Excelsior Springs superintendent reports $50,000 emergency parking repairs, seeks fourth SRO from marijuana tax committee; outlines new state rules for student‑

Superintendent (name not specified) told the Excelsior Springs School District board that a summer repaving project at the high school has uncovered deeper pavement failure than expected and will require an emergency mill-and-fill estimated at about $50,000.

The superintendent said crews initially planned to mill about 2 inches but “we were having to mill 4 inches because they mill the 2 inches and it's just breaking up,” and described large, deep potholes that made a larger repair necessary.

The board was told the cost will be handled through a capital budget revision this quarter and that doing the deeper repair now will likely delay a larger repave and be less expensive than doing only a partial fix and returning later.

Why it matters: the repair affects high‑school parking availability and will require a budget revision; the superintendent said the district did not have a contingency in place after the recent administrative transition.

The superintendent also said Chief Dole requested support from the public sales tax committee (the district’s marijuana tax advisory body) to fund a fourth school resource officer (SRO) for district buildings. The superintendent cautioned that, if approved, hiring and training could take “anywhere from a 6 month to a year process,” and that approval is not guaranteed.

On legislative matters, the superintendent summarized several state and federal developments board members should expect before the start of classes. The presentation referenced Senate Bill 68 and described a forthcoming statewide rule that would prohibit students from using or displaying personal communication devices “from bell to bell throughout the instructional day,” including lunch and passing periods once the law takes effect. The superintendent said the district is awaiting final language and guidance from the Missouri School Boards Association (MSBA) before issuing handbook updates to families; a handbook revision is expected at the August board meeting.

The superintendent also noted the state approved full funding of the statewide assessment referred to in the report as the SAT and warned that district revenue could vary during the year depending on state receipts. He said the district was also tracking likely cuts to federal Title II funds and estimated that the district receives about $80,000 annually from Title II that currently helps cover an elementary classroom teacher and parent engagement activities.

Board members asked follow‑up questions about timelines, contingency planning and communications to families. The superintendent said his team will send a brief update to families about the incoming device rules even though final bill language is not yet available.

Ending: Board members did not take formal action on the repaving estimate or the SRO request during the meeting; the superintendent said he would report back as the sales tax committee and administrative staff provide updates.