001Good evening. It is now 6 o'clock and I will call the April 23rd Cedar Springs public school order. and who would join me in rising for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for >> Thank you. We have a roll call, please. Bowsy >> here. Secretary of Planet Museum to the treasure >> here. >> Trusty Slider >> here. Trusty Sh >> here. >> Trusty Rick >> here >> and President >> here. Thank you. And to establish a forum for tonight's meeting and that brings us to the adoption of the agenda and I would entertain a motion for as presented because it's clearly before us. >> I will support >>
002any discussion having none. Vice President Bowser. >> Yes. >> Secretary Patton? >> Yes. Yes. Treasure Delmore. >> Yes. >> Trusty Slagger. >> Yes. >> Trusty Shner. >> Yes. >> Trusty Willlet. >> Yes. >> President Reed. Yes. Motion carry. >> That brings us to our next item of close session pursuant to openings meeting at section 8B for student. I would entertain a motion to move into close session. So move. >> Any discussion? None. Vice President Bowser. >> Yes. >> Secretary Ken. >> Yes. >> President Gilmore. >> Yes. >> President Slagger. Yes. >> Shocker. >> Yes. >> Bullet. >> Yes. >> President Reed. >> Yes. Motion carries. We want to move into close session like the minutes show at 601. Okay. I must let the record show that we're rolling back into open session at 6:37. And
003we're starting with our discussion items. And our first discussion item for this evening is the bond construction update. And Phil Top Lane. No, I'll just stand up here. Thanks. So, in your board pack, I have the revised slide deck or the reduced uh slide deck that we that I put together uh to use for the uh presentation, the kind of revised presentation that I put together and then posted on um YouTube. Uh so um you know the just in summary you know the building uh currently is sitting vacant. It's empty. Um heating system is failed and is not repairable. So, uh to preserve the building for even a short period of time, we'd have to do some type of temporary heating system in order to uh prevent uh longer or additional damage to the plumbing
004systems uh in terms of any type of uh longer term uh window of time. Currently have the water shut off uh due to several leaks uh throughout the building. Many of them are substructural leaks and so we'd have to dig into in order to find the source of the running water. Um the building sits uh currently in uh state of uh being in need of of several areas of structural repair. The immediate issues uh can be visible on the exterior of the building um just in terms of the risk of falling brick. So that's the the reason for the cement or excuse me the uh uh fencing that's uh surrounding the building itself. Um and currently we don't have any program needs program use uh for that space at this time. Uh our monthly operational
005expenses have been reduced significantly because we're not heating the building. Uh but when we were heating the space, the average cost per month was roughly $5,000 per month. So an annual uh utility expenditure of right around $60,000 per year was what we had been experiencing uh prior to um January of 26 when we uh shut down the heating system uh to to move forward uh because the the boiler failed. Um some other, you know, expenses that we've incurred over the last 24 months totaling uh somewhere right in the ballpark of $125,000. Um the exterior brick, we had to address that uh with a temporary solution where they pulled the loose brick off the wall and then just sealed that section of the of the building off from the elements. And so it's not a long-term
006fix. It was a temporary fix. We had to install the fencing uh around the building from a safety perspective. Tried to address the water issues that were visible that we could get to right away. Um we've done multiple structural engineering assessments and really those have spanned uh over the last five years. Uh we were kind of laughing a few weeks ago. Um there were three occasions when uh we um uh evacuated the east uh the north side of the building uh because we were worried about the structural integrity of the roof collapsing. Uh and so there were three occasions of uh in which we did that pending a structural assessment or an engineering assessment of the building. uh is it was always an interesting uh moment when we'd four or five of us would set
007up a temporary b temporary desks in uh one of the other rooms down in the attics uh to clear out that uh clear out our offices in the main component of the building. Uh so again the total cost has been in the neighborhood of $125,000 over the last 24 months of continued investment. So items that are in critical condition or or would be in need of immediate repair, the mechanical systems including the electrical, plumbing, uh heating and cooling. When they addressed the asbestous throughout the building, um much of the interior lighting has been removed because there was asbestous existing in the old uh ballasts and the old lighting structures. So really it's in need of a total rehab as far as the electrical uh side of things go for overhead lighting and that uh obviously
