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Sprowls named USD 408 board president years ago

Sports reporter

By a vote of 4-2 Monday night, Marion-Florence USD 408 board of education voted to name vice president Chris Sprowls as president of the board.

Keith Collett and Jan Helmer voted no. Kathy Meierhoff was not present at the meeting.

Sprowls has been a member of the board for four years, the past two as vice president.

Savage stepped down this year after serving 16 years on the board, and 13 as president.

Duane Kirkpatrick of Marion replaced Savage. He was sworn in at the meeting, and will serve as a member at-large.

The board re-elected Becky Summerville as clerk, and Martin Tice as treasurer.

In other business:

— City of Florence accepted an offer from USD 408 board of education to purchase the Oasis and Life Skills building currently used for Marion County Special Education Cooperative.

The city said it "shall make every attempt to negotiate an amiable contract with the MCSEC. . .to be beneficial to both entities, particularly the students, staff, and taxpayers of Marion County."

The resolution will be effective upon its passage at Monday's city council meeting.

— Building project architect Greg Tice presented to the board color schemes for the wellness center and auditorium.

The board agreed on red brick for the auditorium that Tice said was a good match with the middle and high school buildings.

The board gave him leeway between a light or dark gray for the color of the metal on the building.

After a lengthy discussion about the color of the gymnasium, gray or blue, no decision was made.

— New MHS principal Jim Piper attended his first meeting and expressed his appreciation to the board for the opportunity to work in the district.

Board members welcomed Piper during closing comments.

— The board established meeting times for the upcoming school year.

Meetings will remain at 7 p.m. the second Monday of every month at the district office.

The December meeting will be scheduled earlier in the day to allow board members a tour of district facilities.

— Collett, district school improvement team, Lyle Leppke, special education, and Jan Helmer, TEEN, were re-elected to their representative positions.

— Mileage reimbursement rates and school breakfast and lunch prices were approved by the board.

Meal prices stayed the same, while the reimbursement rate was changed from 43 cents to 47 cents to comply with state rate.

— Dave Johnson with Safe Routes To Schools (SRTS) gave a presentation on a proposed sidewalk plan to make a safer route for kids walking to school.

Johnson said only 10 percent of students walk to school in Marion, but the proposal, which would include adding and repairing sidewalks on Lawrence Street, south of Marion Elementary School, could help increase the number.

Johnson will present his plan Monday at the Marion City Council meeting.

The board will have a letter at the meeting stating they are in support of finding a safer route for children on their way to school.

USD 408 superintendent Lee Leiker said the letter does not necessarily support everything in the plan, as some things could change.

— Up-coming school year assignments were approved:

Tampa State Bank was named the official bank. Leiker said normal procedure is for the board to rotate between local banks.

Attendance officers are Jim Piper, MHS; Tod Gordon, MMS; and Rod Garman, MES.

Food service representative: Becky Summerville. Hearing officer for Free and Reduced Meals: Leiker. Suspension/Expulsion hearing officer: Leiker. Authorized purchasing agent: Leiker. Compliance Coordinator for Title Funds and Section 504 claims: Leiker. School attorney: Chris Costello.

Adopted district petty cash and activity funds. Adopted school term length of 1,116 hours.

Approved out-of-district student requests for the following families:

Goentzel, Kroupa, Harms, Harshman, Gormley, and Neal.

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