Steelville R-3 Board of Education certified the results of the municipal election during its April 16 meeting. The board also recognized the $6 million no-tax increase bond issue that was on the ballot, which passed with 437 yes votes and 252 no votes.

Bond project bids are expected to go out in January and construction will begin next summer.

Three seats were up for election with four candidates vying for the positions. Incumbents Brad Brooks and Rachel Martin were reelected with 433 and 466 votes, respectively, alongside Kyle Grayson with 435 votes.

During the reorganization portion of the meeting, Rebecca Sackman was reappointed as president, Kevin Green was reappointed as vice president, Brooks was reappointed as treasurer and April Williams was reappointed as secretary.

The board also discussed the school’s track, which was originally built in 1997 and has not had any maintenance done on it since.

Originally built as an extension of the walking path in Steelville City Park, the school eventually started using it for track. Because of this, it is not up to regulation.

The district’s maintenance crew and city crews have spent the last few weeks working together to patch cracks, which have become a tripping hazard for athletes.

Resurfacing the existing track has an estimated $750,000 price tag, while tearing it out and installing a new one entirely could cost the district around $1.5 million.

However, 1997 reports from engineers who built the original track noted concerns regarding the moisture and softness of the soil underneath, which they predicted could cause it to crack.

“We’ve kind of seen that come to fruition over time,” Superintendent Steven Vetter said. “So, truth be told, replacing it out there is probably not a wise investment.”

The district is getting a projection on the cost of installing a brand new track on school property instead, but Vetter estimates costs will still sit around $1.5 million.

This cost would be difficult for the district to fund, as a $500,000 reduction to its budget is expected, due to a decrease in funding that is impacting schools statewide. Money will be tighter, moving forward, and Vetter anticipates needing to deficit spend next year.

“That would be why I would not recommend going out right now and spending a million-and-a-half dollars on a new track, because it would put us in a jam,” he said.

Funds from the recently approved bond issue will primarily go toward the more pressing construction needed at the elementary school.

“Our elementary building is aging and in dire need of these repairs,” Vetter included in his report to the board. “Our students and staff deal with these conditions everyday throughout the year. The track is also in need of being replaced, however our buildings housing students all day everyday need attention first.”

However, he does hope to bring a representative from Missouri Capital Asset Advantage Treasury into an upcoming board meeting to discuss investing funds from the bond, which would provide additional revenue that the district could use to fund the new track.

A grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC)’s Land and Water Conservation Fund could also be used to help the district partially fund a project like this, Vetter said. The MDC provides up to $500,000, which the district would need to match. Applications will open in August.

A committee of community members that can provide input on solutions and start fundraising for the new track will be established. Vetter plans to be transparent with the district’s fundraising goals and communicate progress along the way.

In other news, the board approved a quote from Missouri Floor Company for a new floor in the high school gymnasium with a one-year warranty. Construction is expected to begin in September because of the decreased cost to do the construction outside of peak season.

The board also voted to approve a newly created volunteer handbook that lays out policies and expectations for adults volunteering within the district. Any volunteer who may be left alone with children must pass a background check and fill out an application. Building principals will then match eligible volunteers to requests for assistance made by teachers. Volunteers will assist on a pre-scheduled basis.