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USC tackling several big projects

Gym floor, playground and replacing seats in the football stadium

By Kevin Mertens - Staff Writer | Jun 23, 2024

The Wells Concrete Stadium at USC High School has all of the bleacher seats removed in this photo. The blue seats all came from the former Metrodome in Minneapolis. They are shown in the inset photo.

The 2023-2024 school year just ended but preparation for the 2024-2025 school year is already taking center stage at the United South Central School District.

From large maintenance projects to approving the proposed budget for the upcoming school year, the USC School Board was already preparing for the return of students to school next fall.

One of the biggest maintenance projects involves the replacement of the seats in the football stadium. The seats which were originally installed in the stadium had come from the Metrodome in Minneapolis before it was torn down. However, they were not made to withstand the outdoor elements and had deteriorated over the years.

Board chairman Mike Schroeder said the old seats have already been removed.

“A lot of credit goes to the people who organized removing the seats,” Schroeder said. “They were prepared and the job went real fast.”

The new seating will be installed during July with the total cost being just short of $97,000.

“The floor in the main gym is also being refurbished and resealed,” superintendent Taylor Topinka commented. “A new logo will also be part of the project.”

The cost of the maintenance on the gym floor is approximately $50,000.

Another big item that people will notice when it is complete is the new playground which will be installed in August. It is an all-access playground with a price tag of $242,000.

“Fortunately, it does not look like we will have to deal with as many issues coming from the State legislature as we did last year,” Topinka remarked. “The impact of what they did in St. Paul this spring is much less compared to last spring.”

One issue which is being addressed at the State Capital is absenteeism.

“They are putting together a group to study student absenteeism,” Topinka commented. “Absenteeism continues to be a growing problem around the state.”

Topinka concluded his report by announcing the process of updating the district’s strategic plan is about 50 percent complete.

High school principal Jen Bye told the board the commencement program for USC’s 46 graduates went very well.

“I want to thank our student speakers, Hayden Chandler and Macy Sonnek, who both presented motivational messages to the class,” Bye said. “A big thank you also goes to Rob Routh, our staff speaker, who also delivered an inspiring message.”

Bye also extended thanks to the USC retirement committee for planning a wonderful retirement program for Claudia Smith and John Vee.

“The USC staff celebrated the end of the school year on June 3rd by attending a Mankato Moondogs game,” Bye concluded. “I’m so proud of the large number of staff who attended the event. It really shows that our staff truly enjoy spending time with their coworkers.”

Elementary principal Jennifer Taylor told the board about the last day of school.

“Traditionally, the staff lines the street to wave goodbye to the students,” Taylor commented. “And even though it was raining, our staff was out there saying goodbye to our students. Our students are lucky to have them.”

The board had a number of financial matters to consider.

Finance manager Stacie Whiteside presented the revised 2023-2024 budget and the preliminary 2024-2025 budget which were both approved.

“We showed a fund surplus of $758,052 for last year,” Whiteside explained. “Part of that surplus is funding the maintenance projects talked about earlier in the meeting and they just did not make it into this year’s expenses.”

Abby Roberts of the M & M Insurance Agency was at the meeting to present the renewal insurance package for the USC School District.

“This year, again, you will find an increase in property coverage to account for revised building valuation figures,” Roberts shared. “The property blanket values quoted show a total increase from $58,018,491 to $62,912,771 from 2023 to 2024.

Roberts noted the total package renewal premium showed an increase of about 1.65 percent.

“Your current term annual premium is $159,127,” Roberts said. “The proposal for the 2024-2025 term is $161,728.”

The board approved the renewal insurance proposal.

The board also:

• Approved the Long-Term Facilities Maintenance (LTFM) 10-year plan for the USC School District.

• Approved a resolution authorizing a LTFM plan for the Southern Plains Education Cooperative for the 2026 fiscal year.

• Approved scheduling a World’s Best Work Force public meeting for Sept. 17, at 4:45 p.m., in the USC auditorium.

• Approved the ratification of the USC principals master agreement for Jennifer Bye and Jennifer Taylor and individual contracts with the Activities director/dean of students, Joe Kuechenmeister; the Community Education director, Laura Foley; and the Buildings and Grounds director, Jim Elmer; with a 3.6 percent salary increase for each of the next two years.

• Approved a four percent salary increase per year for the next two years for Food Service director, Jamie Gordon-Kamm.

• Authorized membership in the Minnesota State High School League for 2024-2025.

• Voted to approve membership in the Minnesota School Boards Association and the Minnesota Rural Education Association for 2024-2025.

• Voted to approve a proposal from Dulas Diesel and Repair for ongoing maintenance of the USC bus fleet.

• Approved a quote from Dulas Excavation, in the amount of $11,500, for a gravel apron near the receiving area of the school building.

• Voted to approve updates to USC Board Policy Nos. 5060, 5070, 5070.5 and 5140.