Sheldon, Iowa — The Sheldon Community School Board talked about the budget and campus improvements during a work session on Wednesday evening, March 20th.
There were just three items on the agenda, the first being a presentation of a long term facility master plan by representatives of Engie, a multinational electric utility company. The company first visited the Sheldon schools back in November 2018. At Wednesday’s meeting, they presented several ideas for the board to consider, mostly for the middle and high schools, in order to save money on energy costs.
Superintendent Cory Myer presented information on a PPEL/SAVE 5 Year Plan, as well as potential projects in the upcoming year for the schools. PPEL stands for Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, and SAVE stands for Secure an Advanced Vision for Education — which was formerly known as “Local Option Sales Tax for school infrastructure.” A few of the top priorities include groundwork on the softball field, a new swing set at East Elementary, skylight repair at the middle school, and replacing a kiln at the high school.
Also discussed was an update to the high school commons — replacing and adding in new, more modern tables that would better utilize the space. Future projects that were discussed included track maintenance, upgrading the phone system, locker room remodeling, and the possibility of creating a turf field.
The final item of discussion for the evening was setting the PPEL at $1.34. The budget was reviewed and a public hearing will be held at the April 10th regular board meeting.
