Ketchikan’s school board is reviewing a nearly $140,000 contract for the computer monitors that control heating and cooling, fire safety and security. Maintenance staff gave the system designed by German conglomerate Siemens a glowing performance review. That’s according to a staff memo in advance of Wednesday’s meeting with details of the five-year deal.
In other business, school administrators say several student activity funds are running a deficit totaling more than $80,000. The administration is asking the school board to approve budget transfers from vending, concessions, and surplus funds to shore up the accounts for football, basketball, soccer and volleyball teams.
In a memo to the board, the district’s business manager, Katie Parrott cited “deficiencies in financial management” by the previous administration and assured the board the transfers would not be needed in the near future. Parrott has served as the district’s business manager for a little more than a year.
“Current administration is putting in place measures that will ensure substantial deficits do not occur in the future,” Parrott wrote in a memo to the board.
Interim Superintendent Beth Lougee is also slated for a performance evaluation from the school board in a closed-door portion of the meeting. Lougee has been on the job since December 2018.
The board is also scheduled to recognize November as National Alaska Native American Indian Heritage Month.The school board meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Ketchikan’s White Cliff building.
