USD 253 Emporia will soon be a stakeholder in the potential building of a new recreation center.
The USD 253 Board of Education discussed with Emporia Recreation Center administrators of being involved during their regular meeting on Wednesday. The discussion was requested by the board of education to the Emporia Recreation Commission after its board members approved a memorandum of understanding for the formation of a future recreation center steering committee during its meeting on Monday.
The Board voted unanimously to ask USD 253 Emporia Superintendent Dr. Allison Anderson-Harder and Board President Jami Reever to work with the Emporia Recreation Commission and the City of Emporia to formally request equal inclusion on the steering committee and that the Memorandum of Understanding process be reopened to allow for that equal inclusion.
Reever says it is important for every entity involved in the project to have equal representation.
Anderson-Harder says it’s important for USD 253 to have a seat at the table.
If added to the MOU, the district will, like the ERC and city of Emporia, have two members on the steering committee with one at-large selection. Before Wednesday’s discussion with USD 253, the steering committee was set to have two ERC members, Ryan Karjala and Jeremy Dorsey, two Emporia City Commissioners, a Lyon County Commissioner and two at-large members selected by the city and ERC.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Rec Commissioner and former long time USD 253 Board of Education member Mike Helbert issued a formal apology to the board. The apology followed comments from Helbert Monday evening where he expressed his concern regarding the board’s absence from the steering committee which he believed to stem from a disinterest in the process.
USD 253 member and ERC Board Chair Jeremy Dorsey explained this was due to a miscommunication which has since been resolved. Dorsey declined comment to KVOE News Wednesday evening.
A special meeting will be held at a later date and time to update the MOU and move it onto the City Commission.
In other business, board members approved a quote for $47,370.00 from RTI Consultants to replace the largest portion of the room from the theatre to the side at Emporia High School. Board members also approved the financial audit for the 2022-23 school year done by Sean Gordon.
The USD 253 Board of Education will next convene on Wednesday, Feburary 7 at 6 p.m. at the Mary Herbert Education Center.
