School board talks about land issues

By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer

Land issues were at the top of the agenda during the Carbon County District 2 School Board’s Monday meeting.

Discussions about the land exchange between Medicine Bow and the school district for the construction of a new school in Medicine Bow stood forefront as board members evaluated the intended content of the memorandum of understanding, which remains to be written.

It should outline the details of the exchange as it relates to the three involved parties — the School Facilities Commission, the town of Medicine Bow, and District 2.

“We’re all on the same page with this,” Superintendent Bob Gates said. He expects the exchange to go smoothly.

Other land business included renewing the lease from a private landowner for continued use of the garage that serves as the bus barn at Medicine Bow, an item that required attention after being previously overlooked.

As the last piece of land business, the district is currently surveying land around Elk Mountain Elementary School for future modifications. However, legal right-of-way access to the road around the school has become an issue. The town should review its land-rights records before the next district meeting, but the issue should not inhibit building progress.

The board intends to keep offering a $3,000 signing bonus to new teachers, which is provided for relocation. It is in place primarily to attract teachers fresh out of school who have bills to pay, Gates said.

The board also approved the installation of the first of three stand-alone cooling units for the computer server rooms in the district’s schools to be installed before summer. Additionally, the district intends to issue a request for bids for bleachers, continuing progress with the Saratoga Middle High School track project.

Gates presented a report stating that the school has lost five students since December. A comparison with last year showed a decrease in enrollment of 20 students during the past year.
The board agreed to continue offering breakfast options to students, based on the program’s success as reported by Gates. It also considered modifications to salaries for the activity program that might offer increased compensation based on seniority.

The next meeting should be held Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. at the central office in Saratoga.