Engineers report south-side settlement at Mary Herbert Education Center; patch-or-replace options range from tens of thousands to more than $1 million

The Emporia Board of Education heard an update from KC Pro that found settlement in the Mary Herbert Education Center, primarily on the building's south side, with measured column drops ranging from about three-quarters of an inch to roughly an inch in places. KC Pro told the board its December 2024 resurvey largely matched December 2023 readings on the north side but showed localized downward movement on the south side and near the center hallway.

The finding matters because the structure is roughly a century old and serves district operations; the report presented two main approaches. One, described in the report as an effort to "stop it from going down further" (the consultant used phrasing including "cost to buy a few more years"), was costed at about $190,000 to $220,000…