008plumbing uh issues, plumbing concerns that we have are a plenty uh and then the heating and cooling system uh is in need of of uh heavy repair and we would have to do something to that exterior of the brick uh to address that concern as it's detaching from the inner building structure. Um so those are just some of the key things that would need to be done uh from an immediate perspective. Some future work that we'd have to do before we actually occupied the building. First really we'd want to come up with a plan how we would use that space. uh because depending upon how it would be used that would influence the work that we did inside in terms of design and flow and and the kind of the reconstruction of the interior core
009of the building. So once we determined a plan for the use then we'd go ahead and do a redesign of the space um and then the entire building would have to be brought up to code uh because we would be doing such a massive renovation on the structure. Uh and so uh that would involve uh ADA accessibility. Um uh cool uh uh we would have to have sprinkling systems uh in installed throughout. So there would be a lot of in internal work uh that would have to be done in order for that building to be at code. Um we had significant issues at Red Hawk. Uh even though that was a much newer building because it was an early childhood center. the code requirements for an early childhood center are different than the code requirements
010for a K12 building. And so we had to do more uh internal work with smoke alarms, um smoke detection systems, uh interior sprinkling systems, um just because of how we were using that space. And so similarly, you know, depending upon how the use of the hilltop building was determined to be, uh that would influence the work that we would ultimately have to do uh internally to the building. And then obviously we would have to do something to uh address the exterior um uh siding, the brick siding on that main core component of the building. It doesn't mean that we would have to replace the brick with brick. We could do metal siding. We could do other options, but we really would have to take that exterior skin off the building and then resite it uh
011before we u move forward with any type of occupancy. So, you know, as we've looked and as we've really been talking about this space, there are really four things, four options for us uh to consider as we move forward as a district. First, you know, just leaving the building status quo. uh using the time to maybe help percolate some new ideas or some uh additional opportunities for us moving forward. Um if we were to do any type of uh renovation uh rehab of the building, uh we would need to fund that and and really the only way to fund it would be through a bond proposal. we'd have to go to the community and ask uh for an increase in in taxes in order to pay for that uh the rehab of that space. Uh
012we could also demo the building and retain the land for a future school or a future uh space. Um or we could sell or donate the property. Um I don't know, you know, we've I've met with several uh individuals to talk about maybe a potential uh sale of the building. Um but once they get inside and see the amount of work that would need to be done, um they're they're the value of the space is is really depreciated significantly because of the cost of bringing that space up to speed. And so it would be more of a donation than it would be a a sale. So, uh, as we look at the the the potential, uh, you know, project costs on this space, using the, uh, Red Hawk, uh, cost per square foot as a
013reference point for us, you know, we talked a couple of of months ago about, you know, just the the basic baseline um, projection of of funds that would be required to do the bare minimum would be, you know, $17 million. ion dollar at at the baseline and that's using the work that we did at Hilltop as a reference point. We would have to do a lot more work at I'm sorry the the work that we did at Red Hawk as a reference point. We would have to do a lot more work at Hilltop uh in order to bring that building up to speed because the scope of the work would be just so much more significant. Um, and so when we talk to uh Triangle, we talked to GMBB, their number, their projection is closer
014to uh somewhere between 22 and $25 million uh for the scope of that uh that project. Um so, you know, ways to pay for that renovation. Uh we could use the operations budget, but then we wouldn't have any money to operate the district uh for the year. Uh we could use reserve funds. We've got about $11 million uh in reserves uh right now. Um but that wouldn't that would cover maybe half of the renovation costs and then we wouldn't have any money uh in reserve uh to to maintain uh for uh future uh hiccups or uh economic downturns cycles that we would incur as a district or as a state or as a nation. Uh we could look at grants, but the number of grant projects that are out there right now for rehabbing older
015buildings is is the pool is pretty limited. Um there just are not a lot of funds out there available for projects like this. Um and then we could go for a bond proposal uh taking it to the voters. Uh we could either do that in May of 27 or November of 2027. we'd need some time to be able to determine the scope of that uh bond proposal. Um and so that's why it would really take us about a year and a half of time in order to put that scope together and then put together a a a election plan to then put that bond proposal out there for the community. I did include um a new data point for you just to be mindful of. So, this looks back um the Kent County U board
