The Eureka Springs School Board met Monday evening, and began with a presentation from the board and members of the Eureka Springs Community Center Foundation. ESCC has been leasing the former high school, and the school was asked to donate the property outright.
The board listened to the detailed proposal, but President Chris McClung explained that the item only appeared on the agenda as information, not for a vote. He suggested that the board could consider the request and vote at the August meeting. He also explained that even if the board agreed, there would be a lot of details to sort out before the property could be transferred.
Debbie Davis began by thanking the school board for support already given. She then introduced a series of speakers, and Sam Kirk began with the history, when the construction of a new high school made the old high school campus available. Diane Murphy explained that organizers originally hoped to partner with the city of Eureka Springs, but forming as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit became the only viable option.
Fatima VanZant spoke of fundraising efforts and said the community center was “started on a shoestring and sustained on a shoestring.” If ESCC had a sustainable source of funding, she said, fundraising efforts would continue, but those funds could be applied to growth and development.
Jack Moyer said $226,000 has been spent on maintenance and repairs, and more than $400,000 has gone into improvements. Some of those funds went to create an office park with five units, which will provide a long-term revenue stream.
Allen Huffman listed some long-term wishes, such as a splash pad or an open-air pavilion. Funding to support those goals would require loans and grants, and he added, “We must own this property to apply for those funds.”
Davis concluded by asking the school board to donate the property to the ESCC. She noted that Harrison schools had just donated the old junior high building to the city for a community center. Money currently spent on lease payments could go into programs, many of which directly benefit the school.
Some board members had recently toured the facility, and no one offered any immediate objection. The item should appear on the agenda for the Aug. 9 school board meeting.
Bond payment down, building fund up
Following the presentation, the board approved School Improvement Plans for all three schools. Once approved, the SIPs will appear on the school website. This is an annual requirement. The board also approved a Parent Engagement Plan, another annual requirement.
Last year, the board used some money from the building fund to pay down its bond. By reducing the debt past a certain threshold, the board found considerable savings by refinancing. On Monday, the board restored about $1.5 million to the building fund. Supt. Bryan Pruitt said the school has additional funds on hand now because Covid relief funds helped to pay for computers and other costs.
Pruitt said he still has hopes to receive approval this year for a shelter to be constructed with a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He suggested that the board could visit recently built shelters in Omaha or Flippin. A new cafeteria to serve the elementary and middle schools is also in the planning stages.
School buses and seat belts
Disruptions linked to Covid have shown up in many sectors of the economy, and school buses have become scarce. Pruitt said he had located a bus with air conditioning for $108,000, and the board approved the purchase. Pruitt said the district has nine routes, and at least one bus must be replaced each year to keep the fleet in good condition.
On the subject of school buses, the board also discussed the growing availability of seat belts for school buses. Al Larson expressed his concerns, noting that kids are routinely belted in every vehicle except the school bus. Pruitt reminded everyone that even without the belts, school buses are a statistically safe method of transportation. He also mentioned that the district still needs two bus drivers.