School Board approves bids for greenhouse

by Marianne Gasaway

One of several projects funded by the $18 million bond referendum passed by voters in March will be underway soon.

The Clear Lake School Board approved a bid from Atlas Greenhouse, of Alapaha, Ga., for construction of a 30-foot by 48-foot greenhouse at Clear Lake High School.  The winning bid of $61,300 includes $55,727 for materials and $5,573 for construction of the galvanized steel building.  Benches, water tables, an irrigation system with fertilizer injector are included in the price.

The only other bidder on the project was Rimol Greenhouse Systems, of Hooksett, N.H.  That bid was $69,671.

Three other bids related to the

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greenhouse project were also accepted by the Board.

•Complete Concrete, of Clear Lake, will prepare the concrete slab to go under the greenhouse at a cost of $25,357.

•Linahon Electrical, Clear Lake, will do the electrical work for $15,800.

•Secory Plumbing and Heating has the contract for gas and water work for $11,777.

Bids for the project came in slightly higher than the $75,000 to $80,000 the district expected to spend.

The greenhouse is slated for competition prior to the start of the 2021 school year.

Construction on two other projects approved in the bond issue— work at Lions Field and creating a more secure main entrance at Clear Creek Elementary, are proceeding ahead of schedule and required the board to approve a Fiscal Year 2020 budget amendment so that payments may be made in the current fiscal year.  An amendment was made in total other expenditures from $4,080,125 to $6,580,125.  A resolution passed by the Board allowed for payment of construction costs the district is incurring now  with SAVE and PPEL funds.  Those accounts will be repaid with bond proceeds.

Other business

In other business at its May 12 meeting the School, Board approved two 28E agreements for shared staff.

The district is renewing an agreement it used last year with Lake Mills.  High School, guidance counselor Deb Sharar will work one day a week in Lake Mills and four days a week at Clear Lake.  Lake Mills pays 20 percent of Sharar’s salary and benefits.

A second agreement started last year with Forest City, Garner-Hayfield-Ventura, Osage and West Fork was also renewed.  The Clear Lake district will share its social worker, Ashley East, with the other districts.  She will spend one day each week in each district. Each school pays 20 percent of her salary.

The board also approved proposed fees for the 2021 school year.  They are largely unchanged from the 2020 school year.  Activity prices will go up $5, making the cost $40 for students in TK-89 and $50 for those in grades 9-12.

After meeting in closed session, the board also approved administrative and non-union salaries and wages.  The employees received increases ranging from less than 1 percent to 6 percent.  The salaries appear on page 4B in this edition.

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