Charles City School District will not replace Comet Drive, will save nearly $139,000

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Community School District will not replace the section of Comet Drive from the high school parking lot to the south driveway.

At the regular meeting Monday, the Charles City Community School District Board of Education voted unanimously to approve a change to the athletic complex project, electing to not reconstruct the Comet Drive roadway, and instead constructing an earth drainage swale.

It is estimated the change will save the district nearly $139,000 in construction costs.

The roadway was initially installed in 2016, as part of the construction of the new middle school, to accommodate anticipated traffic flow.

As a part of the athletic complex project, the district currently has that section of roadway blocked and has begun removing the road to provide the required space for the baseball field.

The intention was to relocate the drive at a total estimated cost for both removal and relocation of $157,090.30.

Charles City Superintendent Mike Fisher told the board that at the start of the school year, he and other district leaders examined traffic patterns and closely monitored vehicle traffic on the high school and middle school campuses.

“A fascinating thing happened — we never had to direct traffic,” Fisher said. “Traffic flow was actually improved because Comet Drive was closed.”

After much discussion with the district’s facilities committee, architects Veenstra and Kimm, Woodruff Construction, and the city of Charles City, a decision was made to forgo replacement of the roadway.

The city of Charles City initially indicated it would allow the change as long as surface water runoff issues are properly addressed. The Charles City Board of Adjustment approved the change last Friday.

The plan will provide green space for rainwater runoff. As part of the drainage system for the ball diamonds, a channel will be constructed to siphon water to the detention pond that was built as a part of the middle school construction to accommodate stormwater drainage.

Fisher said the district talked with several area residents to inform them of the plan, and residents who live at nearby apartments will still have access to the baseball and softball diamonds via the sidewalks which will be constructed around the diamonds.

In another item related to the athletic complex, the board unanimously approved a $1 gift of land from the city of Charles City on Monday. The city had already approved the transfer of land, which is 0.46 acres — 100 feet by 200 feet — to facilitate the reconstruction and realignment of Comet Drive. The land is legally described as “parcel I in the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 7-T95N-R15W in Charles City.”

In other action at Monday’s hour-long meeting, the board unanimously approved the list of depository banks for the 2019-20 school year. The district will continue to use CUSB Bank in Charles City as its primary bank depository, at an amount no higher than $15 million. Other banks listed as depositories include Bankers Trust and UMB Investment Direct at amounts no higher than $2 million; and First Citizens National Bank, First Security Bank and Trust, Fidelity Bank and Trust and Iowa Schools Joint Investment Trust, all at amounts no higher than $200,000.

In other business Monday, the board:
— Requested modified supplemental state aid in the amount of $30,376.76 for fiscal year 2019 excess Limited English Proficient costs.
— Approved the resignation of Mark Huegel, Lincoln head custodian, effective Nov. 30.
— Approved the appointment of Jenae Noonan, cross country supervisor, at a wage of $15 per hour, six hours per week for nine weeks, effective Sept. 23.
— Approved the resignation of and agreement with Carol Cole, bus driver and aide, effective Dec. 2.
— Approved a resolution to affirm the district’s support for Thursday, Sept. 26, as “Legendary Teacher Day.”
— Heard and discussed a 20-minute webinar, facilitated by Fisher, on “coherence.” The study is worth five points toward the Better Boardsmanship Team Award of Achievement sponsored by the Iowa Association of School Boards.