CENTERBURG — Ed Lambert, president of the Centerburg Board of Education, appeared before the Centerburg Village Council on Monday to discuss the proposed school levy which is on the November ballot. One issue raised by the school board in support of the levy is that there are village children in unsafe situations, as practice areas for children in grades seven through 12 athletics are up to a mile away from the school.
“Once that baseball, softball or football player is in that area, they are a mile from the physical therapist and athletic trainer that Mohican Sports Medicine provides for us,” Lambert said. “They are quite a distance away from any shelter, which would have protected them from the lightning storm we had move through here the other night. They do not have a direct shelter.
“We are trying to correct a situation that probably should have been corrected years ago,” Lambert said. “All the Centerburg school board is wishing to do is make improvements into areas of concern that we have the resources to commit to at this time.”
Lambert said that basically what the board is asking for is a 1.72-mill levy for new baseball and softball fields, to build a practice football field on the high school site, to build a 400-meter all-weather track and field for events, and to put in locker rooms needed to house those teams.
“This would eliminate kids driving their cars [to practice sites], this would eliminate distance from reliable medical help, and we think provides a much safer environment,” Lambert said. “We’re asking for the same opportunities that any kid would get in a similar high school our size. All we’re trying to do is provide a well-rounded education for all of our kids.”
“My reflection on this,” said Mayor Dennis Sykes, “from my own experiences, is that whatever the extracurriculars are, and a lot of kids choose sports, it helps keep them active, and also helps keep them out of trouble. Having a good extracurricular program is a healthy balance to a good academic program.”
Acting Village Administrator Jason Figgins reported that well No. 3 has been completely rehabilitated, which took its pumping capacity from 210 gallons a minute to a potential of 1,000 gallons a minute if the need arises. Currently it is running at 325 gallons a minute.
“During the recent electrical storm when pump No. 3 was still down, pump No. 2 took a lightning strike and for a while there we did not have any well pumps working,” Figgins said. “We did not lose any pressure and hardly any water, so that turned out OK.”
A plumbing invoice for the library and an invoice from the Knox County Wastewater Department were approved.
An ordinance dealing with the frequency village employees will be paid had its second and third readings waived and was passed unanimously. The ordinance will change salaried employee’s pay to every other Friday. Hourly employees will not be affected.
In other business, council set a special council meeting on Monday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. to discuss the village administrator candidates.
On Monday, Oct. 15, there will be a Meet the Candidates night at 7 p.m. at the town hall.