Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

School Board votes to build pavilion

Gurdon's School Board met in regular session Tuesday and approved the proposed pavilion at the Gurdon Primary School.

Bobby Smithson, school superintendent, said the cost for the facility has been reduced from the Hughes Construction proposal of $24,244 to $16,445. GPS Principal Rita Roe has $9,500 on hand for the project.

"I have agreed to supplement this amount of $3,500 in difference initially, and pay off the balance, if we have a good year financially. If not, Mrs. Roe will have a fund raiser to pay off that $3,500 balance," Smithson said.

The superintendent said the pavilion, to be located on the hill behind the kindergarten, will be on the north side of the playground.

"We still have to put up the new playground equipment too," he said. "We will get on these projects as soon as our weather stables out a little."

In order to reduce the amount of the project, Smithson said the following changes will be made to the proposed pavilion. The only part of the pavilion to be covered is the storage room (10 feet by 30 feet). The remaining part will be open (30 feet by 50 feet). The concrete slab will remain (60 feet by 30 feet).

In other business, Smithson said he has paid back the loan connected with the softball field lighting because of a substantial grant coming through from the Cabe Foundation.

"The Horace Cabe Foundation has approved a grant for $43,500 to purchase lights for our softball field," Smithson said. "The Louis Cabe Foundation had previously pledged $5,000 toward this project. We will be able to fund the projects with the two grants. The lighting installation has been completed, and ready for softball season."

Smithson had applied for a similarly sized grant through the Cabe Foundation for an announcement sign for the school campus but was turned down. He said Anita Cabe told him to send the request back through next year and it would be considered again.

"We are delighted with this grant for the lighting and look forward to our parents being able to attend night softball games after they get off work," he said.

Smithson invited everyone to watch Go-Devil baseball at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25, when the team will have a home game against Nashville. This varsity game will be followed by a junior varsity game.

As to the baseball field additions, Smithson said it is all done except for the repair wire to the scoreboard, the seal outside the block walls and stripes need to be painted down the bleachers.

In other business, the ending balance for January was $866,133.15. Smithson said his goal is for it to stay at approximately $500,000 at the end of the school year.

"I feel we can meet the goal," he said. "This year we have had an increase in both gas and light bills over the winter, but we are holding our own. Food service is about at break even, but we have not had to raise prices on our kids. Break even is about all I want for the meal program."

The superintendent said things look good for the passing of a legislative bill to fund trade school programs. If all goes well, it would mean money spent on trade school training and costs would be reimbursed the following year. He said the students going to Ouachita Tech at Arkadelphia will continue to benefit.

"Our numbers are good in this program," he said. "We need to take care of those not on a college track as well as our college bound students. I feel our trade school efforts will continue to serve more and more kids."

Moreover, the Board voted for Smithson to give Tommie Campbell permission to continue his efforts for getting a Junior ROTC program going in Gurdon schools.

"This does not mean we will get it," Smithson said. "Space is a problem, but I think we might could work the program through the special education rooms, as 80 percent of the time they are with our mainstream students. Our kids need this program because it would be a good motivator, not just for the special education children but for others as well."

Smithson presented a letter from Campbell, where he was still optimistic that Gurdon would qualify and benefit from JROTC.

Smithson said he is not afraid of the change the program would bring. The superintendent said, if all could be worked out, he would like Gurdon to "at least try it a couple of years and see how it goes."

The Board is still looking for a new person to fill the space of long-term board member Jesse Runyan.

Smithson said, "Jesse Runyan has advised me he intends to resign his position on our School Board. After receiving his resignation, you need to appoint someone from Zone 12 to replace him. They can only serve until the next School Board election in September of this year."

It was suggested someone with a military background might be a good choice "as it could help get the ball rolling for JROTC."

In other business, Carolyn McDonald has accepted the position of Food Service Director for the district. Her office is located in the Central Office Building.

One of the other food service workers has been employed to work an additional three hours to fill McDonald's position in the high school cafeteria.

Bids have been taken for surplus buses. One bus is a 1989 Chevrolet, 65 passenger, and the other is a 1989 Chevrolet bus body.

One bid was for $250 on the running bus and $89 on the body. Smithson said he will get with the bus superintendent to see if he wants to accept these bids or reject all bids.