016of elections maintains a database of election results. It dates back to 2002. So, it's almost 25 years of election results for us. Uh but it looks at um all of the various election uh elections that have taken place that are school related over the last uh 24 years. So starting back in February of uh 2004, uh Kent County had a special education millillage. Um the number of supporters from the Cedar Springs community. So just from our district, I looked at all of the townships uh individually, city of Cedar Springs, the community of Cedar Springs, uh 39.81% of those voters were in support of that special ed millillage. um 60.19% of our voters were not in support of that special ed millillage. So in our district that millillage failed. Uh it passed across the county but
017it just from a district perspective that failed. Um the community did pass uh an operating millillage in 2005. Um there was an increase uh referendum in 2007 that was defeated. Uh it was a close vote but it was uh 49.15% to 50.85% in oppo in opposition to that uh slight increase. There was a thinking fund um increase in 2011 uh that failed uh 47.91% to uh 52%. Uh in in summary, there have been 13 questions brought to the voters of Cedar Springs. Five of them have passed. eight of them have failed. Um the ones that have failed uh have been some type of increase or some type of countywide uh question. The ones that have passed have been uh those questions where we maintained current levels of taxation. One of the things that we learned
018from the uh November 5th, 2019 uh bond proposal that we put out that failed uh 56.36% to 40 uh 6 point or excuse me um that failed to 56.36% to 43.64%. you know, we did a a survey of the community and and asked why, you know, what why they voted no and the vast majority of people said they did not want to see an increase in taxes. Uh that was number one. Um and then the another point was that they didn't see this as a need. They saw it more as a want. Um and they, you know, the district has shown that they're supportive of the of the or the community has shown that they're supportive of the district. um when there are needs that are presented um uh but they they are really mindful
019of their their total tax dollars. So, you know, one of the questions is even if we wanted to rehab the building, um would the community supported at the pools and the the data would suggest that it would not? Um it, you know, I had an opportunity to tour uh the building this afternoon with um uh with Brent and um you know, just talking through if we were going to if we had the support of the community for uh $25 million, we could do a lot of things with that amount of money uh that would provide larger term value than rehabbing a 100-year-old building. So that's the summary. Do you have additional questions or wonders um at all about the building proposed costs, projections, anything that we've shared over the last 24 to 36 months? >>
020No real questions. I do want to just reiterate, you know, we've I greatly appreciate how much time you put into this. you know, this kind of the historical uh building within Cedar Springs and we want to be very thoughtful uh how we move forward with it. And you put together, you know, some great information. Uh this has been talked about, as you just said, for a very long time, I think even longer than you've been here, too. So that's it's been a very long time that um that building has been a discussion point and appreciate all the information. Uh it's very very thorough and very clear. Thank you. >> Yes. Thank you for the complete story. You're welcome. All right, we will move on. We'll be seeing that Mr. Le um the next discussion item
021is the 2026 reproductive health sex advisory board member. >> Yeah. So, um Brian Barold has been working on putting this group together for the past several months. um that he has the list of individuals before you um and that's been included in uh board book for this evening. He was going to present this to you uh at our meeting on the 13th of April but it was not able to be present. Um so now is presenting tonight uh or I'm sharing the uh information with you tonight. Uh as you can see uh on the list of uh individuals who were recommending for participation on this um many of the individuals have been a part of this group before. So we'll maintain some consistency. Um the new individuals, two of them are students. Um and then
022Rachel Johnson is our school nurse. Uh she joined Newton last year, so this is her second year uh in the uh in her position. Um and then Erica McCulla is uh coming on as a parent but also as an administrative assistant in our academic services. >> Any questions or wonders? >> I just want to say thank you for uh putting together these advisory committees or boards. you know, there was a time when that was not uh how I put this not accepted practice here to to consider the um outside an outside committee to assist with those things. So, um I greatly appreciate that. >> Yeah. Thank you. I'll pass it along to Mr. Okay, moving on to the Kent Intermediate Association of School Board board of directors ballots. Uh so this is a very straightforward
023piece. They've got 400 seats. They have four individuals who are interested in those four open seats. Um we can vote for up to four people. Uh and so it's it's a pretty direct connect with that from A to B. Um there are two artifacts in board for you. uh one is the actual ballot and the other is just uh by individuals who are interested in uh using this or being a part of this this group. Remember this board of directors their their role really is they have no power of sorts. Uh they are basically the group that helps to organize healthywide events uh for school district members throughout. So that's not a governing body. It's more of a a meeting that helps students just as opportunities for more members to come together from all be
