Committee to address pick-up procedures at Central Elem.

Pick-up procedures at Central Elementary School were once again a major topic at the South Putnam School Board meeting Monday night, but after a half-hour discussion the board approved the formation of a committee, which will include some Central parents, to help address the issue.

"We had to get rid of that long line out to (U.S.) 40," Director of Transportation Neil Rissler said during his report. "We've accomplished that. I've painted lanes on the gravel. I've wasted my time; they don't pay attention to them. I finally set posts up there (saying) 'Lane 1,' 'Lane 2,' 'Lane 3.' I had a sign, right as they came in, that said, 'When picking up students form three lanes.'

"I think the only solution is to have a traffic cop out there every day. But we can get everybody into the gravel lot, and still have access to come around, pass everybody and come and park if they need to, and make a lane to get everyone out as they're picking up their students. If we had a hard, set way to get them to use three lanes in the gravel lot it'd resolve the problem totally."

Joe Allee, an audience member from Greencastle, asked, "What about roping it off between the poles in the gravel lot?"

Director Rissler said he had thought of that, but President Wes Hacker said, "An attendant has to be there to take that rope up and down."

Allee responded, "I mean, 'cause it's a trainwreck the way it is out there right now. I get here a half-hour early and I usually end up out here in the pavement. That issue is fine; I'll wait the half-hour to pick up the kids, but sometimes I end up hitting the gravel lot and -- oh my god, that is -- something needs to happen with that bad."

Angie Nichols suggested going back to the old pick-up method and creating a walkway with an attendant.

"We had an attendant at Reelsville; we had a custodian out there every evening," she said. "There's more students here, but why can't you have someone out there?"

Director Rissler responded that he didn't have the personnel, then Allee asked about having a custodian do the job.

"I'm not sure what their schedule is," Director Rissler said, "but I suppose the second shift custodians could do that before getting into their regular schedule. The whole purpose was safety and I don't think we want to go back."

Superintendent Bruce Bernhardt said he would look into having a custodian to help with the pick-up. President Hacker suggested the idea of reconfiguring the parking lot completely.

"I don't think any of us have a problem with that; if we have to reconfigure the parking lot we will, " President Hacker said.

Anthony Heavin suggested forming a committee, which would include Central parents, to address the whole pick-up issue.

Director Rissler also mentioned that buses would have an easier time getting out of the parking lot if a certain light pole were removed, but that they could instead create a lane near the sign. This prompted the board to approve tabling the installation of new LED lights throughout the entire campus until after plans for the parking lot have been finalized.

It had originally approved the $39,458 bid from Energy Harness to install the lights in a 3-1 vote. The school received four bids ranging from the Energy Harness price to $85,010. Energy Harness was able to offer the lowest bid by proposing to weld second arms onto the existing light poles rather than replacing them entirely.

But the board wasn't sure whether the sample lights already installed would be deducted from the total cost, there was a factory warranty on the lights should one break, what was the cost for routine inspections and how many lights would be added by the gravel parking lot at Central Elementary.

In the original vote to approve the installation, President Hacker was the dissenting vote, saying that there were just too many questions that needed answering.

In the vote to reconsider the original vote and table the issue, the motion passed in another 3-1 vote with Vice President Steve Cash being the dissenter, saying that the need for new lights was a long-standing issue and he didn't like to see it come to a halt.

Near the end of the discussion, President Hacker said to Allee, "So I guess our comment would be, 'Bear with us.' We're still trying to improve and work with what we have. I would say by next year, at least by mid-year, we should have something that works for everybody."

In other developments:

-- "Susanne (Sullivan) was a great lady whom we'll dearly miss," Superintendent Bernhardt said during his report. "She was the most resilient person I've ever seen. She'd be sick for a while, then right back to work. Our thoughts and prayers are with her daughter and her family."

-- The May Students of the Month were Lilah Holderfield (2nd grade, Central Elementary School); Conner Arnold (3rd grade, Fillmore Elementary School); Brionna Egold (7th grade, South Putnam Middle School) and McKenna Jones (senior, South Putnam High School).

In other business:

-- The board approved the following personnel report:

-- Resignations: Lisa Sumpter (teacher, middle and high school) and Logan Grzesiek (teacher, middle and high school)

-- Retirements: Phyllis Curry (bus driver, bus garage, 2016-17)

-- Maternity leave: Jennifer Laser (teacher, middle and high school)

-- Hires: Haley Shawhan (math teacher, middle and high school, 2016-17); Ann Pruitt (music teacher, elementary, 2016-17); and Brandi Meece (part-time food service, Central Elementary).

-- Summer hires: Terri Canfield and Lisa Tandy (mowers); Nancy Knapp and Austin Kirton (bus worker); Charity Harvey (mower and bus worker); Traci Boyce, Hilarie Pistelli and Cheryl Tomaw (high school office, rotating).

-- Secretary Dave Bombei was absent.

-- The board approved the May claims with a total of $419,913.60, a decrease of $106,474.46 from the April claims.

President Wes Hacker noted that the school water bill has improved since the leaks were found and stopped.

Anthony Heavin asked for clarification on the purchase of permanent name tags for the 1:1 device cases, which were printed by the high school "Graphic Arts" class.

"I guess what I'm really asking is, 'Who buys their supplies?'" he said, to which Superintendent Bernhardt responded that the class purchases their own supplies.

The next South Putnam School Board meeting will be July 18 at 7 p.m. in the music room at Central Elementary School.