Old School May Be Donated To Manchester Town Life Center
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
NORTH MANCHESTER - Manchester Community Schools Board of Trustees wants to hand off ownership of the old Thomas Marshall Elementary School on Bond Street.
The old school is occupied by the North Manchester Town Life Center and is used for various community activities. The Town Life Center has occupied the building for nine years and the committee has existed for four years. School board members granted the Town Life Center a six-month lease for the building and asked Jim Garber, Town Life Center Committee member, Tuesday to come up with a way to accept ownership of the building.
"If we continue as we are, we'll be back here seeing you at the end of six months no further along than we are now," Garber said of progress with the building.
The Town Life Center has not yet decided whether the building should be torn down, remodeled or rebuilt. Garber said many North Manchester citizens want to preserve the building due to its history as the oldest school in the county.
Garber requested the six-month lease be extended until a decision is made on the future of the building. He said a $100,000 fund has been set up specifically for maintenance of the building. The money was dedicated by the late Glen Blocher, North Manchester. Garber also presented a list to board members of several local agencies that occupy the building.
"The Town Life Center committee feels the issue needs to be resolved by September," Garber said of the lease extension request. He said the September date is not a threat; the committee just needs to use the money for the purpose it was intended.
"My hope is that we can resolve the rebuild or the remodel issue as soon as clearance is given," Garber said. He said the issue should take no longer than several weeks and the committee will begin looking for funds by the end of the year. Garber also said they should be in the "fund-raising mode" by winter and "have some understanding of resources available" by early spring.
"The building is an important resource to the town," Garber said. "My preference is to do the remodeling to house (town programs and activities)."
Garber said he and the Town Life Center appreciate the school board allowing them to use the building for the past nine years. "It has served a great purpose in this town," Garber said.
Board president Kent Trickle said he wants to give the building to the Town Life Center "now instead of later."
Garber said he would "commit himself and the planning committee to try and get that done within the six-month time-frame."
Trickle said the issue is not a time-frame issue and he would like to see Garber report to the board more often, which may move the process along more quickly.
"We're definitely ready to move with this," board member Todd Speicher said.
He also assured Garber that the issue is not a six-month issue. Speicher said the board would not pull the building out from under the Town Life Center. Board members just want to see progress with the building and hear reports from Garber and the Town Life Center on what's happening with the ownership issue.
No decision was made on the historic building Tuesday. Garber will continue to keep board members posted and will work to find a way to accept ownership of the building.
In other business:
• Board members accepted the following resignations at Manchester High School: Jeremiah Wilson as freshman football coach, Edith Stone as senior class sponsor, Claude Markstahler as track coach and Blake Williams as cross country coach.
• Accepted MHS Principal Nancy Alspaugh's request for professional leave to attend the Indiana Principal Leadership Academy in Indianapolis Sept. 13-14, Nov. 8-9, Feb. 14-15 and April 18-20.
• Approved MHS guidance counselor Dave Owens' request for a overnight field trip for a LIFE (Living In Full Effect) retreat in Upland at Wheels Kitchen on Sept. 10-11. LIFE is a peer counseling group at MHS.
• Approved use of the high school gym Sunday to the Manchester Fun Fest Committee for the three-on-three basketball tournament finals.
• Accepted Michele Rose as the Gemini 3 teacher at Laketon Elementary School.
• Accepted Brian Swallow as a part-time physical education teacher at Laketon.
• Accepted Mike Parker as the varsity girls basketball coach, C.J. Brown as the freshman football coachand Megan Mattern as an assistant cross country coach, all at the high school.
• Alspaugh updated board members on progress with the high school's new baseball field. She said the next step is working on seating and irrigation, which would "start shortly." The fence work will begin after the seating and irrigation.
• School board officer training will take place Aug. 26 in Indianapolis. A school board workshop is set for Oct. 2-3.
Manchester Community Schools Board of Trustees includes: president Kent Trickle, vice president Virginia Gunter, secretary Larry Miller, superintendent Connie Curry, principal Nancy Alspaugh, Todd Speicher, Sally Krouse, Brad Perrott and Thom Frantz. [[In-content Ad]]
NORTH MANCHESTER - Manchester Community Schools Board of Trustees wants to hand off ownership of the old Thomas Marshall Elementary School on Bond Street.
