Additional settings for Safari Browser.
Riverton Notes/Survey from Community Meeting 11/6
Posted Date: 11/10/25 (9:10 AM)
Here is a link to a survey format of the questions presented at the Community Meeting Thursday evening for your input. Please, let us know if there is any issue with accessing the survey. We will keep that survey open through Friday. Thank you for your support and participation.
https://app.sli.do/event/hsyL81qAeMSJwHdUvg6wLN
Notes from the meeting per:
AARON HARTE, NCARB, LEED AP, AALE PRINCIPAL I DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL PLANNING
ACCREDITED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT PLANNER (ALEP)
Dr. Cooper and everyone, here are the notes from the meeting 11/6.
- Something that didn’t seem on the voting list was Electrical but it was scored as the worst issue.
- We only discussed the main building but what about the restrooms at the stadium. Dr. Cooper mentioned that bathroom, concessions, tickets, storage equipment etc is worked on getting bids but that will be out of capital dollars.
- What about softball concessions. Dr. Cooper mentioned that the discussion is to move the new one in between so it would be shared.
- What about the track? Dr. Cooper said that will be in our discussions tonight/come from the bond. There are cheap and expensive options.
Former BOE member said they spent a couple hundred dollars but maintenance team didn’t follow up on that, so it was wasted dollars. So it hasn’t lasted the 20 years it should. There are several things that way. Are we maintaining what we have? Rather than letting things get so dilapidated. It’s frustrating, I pay a LOT of taxes.
- Has our company assessed the physical plant dollars that need to be spent, to get the essentials; sidewalks, roof, etc.
- Is it in the budget to maintain the money already spent on stuff as opposed to let things go? Can it be in the budget to hire more maintenance staff?
Dr. Cooper: through a bond … the answer is no to hiring more staff. However, we are down two maintenance staff members from a few members.
- The electrical was in the worse shape: the NE corner of the welding shop. There is a pad mount transformer from the 50/60s. The district owns this and it could burn up. This gentlemen works at “Liberty”, they don’t keep those in stock anymore. If it burns up and burns the secondary … that would be VERY expensive.
- What are we seeing other districts do for security and access? What are we thinking here?
Dr Cooper hadn’t come up with options yet. He talked secure entry process but then mentioned his biggest concern is old doors not latching, etc. Another community member brought up Columbus.
Dr. Cooper said he brought up “total controlled access”. There are sooo many people with a key to this building. A LOT OF COMMUNITY agreed. We want to go to card access.
Card access was a BIG hit.
Dr. Cooper: I’m glad the votes said safety and security is number one. Lots of heads nodding.
- The former member brought up the detatched Ag building and that’s a huge security issue as well. Is that in the plan?
- Cash: I want to ask some things to spark ideas. What about CTE?
We need to bring back a high school health careers program. This is like a CNA program.
Even if we bring it back, it costs money/additional faculty.
Could that be addressed through liaison with the colleges.
In the past, the health careers was a combo program with Baxter and Galena, BUT all three shared the cost. Riverton did have the most kids. Maybe because it was housed here. Baxter and Galena were block schedule. Galena still is but we think Baxter is more traditional.
- Dr. Cooper, can you expand on how this bond issue could be cost neutral and what quotes we have gotten?
We haven’t gotten that far on quotes. We are talking to two different bonding companies but both say $8.5m with no increase on the mill levy. We would roll into the old bond that falls off in 29, to remain cost neutral. Total transparency, you would be extending a tax BUT no increase. If that were to happen in 29, we would never get that back. That would be detrimental to fixing these issues.
Former BOE member says: I’ve had two BOE members say they want to go in March because there are less votes. My opinion is that we should let America play out and get as much participation. I think November is when it should happen. Dr. Cooper, to go in March, we would have to go rather quick and I don’t know if we are there yet.
- Cash: What we’ve seen track record wise is that regardless of when this vote happens, we would get similar turnouts, because of how important the school is to this community.
I think just resurfacing the playground and getting out there will go a long way.
- Cash: This is just a starting point to see what is coming to the top. There are things like drainage, roof, MEP, etc have to be done.
Dr. Cooper: unfortunately, some of the things that happen are not the fancy things that people are going to see, but its going to make sure we have a good facility for the staff, kids, etc.
- Can we give the community more than a week to plan for the meeting?
- One last question, what HVAC got replaced last year:
Dr. Cooper: for the most part, 29 new units were put in primarily at the HS and some at the MS. There were a few units put in for the fieldhouse, cafeteria and wood shop. These were through a grant (the last four).
