Stanton County USD 452 board tours schools, flags maintenance needs after facility inspection

The Stanton County Unified School District No. 452 Board of Education met Oct. 14 in Johnson, Kan., and conducted a facilities tour that identified several maintenance and safety concerns to be addressed by district staff. President Lettie McKinney called the special meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.; Bret Kendrick moved to approve the agenda and Chantry Scott seconded. The motion carried, 5-0.

Board members reviewed the pool door and then moved through site visits at the middle and high schools and the elementary campus. At the middle school, the board discussed the wrestling room’s storage layout. Mr. Higley said moving cabinets to the south side would provide space, while relocating them to the east might offer more room but would require dealing with floor piping. The board cataloged remaining items and discussed whether equipment should be sold, discarded or retained.

At the high school, members reviewed findings from a recent fire alarm inspection. The minutes note that the inspector identified several issues; the board discussed multiple remediation options and agreed to seek further information before selecting a solution.

At the elementary school, the board inspected playground equipment identified as older “Miracle Equipment” and considered replacement options. Craig reported ongoing problems with battery-operated faucets that sometimes run when rooms are unoccupied and require frequent battery changes; Irene said she can hear a faucet running by her office. The recurring faucet issue was recorded as a maintenance concern for staff follow-up.

No public comments were recorded. The meeting concluded at 5:30 p.m. after Bret Kendrick moved to adjourn and Val Zumdio seconded; the motion carried, 7-0. The board did not record any formal votes on repairs or contracts at this meeting and directed staff to gather additional information on the fire alarm options and other maintenance needs.