024sharing learning or sharing new students. 20 26 27 student renew handbook proposal. >> Yeah. So this is a new handbook for us as we're launching a virtual academy uh for the fall of 26 27. Um Kimberly Morton has done an outstanding job uh really working with area districts who have successful programs that I'm currently loving. um true of her strong as the public service west public schools in Ottawa County and then the Hamilton community schools in Ottawa County. Uh and so she has um formed some good uh operational partnerships with the mayors of those two uh groups and then um really put together the best of a variety of different programs or a variety of the handbooks in this case that she's looked to really capture the essence of those the essential elements that we
025would want to have uh to provide guidance for this program for our families and for our questions. We've got that on action. >> We'll be to the portion of our meeting where we would entertain public comment and this is the time that we hear from the public and we have three minutes slots for that and the board won't be having a back and forth conversation but Mr. Smith will be following up. So, do we have anyone wishing to address the board? I have not. >> All right. So, we have received none for public comment. So, we go ahead and close public comment and move on to our action items for this evening. Our first action item is from our closed session and it is for student number 252607 and I would entertain a motion. >>
026I'll make a motion to permanently expel student. in discussion. >> So I I would say you know um I really appreciated the student and the people that came alongside I could tell the best student will be successful that they'll overcome this barrier and if the law gave us any flexibility I would be considering uh what flexibility that might have but the law is clear and unfortunately in this case are not Having no other discussion, I will go ahead and call for the vote. Vice President Bowser, >> yes. >> Secretary Hatton, >> yes. >> Gilmore, >> yes. >> Trusty Slagger, >> yes. >> Trusty Shner, >> yes. >> Trusty Willlet, >> yes. >> President Reed, >> yes. Motion carries. Our next action item is the bond construction update in top f. We have decisions before us
027in our investigation and taking into consideration that the what we've been considering for 36 months. So I would entertain a motion or action on top. I move we uh move forward with option three which is uh then I don't want to enter retain the land. Um I talk I'll talk about the one I guess during >> it working with a motion and second that brings us to session. So the motion on the floor is to demo and routine open up the table for discussion. So if before you do that with that motion um do we need to uh approve also do that separately? >> I would think that would be a second order. >> Yeah. So my thinking was I said out of the four choices that we have um option one stat opens up
028the district building that's once option two is asking spending more than $17 million on a building that we don't really have purpose in use right now for education that's a big ask for not a lot of return the $17 million that want to invest different days of the education of the students Um and then option four, if we sell our don, we lose control over who's that close to campus so that we get something move in there that is not advantageous for our students or maybe not safe for those students. So out of the options given, option three sets up a district for success. >> There you go. And to speak to the housing portion of it that people have asked about housing, we when we take a look at the structural engineer reports and
029things, it's in very poor conditions. We the wood as we know from the skater story was reused um from a prior school. So it's even older than it's old if that makes sense. And some things are okay to go full housing and some things aren't. And this tends this this looks to me that it's that would not be an option. And then that also leads us to Dre's uh well noted concern that then we're opening ourselves to you know other things on camp close to experience. I mean, it's already an eyesore in regards to the fencing having to be around this building. That's been up for how long? >> Yeah. Just over a year. 13 months. It came down in April of Yeah. early April, late March of 25. >> I think for historical reasons,
030we could even do something. I think I know I say this every single time, but the bricks, you know, like down at the dam for Rockford, there's memorial bricks and things like that. So that I mean, we could do something in that way if you want to get involved the park or up the path or the the stadium or something. that there's something we can do, but I just think it's better before someone gets heard that we be responsible. >> Yeah. And I I would just know I mean I I feel like the board has done due diligence exploring this for a good number of years and really not taking it lightly know that it is a historical building does have a lot of meaning and significance to the community. So with that, you know,
