Plans Under Way To Renovate School Cafeteria

LINCOLN — Middle school students will be getting a remodeled cafeteria with work beginning next year.

Superintendent Mary Ann Spears told the Lincoln School Board at its Dec. 15 meeting she has been working with architect Steve Elliot and has received a projected cost from him for $ 772,667 for improvements to the cafeteria. All paperwork has been filed with the State Board of Education as well as architectural drawings and all that has to be done now is advertise for construction bids.

Spears said bid requests would have to be put into a newspaper at least twice and she plans to start running an advertisement for the bids in Sunday’s newspaper.

Board members Nick Brewer, Kendra Moore, Jim Ayers ,

president, Dax Moreton and Connie Meyer were in agreement with the suggestion of putting an ad in a Sunday paper.

Ayers said the ad should run three times.

Spears agreed and said the board could meet early at its January meeting to interview those who responded to the ad.

The board approved a financial report for November with no questions asked, nor discussion. Spears said the district is ahead of where it should be at this time of year and fuel costs being down has helped with finances. According to a monthly summary, the district had an ending balance last month after expenditures of $1,998,286.

Members approved with a 5-0 vote the food service report for November with reduced lunches totaling $ 1,699, reduced student breakfasts $ 1,359; paid lunches $2,952, paid breakfasts, $2,329.

Another unanimous approval was given for the Teacher Advancement Program payout for certified employees and bonuses for classified employees. That total came to $341,814 with the district paying $116,244 and a Teacher Incentive Fund paying the rest.

On other action items, the board approved the hiring of Cheryl Farris, a part-time bus driver, to full-time.

Members approved two student transfers from Lincoln to Prairie Grove and one student from Lincoln to Farmington.

Prior to the regular meeting, the board met to hear from parents about two students who had broken school policy. Spears said the meetings were closed and no students were expelled.

The next Lincoln School Board meeting is set for 6 p. m. Jan. 19, earlier meet- ing may be set to interview bidders on the middle school cafeteria.