A group of about 40 community residents, which included parents, students and senior citizens, forcefully advocated their belief that the district’s plan to renovate the Tower-Soudan Elementary School should include a remodeled pool facility along with the preservation of the 1935 wing of the school, both the lower and upper floors.

This option, dubbed Option C, was developed after a preliminary planning meeting held with school staff on Nov. 8. The two initial plans submitted called for either totally removing the 1935 section and remodeling the pool space into classrooms (Option B), or taking off the second story of the 1935 section, preserving the ground floor, and keeping the pool (Option A).

The architect’s preliminary cost estimates for Option C came in at $4.08 million, higher than the $3.7 million for Option A or the $3.55 million for Option B. Estimated costs for renovating the pool and locker room were $500,000.

There is a little over $5 million set aside for the school renovation, but some of the money will be spent on so-called soft costs, such as engineering, design and costs associated with the bond itself, as well as leaving a contingency fund for cost overruns.

All plans call for removing the oldest section of the school, built in 1917, that currently houses the administrative offices, library, student support room and the classroom space above.

Residents questioned the wisdom of removing the second story of the 1935 section, which would require spending money to reconstruct the roof over that section. That section of the school received a new roof about six years ago.

Architect Doug Hilden-brand noted that if the second story remained, a new exterior stair exit would need to be put in place, and that the school elevator would need to be updated to meet current code. But residents noted that these two improvements could probably be done for less than the cost of demolishing the second story and constructing of a new roof. Leaving the upstairs would mean room for additional community space in the school, as well as expansion if the elementary student population grows. Demographic data shows that the Tower-Soudan area can expect to see population growth, and new housing currently being constructed on the Vermilion Reservation will also be bringing more families to the area.

Hildenbrand repeated his contention that removing the second story made sense educationally, because that space would need to be heated, lit and maintained, which would be an additional cost for the district.

Others noted that the district was “moth-balling” excess space in the Babbitt School.

“We’ve already given up our high school,” said parent Becky Gawboy, “with the promise that this was going to be a fantastic space for our elementary. It looks to me like we are going to get squeezed. There will be less space for special education, Indian education and ADAPT counseling.”

Communty Education Coordinator Nancy Larson noted that there is not enough space available for community education needs at the present, and the district’s Option A and B would have even less. She also noted there needed to be space within the school that had adult-size furniture, so adults could comfortably use the space.

Senior citizens spoke up on behalf of preserving the pool as a community resource.

“The pool keeps me moving,” said Pauly Housenga, who uses water exercise to help combat her arthritis.

Hildenbrand said they estimate it costs $40,000 a year to operate the pool. Julie Suihkonen, who runs the youth pool programming, said that figure was a ballpark estimate for year-round pool operation. The Tower pool only operates about eight months, she said, and estimated the actual costs to operate were closer to $26,000.

“The pool is educationally sound,” said Nancy Larson. “Our teachers love it. Our community supports it. Our taxpayers support keeping the pool. This is the right choice.”

Superintendent Charles Rick noted the community would have to set priorities. He said by upgrading the pool, there might not be enough money left in the budget to renovate the 1935 section.

“There are some choices that need to be made,” he said.

Marshall Helmberger noted that the pool was an asset for the district, and something that will help attract and keep students in the district.

Nancy Larson, who also works as a community development expert, noted that the cost figures presented are all based on rough square footage calculations.

“The costs right now are just pulled out of the air,” she said. “When you do the detailed engineering, you can find a way to do it.”

Troy Swanson, who will be the area’s school board representative starting in January, said it was clear to him that the public wants to keep the pool, along with the 1935 section.

Only one person, Dena Suihkonen, spoke against the idea of preserving the pool, noting she would rather see the money spent on educational offerings to make sure the elementary school survives in the future.

School Board Chair Bob Larson told the audience that while he saw the majority was in favor of preserving the pool and the 1935 section, that “I don’t want you to leave here thinking we can do all you want in Option C. There would be a lot of disappointment.”

The school board will have the final say over which floorplan is selected. Site staff will also give input on the final plan.

Hildenbrand will prepare some new cost estimates and floorplans for Option C. A second community meeting will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 23 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the plan. The school board is expected to make a decision on the final plan by early December. Architects hope to have the final plans in place by late December, so that bids can be ready for a spring construction start.

High school

transportation

District transportation director Ed Dorman also presented preliminary plans of how the district plans to transport high school students to the school sites in Babbitt and/or Cook. Plans call for running three additional bus routes for high school students. Dorman said plans call for keeping student riding time under one hour and fifteen minutes.

Dorman showed a map, with three areas colored in crayon– Tower-Soudan proper and areas to the east, the area south of Tower, and the area west of Tower including Highway 77. Dorman said each area would require its own bus route, and students would be collected and then brought directly to school. He estimated it would take about 40 minutes to collect all the students, and then the time to drive to the school site.

“We would use smaller buses and maybe vans,” he said. He noted that the shortest route for students living east of Soudan would be to drive them through Ely and then to Babbitt, an idea that drew laughter from the crowd.

Dorman did not have any cost estimates for the plan. District drivers do qualify for pro-rated benefits, such as health coverage, if they choose.

The big question raised was the issue of school choice. The district has maintained it would let Tower-Soudan students choose to attend school either in Babbitt (26 miles) or at the new school site north of Cook (30 miles), though the new north school will not be completed by next fall.

If half the students living in Tower-Soudan, for example, chose to go to Cook, and the other half chose Babbitt , this would mean additional bus routes, or longer times on the bus for these students.

Many parents noted it would be simpler to send their children to school in Virginia or Ely, since both districts are sending buses to Tower-Soudan. While these districts can set up central pick-up/drop-off locations for open-enrolled students, ISD 2142 has the obligation to provide bus service throughout the school attendance area.

Charles Rick noted that the district has been planning on adding six additional bus routes for next year, district-wide.The district has already added a new bus route in Cherry.