developing master plan to update YSD’s HV/AC systems. Bietz said that this fall, the school district is planning a review of all the HV/AC systems to proactively budget for timely replacement.
Bietz noted that the YMS fire alarm system is antiquated and needs replacement.
Also Monday, newly reelected board members Sarah Carda and Terry Crandall were sworn in by Bietz, who noted that both candidates had presented certificates of election at the May school board meeting after the election was finalized.
The fiscal year 2021-2022 meeting was adjourned and the 2022-2023 fiscal year opened with the school board’s reorganization.
Frani Kieffer was elected board president, replacing Jill Sternquist. Terry Crandall was voted vice president.
A budget hearing for public comment on the YSD budget published in the Saturday, July 9, Press & Dakotan, was held. There were no public comments. The school board set Sept. 12 as the adoption date for the budget.
Also, at Monday’s meeting:
• The school board appointed Greeneway and Carda to the standing Personnel Committee, Sternquist to the Finance Committee and Crandall and Kieffer to the Building and Grounds Committee;
• The school board conducted the first reading of a proposed school board communication policy;
• The school board approved a Use of Soccer Facilities Agreement with the Yankton Youth Soccer Association;
• YSD Curriculum Director Nicole Valnes, Technology Integrationist Alli Davison and IT Supervisor Matt Fredricksen informed the school board that YMS’s 20-year-old smartboards have been updated with new Promethian boards;
• Lincoln Elementary’s PTA donated supplies and money for a makerspace or art cart to share throughout the school, according to an update from Lincoln Elementary School Principal Tony Beste. Beste added that Lincoln’s Back-To-School Carnival will be held this fall for the first time since 2020;
