TIPP CITY — Two maintenance projects totaling $94,598 were unanimously approved by the Tipp City Board of Education at Monday’s meeting.
The projects are for emergency repairs to the lintels around the central windows and cafeteria at Broadway Elementary, which total $72,160, and the retaining wall with railing by the restrooms and concession stand at Tipp Stadium, totaling $22,438. The contract for the maintenance at Broadway is with Midwest Maintenance, Inc. and the contract for Tipp Stadium maintenance is with Bruns General Contracting.
“This is top-of-the-line work, because it was such a safety concern when we found out about it. We want to make sure it was repaired in the most — $72,000 doesn’t sound like the most economical, because it sounds like a big number, but for this kind of work, (it will) withstand for a long period of time,” Superintendent Mark Stefanik said.
Stefanik highlighted that the repairs at Broadway are on the central building, but areas with stone issues that need to be repaired are over top of the cafeteria used by Broadway Elementary. Anything falling onto the roof of Broadway Cafeteria poses facility issues. Stefanik said that if anything was to go through the roof, it would pose safety issues. The problem was discovered during a structural analysis of the school buildings.
“There is a separation between the stones that is not supposed to be there, and they need to be reconnected,” Stefanik said.
With school set to resume Aug. 19 for children in first through twelfth grade, Midwest Maintenance has the scaffolding already set up to get to work on Broadway Elementary so that the work is completed by opening day. Opening day for kindergarten students is Aug. 24.
After adjourning from a nearly hour-long executive session, the board also unanimously approved a statement to the Tipp City Education Association regarding the “Vote of No Confidence” and resolution letter sent to Stefanik and board members on May 28. The letter requested the board censure comments of vice president Anne Zakkour and had given a deadline for the censure by June 15. A censure failed in a 2-3 vote at the June 28 board meeting.
“Historically, we missed the opportunity to meet their deadline on June 15, and I’m hoping that we can craft a response tonight and see where that goes, and see if we can issue that statement to them,” board member Joellen Heatherly said.
The statement, read by Zakkour, states that: “It’s a fact of life that misunderstandings can occur between teachers unions and board of education. It is a desire of the Tipp City Schools Board of Education to move forward in conjunction with the Tipp City Education Association in preparing for a new school year and working hard together to ensure all students’ success.”
The statement was made as a board and will be sent formally to the TCEA by Stefanik.
The board also approved the following at Monday’s meeting:
• The resignation of Tippecanoe Middle School office aide Patricia Gross, pending approval of her recommendation for technical support specialist;
• The resignation of bus driver and cafeteria substitute Athena Conrad;
• Payment to boys soccer camp instructors totaling $1,600;
• An out of state and overnight trip for the Tippecanoe High School cross country team for their meet in Louisville, Kentucky as well as the Tippecanoe High School Marching Band’s performance at Disney World in Orlando, Florida;
• Library Board of Trustee nomination Judith Dienst, who will fill an unexpired term vacated by Matthew Tarzinski;
• A $14,000 donation from Monroe Township for a concrete pad and basketball hoop assembly at Tippecanoe Middle School;
• The hiring of Tippecanoe Middle School assistant principal Jason Watercutter and technical support specialist Patricia Gross; and
• The hiring of Matt Casey and Amanda Casey as Tippecanoe High School Head Girls Tennis Coach and Assistant Coach, respectively, as well as Scott Bowerman as Tippecanoe High School Varsity Football Volunteer Assistant.
The next regular board meeting will be held Monday, Aug. 23 at 6 p.m. The board will hold a work session on Tuesday, Aug. 10 at 5 p.m.
