Back to work
High school project resumes after delay due to arsenic issue in soil
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NICK PEDLEY/SENTINEL-NEWS
A bulldozer moves dirt Tuesday morning north of H-M-S High School.
The construction project at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School has resumed after a three-week delay due to the level of arsenic in soil at the site.
During a project update at Monday's board meeting, engineer John Hight said test results indicated higher-than-allowable levels of arsenic in soil that was removed and piled at the site. After reporting the results to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, work was suspended due to potential groundwater issues.
Graves Construction was given two options for disposing the arsenic-containing soil. The first was to transport it to Northwest Iowa Landfill Center near Sheldon. According to Hight, costs for disposal and hauling total approximately $100,000.
The second option, which was agreed to by the contractor, is to prepare a site north of the ball diamonds where the piled material will be buried and covered with topsoil. Estimated cost to do that is $28,215.
"Of the two options, this is the best outcome," Hight noted.
The construction schedule will be altered so priority areas can be completed on time.
"The main priority is to get you a parking lot before school starts. If weather looks good, you should have a parking lot by the week before school," Hight said.
Superintendent Patrick Carlin noted the circle drive also needs to be usable soon, as activity in the building will increase during the coming weeks.
Other phases of the project such as ballfield updates will be "pushed back" for now.
"It's not as critical to have ballfield work done right now," Hight said.
The board did approve a payment of $252,254.92 to Graves Construction for work completed through July 7.
• Look ahead to school year
With online registration about to begin, the board finalized the 2023-24 fee schedule. Registration fees for grades TK-12 will increase $5, with the family maximum set at $245. Instrument rentals fees are $55 for wind and percussion instruments. The only change in nutrition prices is the cost of adult/visitor lunches, which will increase to $4.85.
The district will pay substitute teachers $140 per day this year, which Carlin said is "about in the middle" of the range paid by area districts. Rates paid to athletic officials for high school volleyball, basketball and softball will increase to $125, while pay for varsity football will increase to $130.
High school Spanish instruction will be provided by Logra Learning, an approved private online provider. Cost for each H-M-S student served is $285 per semester. The move is necessary because the Spanish teaching position remains vacant.
"This is the best of a difficult situation. We don't intend that to be permanent," said Board Member Ryan Haack. "We intend to have a permanent teacher in the room with students."
Carlin said the district will continue to search for a certified teacher. In the meantime a facilitator position for the Spanish program will be posted.
Prairie Farms submitted the lowest prices of the two bidders to provide milk, while Casey's Bakery was the only bidder for bread products. Both were the vendors last year.
Also approved were annual agreements with Northwest Iowa Community College for college courses and the alternative program, and Iowa Lakes Community College for the Student Alternative Vocation Education (SAVE) program.
