ELY- School board members here received an update on their ongoing building project during a notably brief board meeting held Monday.
Tim Leeson, the director of facilities for the district reported that the project was “winding down now.” He said that the contractor was “halfway through” the punch list of items that needed completion. Efforts are currently focused on finishing the caulking on windows. He added that the locker rooms “would be done by the end of next week or sooner.”
School board member Tom Omerza, also an assistant girls basketball coach, was away at a game, but he had given board chair Ray Marsnik a list of questions for Leeson, which Marsnik asked on his behalf.
In response to his first question, Leeson said that all the permanent wash stations now have hot water, while the temporary wash stations installed after the arrival of COVID-19 only had cold water. There are currently no plans to remove these wash stations. Anne Oelke, the K-5 principal, remarked that the temporary wash stations are still being used by her students.
Omerza’s other three questions focused on security for the new addition.
“Some of the wiring (on the security system) got cut during construction,” said Leeson, who added that fixing the wiring was on the punch list. Leeson said that he was getting the help he needed to get the security system up and running. He also told the board that he did not have a back-up in case of his absence, but that alarms from the security system went to the police department during off-hours.
Athletic director Tom Coombe mentioned that the new gym, which was part of the project, enabled the school district to host a junior high school girls basketball tournament last weekend.
That was good news to board members. “Every time we host a tournament in Ely, it helps the economy, noted board member Tony Colarich.
In other business, the board:
 Approved the memorandum of understanding between the school district and Arrowhead Head Start for services between July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. This is a standard contract for the Head Start program which renewed annually.
 Approved the payment of $4,500 for Dan Hinzmann of SEH for engineering work in support of the school district’s $245,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant for fixing the water and sewer lines in front of the schools.
Granted permission to the Ely Historical Preservation Commission to evaluate the outside entrance lights outside the Ely Memorial High School building.
Approved the hiring of the Colosimo Patchin & Kearney law firm of Virginia to work with the district’s law firm, Klun Law of Ely, to research a possible legal action.
Accepted an anonymous donation of $1,825 for special education and a $1,000 donation to the elementary school PTO for field trips from Frank Lekatz as a memorial for Jan Lekatz who passed away on Oct. 8, 2022.