Facility analysis to be submitted to Othello School Board

OTHELLO — Othello School Board members will review recommendations for changes to district facilities, and eventually district patrons will get a look at those recommendations also.

The facility analysis is part of the district’s conversion to a kindergarten through eighth grade model for elementary schools. Currently all elementary schools are kindergarten through fifth grade.

District superintendent Chris Hurst said the facility analysis was supposed to be presented at Monday’s meeting, but that the company conducting the analysis didn’t deliver its report until Monday. Their conclusions will be reviewed by the district’s architects to determine how much the changes will cost. Hurst said that report will be ready for the Aug. 13 board meeting.

The facility report will be made available to board members this week, Hurst said, and after that to district patrons. In answer to a question from board member Jenn Stevenson, Hurst said the report probably will be posted on the district’s website, and patrons will be notified when it’s available.

A special board meeting to review the facility analysis could be called before Aug. 13, Hurst said, if that was board members’ preference. Board member Ken Johnson suggested waiting until the board saw the information to determine if a special meeting was required.

The budget was scheduled for review Monday and adoption at the Aug. 13 meeting; Johnson asked why it was not on the agenda. Hurst said he talked with Rebecca Montgomery, the consultant working with the district to prepare the budget. “There didn’t appear to be questions from the board, so she did not feel the need to be present this evening. But it is on the board agenda for the next meeting and the next meeting after that.”

Johnson said the preliminary budget was supposed to be available to district patrons by July 10. At the July 9 meeting Montgomery said the preliminary budget would be posted on the district’s website within the next few days, but Johnson said it wasn’t available yet. Hurst said it has been submitted to ESD 123, and that district officials can post the preliminary budget. A copy of Montgomery’s presentation, which includes enrollment, revenue and expense projections, is available on the website in the July 9 board agenda packet.