R-II board members differ on construction plan

SKYE POURNAZARI/THE FORUM
Maryville R-II Superintendent Logan Lightfoot talks with board of education members on Thursday afternoon about the construction plans for Eugene Field Elementary and the Maryville Early Childhood Center. Board members differ on the plan and discussed the possibility of seeing a new plan where the MECC isn’t demolished.

MARYVILLE, Mo. — During an hourlong special meeting held Thursday afternoon, Maryville Board of Education members discussed the construction plan for the district’s project at the Maryville Early Childhood Center, a part of its Proposition J.U.M.P. April 2 ballot proposal.

At issue during the meeting were concerns regarding the destruction of the MECC building. Two board members, Board President Josh McKim, the longest-serving member of the board and Isaiah Korthanke, one of its most recent additions, spoke at length about the plan and how neither like the idea of demolishing a building that is still functional.

Both told other board members that they had spoken with numerous teachers who are not in favor of the plan and truly enjoy their classrooms, which are open surrounding the center’s “kiva,” a common gathering space along with the rest of the MECC.

“You have very happy teachers there and I think happy teachers make good classrooms and help do great things for our kids,” McKim said.

Korthanke agreed with McKim noting that he also has spoken with numerous teachers who are not excited about losing the community and culture they’ve created in the current building.

He said they don’t like the idea of losing that communal space or the connection between the open classrooms.

“I believe the way it is right now, this will not pass,” Korthanke said. “This bond will not pass. There is an excitement around this bond right now and it’s to fight it and it’s not to support it.”

Superintendent Logan Lightfoot said that the district has listened to teacher feedback throughout the process and has made accommodations for those two specific concerns within the new construction plan. The new preschool area will feature classrooms side-by-side with large vertical swinging interior doors that may be closed offering a large dry erase board. This will still allow the classrooms’ exterior doors to lock for safety, something that the current building doesn’t allow because each room space is open and has no way to secure in case of an intruder.

The new plan also creates a common room space for preschool use that would be located between the bathrooms and the library of the new facility.

“I do appreciate your effort to put together kind of a common space where teachers can have that similar feel to what the kiva had offered,” McKim said. “I do appreciate the effort of the panel doors. I’ll be honest with you. I still do not like the idea of taking down that building. … It’s still an asset that’s in very good shape. That’s a tough one for me.”

McKim said he would like to see a plan that keeps the building and the happy teachers while also keeping them safe, which is one of the district’s three main goals of the district’s entire long-range plan:

1. Enhance safety and security for students, staff and visitors
2. Improve learning spaces, systems and outdoor facilities
3. Optimize existing spaces to enhance our ability to unite student learners

McKim said that no matter what plan the district moves forward with, he agrees improvements must be made for student safety, as well as the need for ADA compliance.

“This is not a surprise,” Lightfoot said. “We’ve been talking about this since July. This is probably a more appropriate conversation for July.”

For more than a year, the district has been working on this long-range plan and project which is set to improve the district over the next 10 years.

In February 2023, the board heard a report of the state of district facilities from Incite Design Studios. During this extended work session, board members were told that the 14,000-square-foot MECC received an overall “C” rating with regard to the facility, adequacy for teaching and safety.

In April 2023, the district held a long-range plan public input session and invited architects Incite Design Studios to explain the project, which included showing engineering reports and scores for all buildings within the district. At that time, the district also opened a survey to gain public input on the project.

In July 2023, Lightfoot updated the board regarding preliminary plans and noted the board would have information to approve so the district could develop and start a timeline for the project.

In August 2023, Lightfoot told board members that he brought the project before the staff at an all-staff meeting to explain the scope of the project.

At a meeting held in September 2023, Lightfoot showed slides with information, schematics and renderings of the project to board members and administrators during a meeting open to the public held in the Lee and Nina Schneider Center for the Performing Arts.

At that time Lightfoot said demolition of the MECC could begin in the summer of 2024, should voters approve the bond and the district be able to move forward with the project.

In an October 2023 meeting, the board approved JE Dunn as its construction manager as well as entering negotiations with other providers to help throughout the long-range plan.

