By JENNIFER STULTZ

Staff writer

The plans are out and Goessel City Council members saw in detail on Jan. 21 how USD 411 hopes to revitalize agriculture, science, and family studies facilities at the high school.

Darcy Nickel and Tina Schrag, co-chairs of the KIDS (Keep Improving District Schools) committee, along with financial adviser Steve Shogren, and Goessel superintendent John Fast, presented packets of information to council members and answered questions about the new developments.

“The six primary areas of need we are addressing are agriculture education, science lab improvement, family and consumer science improvement, brickwork repair, 1930’s window replacement, and F5 rated storm shelter construction at the elementary school,” Fast said.

Fast fielded questions from the council concerning stages of construction.

“The old white agriculture win will be torn down,” he said. “It is such a bad shape and very poor as far as energy efficiency goes.”

Since the old facility will be removed before construction begins, classroom space will become even more limited for a time.

“Our agriculture teacher, Ms. Manche, said she could deal with anything, as long as she knew there was something better coming along in the future,” Fast said.

If the new bond project gains community approval and is supported by school legislative action, current bond payments would be wrapped around the proposed schedule.

“Mill rates would go up less than percent, just 1.95,” Shogren said. “The cost to a homeowner of a $75,000 home would be $16.81 or $1.40 a month.”

Fast said the next step in the school improvement process was to continue to disseminate information.

“Our committee will be providing maps and plans on concessions tables at the next several home basketball games,” he said. “We will be working to let everyone know what we want to do and what our plans are. This is not just a school project, it is a community endeavor.”

The current vocational agriculture building was constructed in 1952, after the Goessel community passed a $35,000 bond issue. Goessel sixth grade teacher Ilona Abrahams researched and wrote about this early bond issue improvement in the current Goessel Alumni Newsletter, available at the district office.