SIDNEY – Renovation plans for Sidney High School auditorium were shared during Monday night’s Sidney City Schools Board of Education meeting.
Superintendent Bob Humble said he has been working with Ellen Keyes and Chris Gibbs, Gateway Arts Council, on what needs to be done to the facility. Funds for the project will be provided by COVID-19 money through a federal grant.
Humble said there are two main things to be accomplished with the project: repairing and reupholstering all the seats and upgrading the stage which includes lighting, a video package, stage decks, new front drape, curtains and other items.
Humble and Keyes received estimates for the project.
The estimate for video and audio costs is approximately $60,000 while lighting could be between $100,000 to $150,000 depending on which package is selected. The audio package is estimated at $100,000.
Estimates for the stage curtains, which includes the main curtain and valance curtain, $9,665; masking curtains, $28,181; cyclorama curtain and scrim curtain, $3,481; and rigging inspection, $1,900.
The estimate for repairing and reupholstering 704 seats in the auditorium is $189 per seat for a total of $133,056. The work will include removing the existing covers and foam from the seat pan and inner back; and installation of new, individually molded opolyurthane foam pad which will be glued to the seat spring assembly; a new foam pad will be glued to the seat’s inner back; and the back and seat will be upholstered with fabric approved by the board.
Humble said he’d like for Sidney’s school colors to be used in the fabric covering the seats.
The estimate for six band shells for the project is $3,005 per shell for a total cost of $18,030 plus $3,245 for freight services.
The total estimated cost, said Humble, is $750,000, which includes a 30% excess cost estimate for increased costs and unforeseen needs.
The project was approved as presented. The project will be bid at a later date. No work will begin until after graduation.
Humble said he plans to start having meetings with Gateway Arts Council representatives, the music staff and others who will be involved in the project beginning the first week of May.
In other business, the board:
• Heard the Sidney High School Symphonic Choir perform two songs.
• Heard building reports from the Emerson Primary and Northwood Intermediate schools principals.
• Approved the updated enterprise zone agreement for SEMCorp and reducing the statutory notification period from 45 to 15 days.
• Approved the purchase of bus routing software from 3DEZR at a cost of $22,888, which includes implementation, training, 15 tablets, yearly support fee and sport trip software.
• Approved instructional assistant services for the 2021-22 school year with the Midwest Regional Educational Service Center at a cost of $7,986.48.
• Approved an agreement for additional hours with Key Behavior Services for school-based ABA consultation and implementation services from March 17 to June 20, 2022, at a rate of $125 per hour for a maximum of 100 hours at a total cost of $12,500. The contract will be paid with IDEA Special Ed — Part B funds.
• Amended any administrator contract that extends beyond June 18 to include the paid holiday Juneteenth Day, effective with calendar year 2022.
• Adopted new/revised policies.
• Approved the Lattchkey parent/student handbook and employee handbook for the 2022-23 school year.
• Approved paper/pencil testing for the third grade ELA state test for the 2022-23 school year.
• Heard the legislative report given by board member Greg Dickman.
• Heard the Upper Valley Career Center report given by board member Michele Lott.
During the public participation portion of the meeting, Doug Jackson and Xavier Foy addressed the board.
• Went into executive session to consider the compensation of a district employee. No action was taken.
