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Independence School District Will Raze South Elementary in Rowley

Posted on: Friday, 9 June 2006, 15:00 CDT

By Tom Barton, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa

Jun. 9--INDEPENDENCE -- School district officials wasted no time.

A day after students, teachers, parents and alumni commemorated South Elementary in Rowley, the Independence school board unanimously approved razing of the building.

No objections or comment surfaced during a public hearing Thursday night, and the board awarded the D.W. Zinser Co. of Walford a contract worth $84,177 to demolish the school.

The bid was the lowest of two. The other was submitted by Peterson Contractors of Reinbeck for $99,7000. Both came in below the budgeted amount of $120,000, despite an increase of about $10,700 above estimates for asbestos removal.

The board voted in March to close the school, an action considered since 2002. Board members voted down a similar measure in 2004.

Officials project shutting down the school will save the district more than $150,000 per year.

The Rowley City Council passed a resolution in March requesting the district demolish the 90-year-old building by Dec. 31 for safety reasons.

"It's a danger to my community," Mayor Rita Knutson said at the time.

District Superintendent Devin Embray said the school is "an eyesore."

"There's just too many concerns with having a vacant building like that around," he said. "We and the City Council are concerned about vandalism and kids running down the fire escapes."

Students and teachers from South Elementary will move to East and West elementaries in Independence in the fall.

Rowley has a population of 286 people, according to the U.S. Census. South Elementary is nine miles south of Independence.

In related business, school board members created an administrative position for South Elementary Principal Mary Jean Blaisdell at East and West elementaries.

"Including more students in our building, it would be nice to have a facilitator and administrator in our building, as well as at East, to help with curriculum and professional development," said Diane Kinseth, a fifth-grade teacher at West Elementary. "We need someone with a focus to help keep things positive and on track. We need someone qualified and seasoned.' At one point in Thursday's meeting, board member Shelly Whited asked what cuts could be made in the budget to free up money for the position.

Board Chairman Kevin Greenley said postponing the hire really wasn't an option.

"I think with the movement and growth we're making, those who have been here awhile know that we can say, 'Let's see if we can make it another year without.' But that next year never comes," he said. "It's no question we need to fill that position."

The vote was unanimous.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Waterloo Courier

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