- The electrical lineman community member can help with getting discount on a helicopter in lieu of a crane.
https://app.sli.do/event/hsyL81qAeMSJwHdUvg6wLN
Notes from the meeting per:
AARON HARTE, NCARB, LEED AP, AALE PRINCIPAL I DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL PLANNING
ACCREDITED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT PLANNER (ALEP)
Dr. Cooper and everyone, here are the notes from the meeting 11/6.
- Something that didn’t seem on the voting list was Electrical but it was scored as the worst issue.
- We only discussed the main building but what about the restrooms at the stadium. Dr. Cooper mentioned that bathroom, concessions, tickets, storage equipment etc is worked on getting bids but that will be out of capital dollars.
- What about softball concessions. Dr. Cooper mentioned that the discussion is to move the new one in between so it would be shared.
- What about the track? Dr. Cooper said that will be in our discussions tonight/come from the bond. There are cheap and expensive options.
Former BOE member said they spent a couple hundred dollars but maintenance team didn’t follow up on that, so it was wasted dollars. So it hasn’t lasted the 20 years it should. There are several things that way. Are we maintaining what we have? Rather than letting things get so dilapidated. It’s frustrating, I pay a LOT of taxes.
- Has our company assessed the physical plant dollars that need to be spent, to get the essentials; sidewalks, roof, etc.
- Is it in the budget to maintain the money already spent on stuff as opposed to let things go? Can it be in the budget to hire more maintenance staff?
Dr. Cooper: through a bond … the answer is no to hiring more staff. However, we are down two maintenance staff members from a few members.
- The electrical was in the worse shape: the NE corner of the welding shop. There is a pad mount transformer from the 50/60s. The district owns this and it could burn up. This gentlemen works at “Liberty”, they don’t keep those in stock anymore. If it burns up and burns the secondary … that would be VERY expensive.
- What are we seeing other districts do for security and access? What are we thinking here?
Dr Cooper hadn’t come up with options yet. He talked secure entry process but then mentioned his biggest concern is old doors not latching, etc. Another community member brought up Columbus.
Dr. Cooper said he brought up “total controlled access”. There are sooo many people with a key to this building. A LOT OF COMMUNITY agreed. We want to go to card access.
Card access was a BIG hit.
Dr. Cooper: I’m glad the votes said safety and security is number one. Lots of heads nodding.
- The former member brought up the detatched Ag building and that’s a huge security issue as well. Is that in the plan?
- Cash: I want to ask some things to spark ideas. What about CTE?
We need to bring back a high school health careers program. This is like a CNA program.
Even if we bring it back, it costs money/additional faculty.
Could that be addressed through liaison with the colleges.
In the past, the health careers was a combo program with Baxter and Galena, BUT all three shared the cost. Riverton did have the most kids. Maybe because it was housed here. Baxter and Galena were block schedule. Galena still is but we think Baxter is more traditional.
- Dr. Cooper, can you expand on how this bond issue could be cost neutral and what quotes we have gotten?
We haven’t gotten that far on quotes. We are talking to two different bonding companies but both say $8.5m with no increase on the mill levy. We would roll into the old bond that falls off in 29, to remain cost neutral. Total transparency, you would be extending a tax BUT no increase. If that were to happen in 29, we would never get that back. That would be detrimental to fixing these issues.
Former BOE member says: I’ve had two BOE members say they want to go in March because there are less votes. My opinion is that we should let America play out and get as much participation. I think November is when it should happen. Dr. Cooper, to go in March, we would have to go rather quick and I don’t know if we are there yet.
- Cash: What we’ve seen track record wise is that regardless of when this vote happens, we would get similar turnouts, because of how important the school is to this community.
I think just resurfacing the playground and getting out there will go a long way.
- Cash: This is just a starting point to see what is coming to the top. There are things like drainage, roof, MEP, etc have to be done.
Dr. Cooper: unfortunately, some of the things that happen are not the fancy things that people are going to see, but its going to make sure we have a good facility for the staff, kids, etc.
- Can we give the community more than a week to plan for the meeting?
- One last question, what HVAC got replaced last year:
Dr. Cooper: for the most part, 29 new units were put in primarily at the HS and some at the MS. There were a few units put in for the fieldhouse, cafeteria and wood shop. These were through a grant (the last four).
- The electrical lineman community member can help with getting discount on a helicopter in lieu of a crane.