The numbers aren’t completely clear, but they’re also “not good” for what it would cost to repair ongoing structural issues at the Mary Herbert Education Center.
That’s according to USD 253 Director of Maintenance and Grounds Cory Nicolet, who discussed the facility’s structural issues with USD 253 Board of Education members Wednesday night. According to Nicolet’s report, the southwest corner of the building has sunk between 2.875 inches and 3.75 inches, depending on where you measure, leading to structural integrity issues within the facility.
Nicolet stated Wednesday they could stop the sinking, a process costing upwards of $250,000. While that would stop the issue “for now” Nicolet says it is not a solution to the problem.
Nicolet says raising the building and making the necessary repairs would be a very costly endeavor stating “I don’t see any way to be under a million dollars” or even more.
KVOE News also spoke with Superintendent Dr. Allison Anderson Harder and asked if the cost of said repairs is even feasible for the district to which she responded:
KVOE News also asked if the district is considering moving operations from Mary Herbert to a different location to which Anderson Harder noted they are looking at the situation from all angles and points of consideration.
According to Nicolet a representative from Kansas City foundation repair company KC Pro, who was on site a year ago, is set to return later this week for additional measurements on the facility with more discussions on the matter set to take place in the coming months.
In other business Wednesday, Dr. Anderson Harder led a presentation on the latest district quarterly strategic planning update. Anderson Harder says over the last year the district has had a number of reasons to celebrate including programming, relationship building, curriculum changes and the district’s recent highlighting at the Kansas Association of School Boards’s state conference last month.
In separate business Wednesday evening, board members:
*Reviewed and approved the Emporia Middle School enrollment course guide for 2025-26
*Discussed benefits and open enrollment updates from IMA
*Approved the changing of board policies following a second reading
*Held two executive sessions, one for the acquisition of property and the other for Superintendent evaluation, with no action taken following either
The USD 253 Board of Education will reconvene on Wednesday, January 8 for its first meeting of 2025 inside of the Mary Herbert Education Center.