031there has been a lot of respect for the the process and exploring all options and and gathering lots of information and data points and um and now we're to this point where is is very clear. >> I think oftent times too when you renovate as someone who renovated an 1890 farmhouse, you run into issues that you don't know what's behind those walls or what's what's on the foundation. It's very clear that there's issues with walls and you just see it from the north side as the building is teetering. Um, oftentimes renovating a structure like that for a school I believe brings limitations to the district as well and sink money into something like that we're locked into a facility that is limited to what what they offer in the future. And I think that's really
032important to be mindful as a community member, past staff member, and a board member that all those things need to be considered. The next steps and two before I call for the vote, you know, we had had public comment in the past to remind us that memories while we do appreciate historical value, those live with us in people's hearts and brains and they're not really bricks and mortar. So, um, that was fun and a good piece to remember. >> I would love if possible to give a tour potentially to the historical society just to take pictures, things like that. Uh, to go into the museum, things like that before if we reach that point. Um, and we've had conversations all times, the bricks, stuff for wood shop, things like that. That that opportunity does present
033itself heading that direction. I have concerns about bringing home. >> Sure. I I I mean more of a couple people from the museum, >> but >> I did almost trip to say >> so recommendation from the structural engineer that examined it once the brake actually fell was to not not let people >> or we could take pictures and set too. I guess it's even better. So, >> and it's pretty stripped down, too. >> It is. Yeah. >> All right. Are we ready to call the vote? >> So, noted. Here we go. Vice President Bowser, >> yes. >> Secretary Patton, >> yes. >> Treasurer Gilmore, >> yes. >> Trusty Slagger, >> yes. >> Trusty Shner, >> yes. >> Trusty Willlet, >> yes. >> President Reed, >> yes. Motion carries. That brings us in our discussion or
034in our action items to a point of order where with this we do need to follow up with a motion to accept the bid for demolition. for beer line. The bid from beer line is in the amount but the total um recommendation to award not as we've seen uh $813,000 with the principal contractor being deer line instruction is a partnership I have to improve the uh amount not to exceed 813,000 to accomplish the work just any discussion to >> it's got that but in just conversation we've that does include keeping us away from those nice trees out front. Yes. >> Awesome. >> Say the truth. >> Yes. Part of the walk through when they uh when we did the vendor walk through the cont made clear that we're going to be preserved as much of
035the natural uh existing trees as we could. Um and then create kind of a a sloping green space. the overall elevation to be determined because they'll use some of the soil from the hill to move into where the existing building footprint is. And that's assuming that we don't have any unsuitable soils that they find the demolition process. Hopefully, we've got a good foundation, but there is uh an allocation in that $813,000 for removal of unsupils. Uh if they become um we have a motion and we have support. Any more discussion? If not, I would call the vote. >> Vice President Mouser, >> yes. >> Secretary Patton, yes. Gilmore, >> yes. >> Trusty Slagger, >> yes. >> Trusty Schoffner, >> yes. >> Trusty Willlet, >> yes. >> President Reed, yes. Motion carries. Thank you everybody for
036your consideration and art and work on that on this issue. All righty. Action item C 2026 reproductive health sex education advisory board member nominations. I would entertain a motion for as presented. >> So move support >> discussion having none. Vice President Bowser. >> Yes. >> Secretary Patton. >> Yes. >> Treasure Gilmore. >> Yes. >> Trusty Slagger. >> Yes. Mr. Schoffner, >> yes. >> Trusty Willlet, >> yes. >> President Reed, >> yes. Motion carries. >> Action item Dent Intermediate Association of School Boards Directors Ballot. We have four people for officer office and they don't have any organized for the people that are willing to serve in that work. and discussion. >> Hello. >> I'll talk about Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. So, Wi-Fi session right there. >> Okay. Any discussion on the people willing to serve? All
037right. Vice President Bowser, >> yes. >> Secretary Pton, >> yes. >> Treasure Gilmore, >> yes. >> Trusty Slayer, >> yes. >> Trusty Schoffner, >> yes. >> Trusty Willlet, >> yes. >> President Ree, >> yes. Motion carries. Our last action item for this evening is to Cedar Springs for virtual handbook proposal. I would entertain a motion for as presented. >> Support discussion having none. Vice President Bowser, >> yes. >> Secretary Kent, >> yes. >> Frederick Gilmore, >> yes. >> Trusty Slagger, >> yes. >> Trusty Shner, >> yes. >> Trusty Willlet, >> yes. >> President Reed, >> yes. The motion carries. That brings us to the communication portion of our meeting. And for the board of education, I have no outstanding correspondents who have any correspondence um that I've received. And I would turn it over to
038Superintendent Smith. >> None for being here. planning. Our next meeting is May and May will be busy. We've got graduation club meetings to attend >> May 11. Thank you. May 11th. So, graduation the 21st. Barring any other immediate business that needs to come before the board, we will stand a journ at 7:12. Thank you. Thank you.