The old school is occupied by the North Manchester Town Life Center and is used for various community activities. The Town Life Center has occupied the building for nine years and the committee has existed for four years. School board members granted the Town Life Center a six-month lease for the building and asked Jim Garber, Town Life Center Committee member, Tuesday to come up with a way to accept ownership of the building.
"If we continue as we are, we'll be back here seeing you at the end of six months no further along than we are now," Garber said of progress with the building.
The Town Life Center has not yet decided whether the building should be torn down, remodeled or rebuilt. Garber said many North Manchester citizens want to preserve the building due to its history as the oldest school in the county.
Garber requested the six-month lease be extended until a decision is made on the future of the building. He said a $100,000 fund has been set up specifically for maintenance of the building. The money was dedicated by the late Glen Blocher, North Manchester. Garber also presented a list to board members of several local agencies that occupy the building.
"The Town Life Center committee feels the issue needs to be resolved by September," Garber said of the lease extension request. He said the September date is not a threat; the committee just needs to use the money for the purpose it was intended.
"My hope is that we can resolve the rebuild or the remodel issue as soon as clearance is given," Garber said. He said the issue should take no longer than several weeks and the committee will begin looking for funds by the end of the year. Garber also said they should be in the "fund-raising mode" by winter and "have some understanding of resources available" by early spring.
"The building is an important resource to the town," Garber said. "My preference is to do the remodeling to house (town programs and activities)."
Garber said he and the Town Life Center appreciate the school board allowing them to use the building for the past nine years. "It has served a great purpose in this town," Garber said.
Board president Kent Trickle said he wants to give the building to the Town Life Center "now instead of later."
Garber said he would "commit himself and the planning committee to try and get that done within the six-month time-frame."
Trickle said the issue is not a time-frame issue and he would like to see Garber report to the board more often, which may move the process along more quickly.
"We're definitely ready to move with this," board member Todd Speicher said.
He also assured Garber that the issue is not a six-month issue. Speicher said the board would not pull the building out from under the Town Life Center. Board members just want to see progress with the building and hear reports from Garber and the Town Life Center on what's happening with the ownership issue.
No decision was made on the historic building Tuesday. Garber will continue to keep board members posted and will work to find a way to accept ownership of the building.
In other business:
• Board members accepted the following resignations at Manchester High School: Jeremiah Wilson as freshman football coach, Edith Stone as senior class sponsor, Claude Markstahler as track coach and Blake Williams as cross country coach.
• Accepted MHS Principal Nancy Alspaugh's request for professional leave to attend the Indiana Principal Leadership Academy in Indianapolis Sept. 13-14, Nov. 8-9, Feb. 14-15 and April 18-20.
• Approved MHS guidance counselor Dave Owens' request for a overnight field trip for a LIFE (Living In Full Effect) retreat in Upland at Wheels Kitchen on Sept. 10-11. LIFE is a peer counseling group at MHS.
• Approved use of the high school gym Sunday to the Manchester Fun Fest Committee for the three-on-three basketball tournament finals.
• Accepted Michele Rose as the Gemini 3 teacher at Laketon Elementary School.
• Accepted Brian Swallow as a part-time physical education teacher at Laketon.
• Accepted Mike Parker as the varsity girls basketball coach, C.J. Brown as the freshman football coachand Megan Mattern as an assistant cross country coach, all at the high school.
• Alspaugh updated board members on progress with the high school's new baseball field. She said the next step is working on seating and irrigation, which would "start shortly." The fence work will begin after the seating and irrigation.
• School board officer training will take place Aug. 26 in Indianapolis. A school board workshop is set for Oct. 2-3.
Manchester Community Schools Board of Trustees includes: president Kent Trickle, vice president Virginia Gunter, secretary Larry Miller, superintendent Connie Curry, principal Nancy Alspaugh, Todd Speicher, Sally Krouse, Brad Perrott and Thom Frantz. [[In-content Ad]]