School asks for $3.99 million

SUPERIOR- This year’s harsh winter revealed something to Superior Public Schools Superintendent Scott Kinney - the junior high school should be torn down to preserve the safety of students.

The weather combined with the aging buildings of the school district have resulted in a $3.99 million bond proposal to update existing buildings.

February and early March brought record levels of snow and rain in northwestern Montana, resulting in the flooding of the junior high school.

“The building flooded twice which required our maintenance staff to go in and physically extract the water from the building,” said Scott Kinney, Superior Public Schools Superintendent. “It was in that extraction process when maintenance really started looking around, finding that there was water running into an underground cellar in the shop area we didn’t even know existed.”

McKinstry Engineering, a construction management firm, was brought in a year ago to consult on upgrades to all the schools in the district. However, it was unknown at the time the extent of the problem in the junior high building.

“When we started pulling it apart, we found that the west wall of the building is sinking, and a concrete floor is also sinking,” Kinney said. “We continue to be very concerned with putting kids in the safest place possible.”

Some of the bond will ultimately be used to construct a new junior high school, an L-shaped building behind the high school gymnasium, according to Kinney.

“We would be using two load bearing walls that already exist which would cut construction costs,” Kinney said.

A new industrial shop would also be included in the new junior high school, providing an opportunity to increase the industrial technology program, Kinney said.

“What we learned from voters last year is that they are concerned about getting kids ready to transition as quickly as possible into the workforce,” Kinney said.

Energy efficiency a problem

Among proposed energy saving measures to existing buildings in the district is the installation of a Biomass energy system, Kinney said. A Biomass system is essentially a furnace with a hopper that is fed with wood pellets.

“The former superintendent had looked at Biomass as a way of reducing our carbon footprint and increasing long term efficiency in regard to our reliance on fossil fuels,” he said. “We spend a lot of money on LP gas and fuel oil every year.”

Kinney believes it would be an easy transition to biofuel as wood in northwestern Montana is an abundant product.

“We could do a much better job in the long term saving taxpayers money and operating our heating systems more efficiently,” he said.

Kinney uses the Clark Fork Valley Hospital as the closest example of the type of Biomass system that should be installed in Superior.

“The Clark Fork Valley Hospital has a terrific system,” he said. “Maintenance and I actually drove over to Plains to see their system which has succeeded for them.”

Kinney said some windows need to be replaced because they are outdated, and they are losing heat and energy everyday until they are replaced.

Timeframe is tight

“We essentially have the month of April and May as the bond election for the levy will be June 3 which is the same as the primaries,” he said.

Kinney wants the community to know how important it is from the schools perspective that the community knows why the timetable is so tight.

“If we are going to put a bond levy in question on the ballot, by state law you only have a certain amount of days,” he said.

Alternate funding opportunities

Superior is in talks about possible grants from Northwestern Energy, Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the department of natural resources.

“Because this is a green project, both state and federal governments are rewarding entities as well,” Kinney said. “McKinstry also has a grant arm in their company which they go out and try to secure additional grants as well.”

In November, McKinstry received a $23,500 grant from the Department of Commerce to fund their work, Kinney said.

Possible plans for junior high site

“Our most important community function is the Mineral County Fair and it’s a tremendous meeting point for kids past and present who have gone or are going to school in Superior,” Kinney said.

Kinney sees an opportunity for the fair to expand when the junior high school is torn down.

“By us taking the junior high off the footprint, it could enable the county to grow the fair,” he said. “Whether we turn it into a parking lot or just a grassy field, it would still enable the 4H and county fair planners to actively seek control of that area.”

Although community meetings are still in the process of being planned, a facility committee will continue to campaign and advocate for this.

“I plan on taking a bus to Plains to show folks their Biomass system and what it looks like,” Kinney said. “Maintenance and I will also be conducting tours of our facilities so people understand why this funding is needed.”