In December, the board approved placing the no-tax-increase bond on the April 2 ballot seeking $23 million for capital improvement projects. Proposition J.U.M.P. (Join Us In Making Progress) includes: “to utilize the funds to renovate existing classroom spaces, remodel building entrances to increase safety, and reconfigure car and bus drop-off zones at Eugene Field Elementary,” among numerous other potential projects.

While no specific plan has been approved by the board, the plan, its schematics and renderings have been available for around six months if not longer. The board has approved continued movement forward with the project as it has been described up until this point.

“This plan, no matter what building, should keep kids safer, should help kids learn better and help teachers teach better, and take the space we do have to make the best work environment possible,” Lightfoot said at Thursday’s meeting.

Lightfoot read a report to board members from a JE Dunn construction manager about the difficulty and additional cost it would bring should the district elect to attempt renovation of the two-story portion of Eugene Field Elementary without the demolition of the MECC.

Korthanke noted that if the district kept the MECC, and just worked to improve the two-story portion of Eugene Field Elementary, it would not incur the cost of the new addition, so the additional expense for that renovation may actually save the district money.

“I’m with Josh, even stronger,” he said. “I can’t support this from the feedback that I’ve heard. I think we need to look at another plan that picks up those three classrooms in the old gym.”

The space for those three classrooms would be found by creating a second floor in the old gym, which the structure was not originally built to hold.

Board member JR Kurz said he, too, has spoken to educators and staff at the MECC and EFE and that he also would like teachers to get what they want, but the board must think about what is best for the district long term.

“I don’t believe the band-aid-type approach is the best for keeping what we have,” he said. “… You have to think long term, the next 20, 30, 40 years down the road, what is best for our district.”

Discussion continued around window size, safety regarding school shootings and fires before Lightfoot returned discussion to the district’s three goals.

“Let’s get back to our three,” he said. “Are we answering our three goals? I want to be very clear I think our staff at the MECC is fantastic. They’re great teachers. I understand they want to keep what they want to keep. … We’re charged with making a plan that will best serve the MECC or to best serve Eugene Field or best serve our school district. When I look at the three things we’re trying to accomplish, this plan accomplishes those three things.”

Assistant Superintendent Steve Klotz said the current plan still provides all the amenities that they currently have other than improved safety, which the current plan will rectify.

McKim said he’s not against the plan as it is, he would just like to see another option that doesn’t tear down the MECC.

“I’m just not sure tearing down a building that is perfectly sound is the best option,” he said.

Klotz said he doesn’t believe the building to be perfectly sound following the findings of the engineers during their study of the district’s buildings last year.

McKim admitted that the architects and engineers who studied the district are much more knowledgeable in those areas than he is.

“And much less susceptible to the heartstrings of the people that are in there,” Klotz responded.

“You’re absolutely right, but I was elected by those people and I want to support those people so there is a reason indeed to have that heartstring a little bit,” McKim said.

The board briefly switched topics to discuss safety and other board members offered concerns and suggestions.

Board member Kelley Baldwin said her concern really surrounds the possibility of the entire two-story structure being compromised should the district elect to attempt to shore up the two-story building in order to renovate it.

“That concerns me,” she said. “To capture three classrooms we might be building a building in 10-15 years because we screwed up what we have.”

That being said, Baldwin said she has been through major construction projects and that she believes it is of the utmost importance to explain “why” the construction is necessary.

Board member Mitch Coffelt brought up the idea of what creates culture, a building or people? Generally board members agreed people. McKim said you can’t throw out the building and closeness of it.

Board member Traci Westfall said that as a teacher, she is protective of her space, whether it is a closet or a giant room — if she’s decorated it, it’s hers. While she understands that, it’s safety that is her main focus and the new plan offers much more in the way of safety.

Kurz said it’s important for the board to be united when discussing the bond with the public.

“As a board member I can’t support this,” Korthanke said.

The board closed for a short executive session, then briefly reopened. McKim asked how much it would cost to see a new design from the designers with the MECC not being touched.

Klotz said he didn’t know, but estimated between $5,000 and $20,000. Administrators said they would do their best to find out what that cost would be and get back to the board.

Lightfoot told board members that he plans to continue meeting with community members and organizations about the bond and plan.

The board’s next scheduled meeting is set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb 21. The board is scheduled for a work session at 5 p.m. at the district office.