WESTPHALIA  —Fatima Superintendent Chuck Woody said the administration building project is proceeding with everything but steel.

“They’re about six to eight weeks behind on steel,” said Woody. “The contractor is pouring concrete and doing everything they can to get ready.”

Woody expects the steel to arrive in mid-January, which puts him and his staff in the new building in early May. They are working out of a trailer during construction, but the maintenance crew is using the current admin building for storage for as long as possible.

“We are working on asbestos abatement this week, but other than that, the guys will be in the building until they are ready to tear it down,” said Woody.

Bids for the new building will be opened at 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 3. A special board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Jan. 4 to select a contractor and award the bid.

“We will take a couple of weeks to make sure everything is in order and have our attorney look it over,” said Woody.

After contracts are signed, work will begin on the gym first, Woody explained, with development moving toward new classes and office space. “All of that is in the main bid,” said Woody.

Alternates include extending the lobby, creating a corridor, and a new wrestling room for practice. “If we have the money, we’ll do it all,” said Woody. “We just have to make sure we can afford it.”

The superintendent plans to use money saved in the district’s Fund 4 account, which, as of last week, had a balance of $795,481 to pay for architect fees and other items. “I want to use that cash to pay for as much as possible this fiscal year,” Woody explained.

The new tax levy will be placed in Fund 4 to pay for the project.

Remaining Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds will be used as well.

“We want to take care of our teachers, but we don’t know how much we’ll have to work with,” said Woody. “We’ll know more in a few months.”

Payments for the project will be made through a lease purchase overseen by LJ Hart.

In 2024, Fatima will pay $182,320, followed by $182,900 in 2025 and $103,000 the next year.

In other business, board members approved a clean audit for FY 23, which covers the school year ending on June 30, 2023.

Revenues for FY 23 totaled $11,282,432, including local ($5,917,028), county ($565,804), state ($3,231,280), federal ($1,531,193), and other ($37,128).

Woody noted the district underwent a special audit because it had received so much in federal funds through IDEA (Special Education) and CARES.

“Having a clean audit is a testament to Patty Schnieders and Ginger Kloeppel,” said Woody. “They do a great job making sure everything is in order. I’m blessed with a staff that knows what they’re doing.”

• Woody said that Senior Citizens Day is in question this year because of construction. Normally held in mid-March, Woody worries that the building project will make it difficult for participants to navigate. “We want to do it, but we’re trying to figure out how to do it safely,” he said.

• Board members hired Garrett Norris (activity bus driver) and Mikayla Scully (JH Academic Team) and accepted varsity volleyball coach Ellie Crede’s resignation.

• Bills were approved, totaling $556,135.57.