Lone Tree

Now that the special election is over, the Lone Tree school board elected a new president and vice president.

Alex Ogren, who had served as acting president since former president Jennifer Eden resigned in late May, was elected president. Ogren is serving his second term, which expires in 2027.

Christina Magruder was elected vice president. Magruder is serving her first term after being elected last November, with her term running through 2029.

Roof

The board discussed the district’s roof with Stephen Stewart, a building envelope consultant with Shive-Hattery.

The district is looking to replace the north portion of the roof, which was installed in 2002. Superintendent Tyler Hotz told the board that D.C. Taylor inspects the district’s roofs annually. During its annual inspection in May, the company informed Hotz that the north portion had reached the end of its lifespan and needed to be replaced. 

Stewart then mentioned that the scrim, or reinforcement within the roof membrane, was beginning to show, raising concerns about the north roof.

He said the roof has reached the end of its expected life and recommended replacing it with an adhered single-ply system. This would eliminate the gravel ballast, reduce weight on the building and make leaks and other problems easier to locate.

Stewart also recommended adding insulation to bring the roof up to current code and improve energy efficiency. He advised against placing a framed metal roof over the existing structure because of the additional stress it could place on the building.

As for the south portion, Stewart said the district could likely get another five to seven years out of it with proper maintenance.

The proposed new roof would have a 30-year warranty. Stewart presented a design proposal of up to $22,000, compared to the $28,000 to $32,000 he typically charges.

“We tried to be cost-effective with the fee, which is significantly less than what I normally charge for projects. I typically charge between $28,000 and $32,000 for a design project, but I priced this one with the idea that it could be our first project together. We also want to set you up for success on future projects.”

If approved, the project would go out for bids in late winter or early spring, with construction planned for summer 2027 and completion expected by mid-to-late August. The board plans to discuss the proposal again at their next meeting in September.

Bond referendum

The district also moved forward with its proposed $6.9 million HVAC bond referendum after receiving the required petition signatures.

The board approved a resolution placing the $6.9 million general obligation bond before voters in November. Hotz said the necessary materials will now be sent to the county auditor.

Hotz also updated the board on its search for a construction manager at risk. Requests were sent to four firms, all of which have visited the building, but the district had not received proposals because the deadline had not yet passed.

Much of the discussion has focused on the underground tunnel system carrying the district’s steam pipes and whether the new system will continue using the tunnels or route piping another way, which could have a significant impact on the project’s cost.

Hires and resignations

The board approved several new hires, including Joe Bandow as a junior high head football coach. Bandow joins Austin Dell, with the district having two shared coaching positions for the junior high.

Other hires included Jadyn Sojka as a paraprofessional, Jennifer Mize Cook, Kyle Holderness as varsity head volleyball coach, Trevor McFarland as varsity assistant boys basketball coach, Amber Jacque as junior class sponsor, Sam Skogen as varsity assistant volleyball coach and Lisa Pelzer as nurse.

The board also accepted the resignations of Adam Knock as varsity assistant baseball coach and Susan Pettitt as wrestling cheer coach.

Other business

The board approved the results of the Aug. 4 special election and clarified the terms of newly elected members Vida Wollrab and Alex Lorack. Wollrab, who received the most votes, will serve through 2029, while Lorack will serve through 2027.

The board discussed the district’s school nurse situation. After losing its full-time nurse last school year, the district used a part-time nurse and health paraprofessional to cover the position.

With the district now hiring a full-time nurse, the health paraprofessional position is no longer needed. The board approved terminating the position effective Sept. 16.

The board also approved the sports medicine contract with JET Physical Therapy. 

Next meeting

The board will return to meeting on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. The next meeting will take place Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 6 p.m. in the library.