Mayor Rick Krawiecki gave an update on Friday to address concerns about high utility bills due to the cold weather event that led to increased natural gas costs to the city. The city anticipates receiving the full impact of the additional cost in mid-March.
St. James News
Donation will benefit student programs
Earl Bodyn, of the Walmart Distribution Center #6069, presented St. James Schools Athletic Director Greg Harlan with a $2,000 donation on February 4. The money was raised through the Miles for Smiles program, an employee run program aimed at raising money for local school districts through safe driving, and will be used by the district to support student programs.
District hears air quality assessment
The St. James Board of Education heard from Performance Solutions after it performed an indoor air quality assessment and provided the district with recommendations on HVAC upgrades in each building. An assessment began in November of last year and the findings were presented to the board during its meeting on February 18.
New high school classrooms now in use
Construction at the John F. Hodge High School is nearly complete, with new classrooms now being utilized after work was finished last week. Eric Sherrill, of Branco Enterprises Inc., and Brandon Dake, of Dake Wells Architecture, updated the St. James Board of Education February 18 on what remains before construction is officially finished.
School district, city in discussions to lease city property
Agriculture teachers Tim Davis and Whitney McWhorter presented a plan to lease city-owned property in Nelson Hart Park for school use to the St. James Board of Education during a February 18 meeting. Discussions on the lease are ongoing, but both teachers said students would benefit from the agreement.