It seems almost yesterday that local voters approved a bond initiative that began USD 253 Emporia’s Building for the Future facility improvement initiative.
In reality, that initiative was approved five years ago in 2019 with work getting underway during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Looking back on the work done and the hurdles that had to be overcome during that time alone, senior project manager for McCownGordon Construction Eric Woltje says he will always look back at the work done throughout the district with a great sense of pride.
Woltje’s comments came after he presented the latest construction update to USD 253 Board of Education members as part of their regular action meeting Wednesday evening. During that presentation, Woltje noted that work on the final district building included in the bond package, William Allen White Elementary School, is 66 percent near completion.
Wotlje anticipates work on the school’s new addition should be wrapped up by winter break with additional renovations set to take place over the early half of next year. If all goes according to plan, Woltje says the bond initiative could be completely wrapped up by July of next year.
He says the “worst case scenario” has work wrapping up by August of next year. Following Wednesday’s meeting KVOE News spoke with board members Art Gutierrez and Grant Riles who are the only two current board members that have been active since the start of initial conversations back in 2018.
When asked his thoughts on the initiative nearing the finish line, Riles stated it feels like the work has flown by at a speedy yet deliberate pace.
Once the project concludes, Gutierrez says the board will be able to step back and appreciate the work for a short time before attentions shift more heavily to the lengthy list of deferred maintenance projects across the district which have been a subject of focus for the board and district maintenance staff for the past year.
On top of the new additions and renovations to existing district buildings, the Building for the Future initiative also included the construction and opening of the Jones Early Childhood Education Center.
In other business Wednesday evening, board members accepted donations to Riverside Elementary School as part of the consent agenda portion of the meeting and reviewed the latest quarterly strategic planning update from district staff. Members also held one executive session for student matters.
The USD 253 Board of Education will next convene on Wednesday, November 13 at 6 pm inside of the Mary Herbert Education Center.
