The Princeton R-5 Board of Education approved bids July 12th. A milk bid was approved from Anderson Erickson, and a fuel bid was approved from MFA Oil of Princeton. Superintendent Jerry Girdner reports the fuel bid was tax free two cents off of retail.
The board approved student and staff handbooks.
The tax rate hearing was set for August 9th at 5:15 in the evening. That is 15 minutes before the next regularly scheduled board meeting.
The audit date for Princeton R-5 was to be July 13th.
An update was given on the Department of Natural Resources grant the Princeton Ball Association, City of Princeton, and Princeton School District are working on applying for. The application is a matching grant that will fund a $250,000 match. The grant funding has been delayed at the federal office due to the pandemic. Recent correspondence with the State Parks Department gave an estimated time frame for final approval and potential construction to start this fall. The project will include three fields, a parking lot, and a concessions/storage building.
Funding is being made possible by a $150,000 matching gift pledge from Judy Derry Mahoney. Mahoney will match every dollar donated up to $150,000.
The Princeton Ball Association, city, and school are awaiting final word from the Major League Baseball—Major League Baseball Players Association Youth Development Foundation. The initiative was created to increase participation in and expand access to youth baseball and softball. The application was for full funding of the lights for the new project. It is anticipated the grant award will be close to $10,000 if it is approved.
As of July 13th, there is a balance of $521,375 in donations, pledges, and grants for the completion of the new ball park in Princeton.
A United States Department of Agriculture Facilities Grant was utilized to purchase a passenger vehicle for Princeton R-5. Girdner notes the grant covered $14,300 toward the purchase of the vehicle. It was reported last month that the vehicle cost was $45,695. The vehicle can transport up to nine passengers at a time and is to be more economical than the larger diesel buses for transporting smaller groups of students and staff.
The board was updated on summer projects scheduled for completion before the opening of school. Floor waxing is nearly complete districtwide. Concrete sidewalk replacement on the north side of the high school is scheduled to be completed by early August. The divider curtain and softball/baseball cage installation will be completed by Friday (July 16th). Security cameras are being updated and installed this month. The handrail for the Stacy Center will be installed on the south side of the building.
