Various summer projects completed at Gentry schools

GENTRY -- Numerous projects have been completed at campuses of the Gentry School District over the summer at a cost of near half a million dollars, according to Randy Barrett, superintendent of Gentry Schools.

Though the 2013-2014 school fiscal year was not closed out as of the Aug. 18 school board meeting, Barrett reported that ending balances were a little lower than he hoped but that the school district was still in good financial shape.

Operating fund balances at the end of Period 12 indicated operating funds (Funds 2000 and 2001) balances of just over $850,000 but overall fund balances were just over $3 million, with a healthy sum of more than $1 million in the building fund. With adjustments to those funds, Barrett anticipates closing out the year with approximately $1.5 million in operating funds.

Barrett said the difference in the 2014 ending operating balances and that for 2013 is pretty much the amount paid out for the one-time bonuses given to teachers and staff.

The school's lunch program has continued operating in the red and has been subsidized by the district for two years with Period 12 of this year showing a negative balance of $116,000. Adjustments were made in employee hours following last year's negative balance but the situation has not been resolved, according to Barrett, adding that if the problem continues, the district would have to look at other options, including outsourcing the meals program -- something Barrett said he didn't want to see happen.

He provided the following summary information to the school board at its Aug. 18 meeting on the summer projects and their costs:

• Parking lot repair, seal and "bumpers" by Entire Maintenance Service at a cost of $4,341;

• Purchase of two buses from Midwest Bus Sales at a cost of $91,198.00 and $92,369;

• Painting at the field house and special education building by Laxen Painting for $ 8,300;

• Various inside painting at the high school by Laxen Painting for $6,608;

• Various inside painting at the middle school by Laxen Painting for $7,272;

• Various inside painting at the intermediate school by Laxen Painting for $2,525;

• Various inside painting at the primary school by Laxen Painting for $8,756;

• Outside expansion wall painting at the primary school by Laxen Painting $6,680;

• Security fence at the intermediate school by Stateline Fencing for $18,650;

• Additional panic hardware on security fencing at the intermediate school by Stateline Fencing for $5,000;

• Final payments to Flintco on the Pioneer Activities Complex for $37,943;

• Final payments to Hight-Jackson on the PAC for $10,140;

• Transportation phone replacement by CDW Government for $7,548.29;

• Whirlpool by Alert+ Services, Inc., for $5,507.29;

• "Cubbies" for PAC by Moser Corp for $3,226.16;

• Technology infrastructure for PAC by Global Government $6,820.94;

• Two commercial grade treadmills, 2 ellipticals (refurbished) by Fast Inc. for $11,514.00;

• Concrete projects by Diamond D Construction for $72,002;

• Pioneer Lane fence project by Thomas Fence Company for $5,700;

• Post and cable fence (to match existing) by Modern Fence for $10,556.15;

• Scoreboard/25 second clock installation by Dwight's Sign Service for $1,771.25;

• Scoreboard/25 second clock installation by Rob Smith Electric;

• Divide GHS Distance Learning Lab (self-construction);

• Divide GHS Distance Learning Lab by Rob Smith Electric.

General News on 08/27/2014