Members of Lincoln County School District #2 Board of Trustees took the oath of office at the November 13, 2024 meeting after last week’s General Election. From left to right. Jed Johnson (Area 3), Darnell Simpson (Area 4), Jake Long (At Large) and Kade Wilkes (Area 1) receive the oath from District Secretary Barney Kleeman. Long and Wilkes are new to the board while Johnson and Simpson were reelected. (SVI Photo by Dahl Erickson)

• Transportation facilities recommended to receive funds.

The Lincoln County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees met on November 13 and one of the presentations included the results of two Most Cost Effective Remedy (MCER) studies.

Rob Tanner with the Education Solutions Group, presented the findings for two district facilities, Etna Elementary and the Transportation Facility, or bus barn.

A MCER study can be triggered by one of three things, capacity, condition or demographics. The bus barn study was triggered by condition as those conducting the study did a thorough walk through of the area which was built in 1998. According to the study, the facility  maintains 63 buses, 31 white fleet vehicles and 30 pieces of tractors and lawn equipment. Some of the deficiencies that the study listed included a grease/oil interceptor for the septic system at the bus wash bay, an infrared heating system,  the building automation system, fuel dispensing pumps, fire sprinkler system, a heavy-duty post lift and the replacement of the metal roof system an interior insulation.

The recommendations for the updated items was estimated to cost approximately $578,000.

The official from the state of Wyoming informed the board that funding is available from the State Facilities Commission and from there it would be incorporated into the long-term facility plan.

•Etna Elementary

The study triggered for Etna Elementary had to do with capacity. Mr. Tanner’s address of the study for the school pointed out that these studies are done to try and ensure the efficient use of financial resources and noted that Etna Elementary is in a small enrollment decline. While in the process of performing the study, Tanner offered that the numbers projected for the school had some slight data errors and probably should not have been triggered at all.

The example of this was that the school was projected to have 358 students but was closer to the 280 or “high 200s” number.

“Utilization is not over capacity,” he said. No changes are recommended for the next ten years.

•Board Recap

Board member Homer Bennett praised Star Valley High School Resource Officer Corey Bassett for his professionalism during the lockdown earlier in the month.

Jason Horsley presented an Accountability Study to the board regarding each school with the following determinations:

Afton Elementary (enrollment 398) Exceeding Expectations

Cokeville Elementary (enrollment 96) Exceeding Expectations

Thayne Elementary (enrollment 349) Meeting Expectations

Osmond Elementary (enrollment 345) Exceeding Expectations

Etna Elementary (enrollment 278) Meeting Expectations

Cokeville High School (enrollment 104) Meeting Expectations

Star Valley High Schoo (enrollment 883) Meeting Expectations

Star Valley Middle School (enrollment 435) Partially Meeting Expectations

Swift Creek High School (enrollment 56) Meeting Expectations.

Superintendent Matt Erickson noted that LCSD No. 2 enrollment is down 18 students overall from last year at this time and down one student from last month.

Mr. Warren Hicks noted in his facilities update that they are working on heating equipment and snow removal equipment. He also praised several employees for going above and beyond to cover duties as the staff has been short-handed due to illness.

The board voted on the approval of the superintendent contract. The contract was approved with board members Dave Jenkins and Lenn Johnson voting no.

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