JASPER — New security fences will be erected at Jasper School District campuses and a long-standing water leak problem on the Jasper campus has been solved, the school district's board of education was informed at its regular meeting March 17.
Pat Summers, the school district's operations director, was at the meeting to update the board on some projects on-going in the district. The district had received school safety grants approved for adding security fencing. The first section of ornamental fencing has been erected at the Kingston campus and the contractor will now move to Oark and put up a chainlink fence behind the school's historic border wall.
A second grant will allow the Kingston campus to be nearly surrounded by chainlink fencing. Summers also noted some fencing will be erected on the Jasper campus primarily around the playground.
Kirks Excavation (Hodge Welding & Fencing) has been doing the work.
For many years the Jasper campus has experienced water leaks that could not be located. The problem is believed to stem from a waterline that lies under the long hallway that was built to connect the high school and elementary school. Correcting the problem has been on the school's master plan for years, however, the expense made accessing the waterline prohibitive.
The school is currently experiencing a major leak that can't be found, said Superintendent Dr. Candra Brasel. The recent water bill was for $3,905, the board was told.
To solve the problem, a new water line will be installed between existing buildings on campus eliminating the need for the old waterline under the hallway, Summers said.
A cap will be put on the old line and tap will be made on to a new and larger water main that was installed by the city when it replaced waterlines throughout Jasper a few years ago.
The cost will be about $13,000 for materials and labor. The work will be done by the school district's contracted plumber, Summers said.
Brasel said the high school and the elementary school will have their own water service lines.
"Nothing will be under a building," Summers emphasized.
A recently discovered sewer problem will also be addressed this summer, Summers added. The job will require breaking through some asphalt and concrete to reach a junction where a sewer pipe is broken.
Brasel returned to the school safety grants reminding that the funding came in two batches. The first round of funds were earmarked for the fences at Kingston and Oark and for a new district-wide phone and intercom system that will be installed over spring break.
About $150,000 was received in the second round. That will go to the fencing projects at the Kingston and Jasper campuses that were included in Summer's report. The remaining funds will be used for bus cameras and signage.
The board awarded the contract for the Jasper and Kingston fencing work based on Kirk's Excavation's bid of $111,524.30.
The board also approved the appropriation of $24,116.40 for ten school bus cameras and installation.
