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Fieldcrest Board of Education adopts Long Term Facilities Vision

Wednesday, August 26, 2015 - Posted 10:44:27 PM
The Fieldcrest Board of Education approved a resolution to adopt a 30 Year Facilities Vision resolution at their August meeting Wednesday night.  The vision includes a goal of having all grade levels in one common campus at a site to be determined.  Board President Joe Kirkpatrick said the school's survey indicated that having a building in each community was the top preference but the survey also indicated that cost was the top concern. Kirkpatrick said having all grades in one building is the most efficient and cost effective solution.

Board member Danielle Reichman said the adopted vision could change with the election of a new school board. She said this vision is not a reflection of the survey but is a vision to shoot for.  She wants the Fieldcrest School District to become a lighthouse district that will attract other communities to be part of the school district.

Board member Scott Hillenburg said it will cost the taxpayers more money to renovate the existing buildings than to build a new education plant.  But he said it is up to the taxpayers to decide if they wish to renovate or build new.  He added that if the voters decide to renovate the existing buildings and cost continue to escalate the voters will have no one to blame but themselves.  Hillenburg said that only 10% of the survey's sent out were returned to the school.  He wants the public to be more active in voicing their opinions and encouraged more people to attend the school board meetings.

Board member Tim McNamara said building anew rather than renovating was a no-brainer.

Board President Kirkpatrick said if the voters decide not to approve a referendum to build anew, the school will then be faced with improvements required in a 10 year life safety review.  The State can then force the school to make changes regardless of the cost and regardless if the school has enough money to make the improvements.  In effect, the school will not have any control over the costs incurred.

In other news, Superintendent Dan Oakley said the school's budget will have a deficit of $500,000 due to the reduction in payments from the State of Illinois as a result of the increased revenue from the wind farm east of Minonk.  Oakley said the increase revenue of $1.1 million from the wind farm increased the district's EVA which caused the State to recalculate the amount of money to be given to the school from the State education fund by the amount of $500,000 which means the net revenue from the wind farm is approximately $610,000.

The Superintendent said the number of students enrolled this year in the school district was 1100 which is a reduction of 55 students from last year.  The school district's enrollment has declined by 18% since 2006.  He estimates the enrollment will be 1000 by 2020.  He said the reduction in enrollment is resulting in empty spaces in the school buildings.  He added this decrease in enrollment should be considered when planning a long term solution to the school's building issue.   Joe Kirkpatrick questioned if we want to keep inefficient buildings if the enrollment is dropping.