by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Sometimes the biggest source of action in a meeting is when a motion is never made.

So was the case with the Wellington School Board Thursday night in a special meeting at the USD 353 Administrative Building. The board discussed but never took action of separating the proposed “Safe and Secure Schools” bond proposal which will go to USD 353 voters on June 24 into two parts (see scope of the project here: Wellington School District Scope of Work Zoom in on your monitor for detailed plans).

The dilemma Thursday was whether to separate the question of building an auxiliary middle school gymnasium from the other proposals in the bond election.

USD 353 voters will be asked whether or not to approve a 2.6 mill increase to build a tornado shelter at Eisenhower Elementary and Roosevelt Schools, as well as putting in security issues, new roofs and a middle school parking lot (see full details below). The proposed project is valued at $11,434,810.

The board voted to hold a special election at its March meeting.

Board member Jason Newberry said he has heard from many people who told them they would vote “no” just because the auxiliary gym is on the ballot. His fear was that the gym proposal would bring down the rest of the question to defeat.

He proposed that USD 353 voters could vote on two proposals: 1) for the safety rooms and other improvements, and 2) the auxiliary gym.

After discussion the board said having two questions on the ballot would bring about confusion, and that the auxiliary gym is not a big enough expense to the overall scope of the bond proposal that it needs separating.

“You are talking about 50 cents a month or $5 a year on a $100,000 house,” said Steve Shogren, finance adviser for the bond proposal about the auxiliary gym alone.

Board member Bob White said the auxiliary gym was included in the ballot question because it helped Wellington Middle School administrators loosen up the schedule for various physical education courses. Wellington was also the only school in the Pioneer League that does not have two gyms, thus several games were WMS games were canceled when Wellington was at home. It also added a much needed practice gym especially with the Wellington Junior High gymnasium possibly no longer available and considered unsafe. Also an added auxiliary gym would keep the students constrained in the middle school building as opposed to walking to the junior high building where they tended to get in trouble.

“I didn’t realize there was a need for an auxiliary gym, until it was brought to my attention by the site councils, who were adamant we needed one,” said Angie Ratcliff, Wellington board member. “You are going to spend more money on one visit at a Sonic Drive Thru than you will pay on that gym in a year’s time.”

Shogren warned that placing two questions on the ballot would only add confusion to the voters. People would think of the two questions as either-or instead of a combination proposal. Oftentimes, one proposed question starts becoming competition with the other.

“It’s been done elsewhere and it hasn’t always worked out,” Shogren said. “You will oftentimes see the more popular question (of the two) losing momentum because some people like the other question better.”

Wellington board president Jackie Berryman said she has not heard anyone personally complain to her about a proposed gym.

Newberry, later in the discussion, admitted that the complaints of the gym were prevalent at the beginning when the bond proposal was initially proposed, but not so much lately.

When Berryman asked if there was a motion on the floor, nobody made one after a moment of silence.

The rest of the discussion was how to sell the proposal to the public. The administrators have been speaking to various civic groups and a presentation is available on local access cable channel 55.

Shogren suggested a group of 14 to 20 people should get together and start organizing a grassroots effort with brochures, yard signs and people going door to door. The board agreed to meet this Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Raymond Frye Complex.

The overall proposal includes:

Eisenhower Elementary 

•New FEMA shelter

•Security vestibule/office remodel

•Masonry Restoration

•New windows in office

•Replace roof

•Mechanical system upgrades.

Washington Elementary

•Security Vestibules on East and west entries.

•Replace roof.

Roosevelt Alternative School

•New FEMA Shelter

•Security Vestibules at East and west entries

•Replace roof.

Lincoln Elementary

•Security vestibule/office remodel.

Wellington Middle School

•Security vestibule/office remodel

•Replace roof

•Replace asphalt parking lot

•Add air conditioning to gym

•Replacing lighting in gym

•Replacing bleachers in gym

•New auxiliary gym, locks and connecting corridor.

Wellington High School

•Security vestibule/office remodel.

Kennedy Elementary

•Security vestibule/office remodel

•Masonry restoration

•New windows in office

•Replace roof

•Mechanical system upgrade

•New classrooms to replace portable classrooms.

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