WESTPHALIA  — Fatima Superintendent Chuck Woody told board members last Wednesday that a spec meeting with contractors went well, and the building project is moving quickly.

“It’s going to take six months for construction, so we need to be in a position to start around Thanksgiving or Christmas,” said Woody, adding the high school addition may be constructed with geothermal heating and cooling. “We have a great opportunity. We can get 30 percent in tax credits plus 10 percent if we use American-made materials.”

Woody said he was approached by Rehagen Heating & Cooling owner Travis Rehagen about the possibility.

“I’m very interested in having local contractors like Travis handle the project so we can spend money in our community,” said Woody.

Only classrooms and offices in the new high school addition would be served by geothermal control. The gym would not be included, nor would the new admin building.

“Only half of the admin building would be cooled, and the tax credits can only be used if we show that using geothermal will be the most cost-effective,” said Woody.

Jon Berendzen of Porter, Berendzen & Associates, of Ashland, told board members that his firm would pursue geothermal for the high school addition if it makes sense to do so.

All-State Consultants has completed the topographic survey of the property. The proposal for soil boring and investigation based on the current building plan has been approved, and the fieldwork is scheduled. However, additional borings would be needed for geothermal if that heating option is selected.

Berendzen also told the board that with a few changes, the high school may have gained a classroom or two. “I love that,” said Woody.

Bid advertising has begun, and Woody said the plan is to open and read bids at 4 p.m. on Aug. 3. Contracts will be prepared for the best bid, and board members plan to award the job at the next meeting on Aug. 15.

On Aug. 10, an engineer design meeting will be held at Fatima involving board members Joyce Weber, Jeffrey Winkelman, and VP Matt Robertson, who agreed to serve on the building committee and high school teachers. “We definitely want input from our teachers,” said Woody.

He added that it’s difficult to find people who work with block, so other materials will be considered next month.

The Aug. 15 meeting will start at 5:45 with a tax-levy public hearing, followed at 6 by the regular meeting.

In other business, Woody told the board that meal prices will remain the same in 2023-24.

He explained that during COVID, student lunches were paid for through Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds, with surplus money earmarked for food service.

“We had to spend that down,” said Woody, noting the district purchased a new oven, slicer, and freezer, among other things.

On June 27, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) gave the district $30,046.50 in additional CARES funds, which pushed Fatima to a surplus of approximately $157,000.

“Food service is supposed to be break-even,” Woody said. “It’s not designed to make a profit.”

As such, increasing prices would only add to the surplus.

Therefore, next year’s breakfast will remain at $1.25 (reduced cost: 35 cents) while lunch will stay at $1.95 (elementary), $2.20 (high school), and $2.65 (adult), with a reduced price of 40 cents for everyone.

At the Early Childhood Center, breakfast will remain at 90 cents (reduced price: 30 cents), lunch at $1.30 (reduced price: 40 cents), and snacks at 15 cents for everyone.

• Board members hired Amanda Brandt to take retiring Tim Luebbering’s place. He will stay to help with the transition, and Brandt will begin her duties as board secretary in August.

• Milk bids were approved through Prairie Farms as follows: 1% white ($.3177), 1% chocolate ($.3537), 1% strawberry ($.3537), and skim white ($.3034).

• In employment news, the board hired Kelley-Marie Wibberg (assistant boys soccer coach), Cindy Schmitz (Nurse’s Aide), and Dustin Cox (Special Education Aide) while approving the resignation of Preschool Aide Savannah Schaben as of July 28.

• The board approved a surplus list, with bids accepted until 3 p.m. on Aug. 14 in the Superintendent’s Office.

Here’s the list of items: Jacobsen Turfcat T4220 mower, 2007 Chevrolet Uplander van 172,969 miles (bad transmission), Orbit 5/8-inch drill press, six three-foot-wide doors  (5 wood, 1 metal), two 1.5hp three-phase electric motors, three 16x36 new vent covers, RCA refrigerator, Whirlpool residential dishwasher, Tire chains 7x16 (several sets), two tile-removers, six-inch bench grinder, a pipe-threader, Vulcan commercial gas convection oven, general meat slicer, one used Lennox gas heater, one used Beacon/Morris gas heater, one Billy Goat 8hp track-blower, two metal shelves (bid separately), kitchen cabinet set, Sanborn 80-gallon air-compressor (7.5hp 200psi two-stage 230 volt with a $500 minimum bid), and risers used for choir (eight 4’x8’x24” three 4’x8’x16” and three 4’x8’x8”).

• Bills were approved in the amount of $360,727.24.