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Escanaba schools awards bid for security improvements

ESCANABA — The Escanaba School Board approved a bid from Automated Comfort Controls (ACC) Monday night in the amount of $29,382. The bid is to complete installation of door locks and controls at the Escanaba High School, Upper Elementary and Lemmer schools. Work will be completed by the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year. ACC’s bid was based off information provided by the school and a walk-through of the areas May 9.

Amy Cseter, Escanaba’s director of operations, said the district scaled back security features planned due to the budget. The Escanaba School District was recently awarded a Michigan State Police (MSP) grant for $110,368, which will fund the project.

At the end of March, the MSP awarded over 200 schools in Michigan grants supporting school safety initiatives through the 2019 Competitive School Safety Grant Program. The grants are designed to improve safety and security with the purchase of technology and equipment. Escanaba was one of three schools in Delta County to receive a grant. All work will need to be completed by June 1, 2020.

The locks will be installed and tied into a buzz-in system with security cameras.

“We’ll have folks in the offices that will have, either through cameras or direct line of sight, eyes on the door,” said Superintendent Coby Fletcher. “So when someone comes in the school, they will be buzzed in.”

There will be keypads at specific doors and programming to keep the doors open during busy times. Door controls will be installed at the front and back entrances of the high school, the front entrance at Lemmer and the front and south west entrances at the Upper Elementary.

In other business the school board reviewed topics that will be action items at the regular meeting June 17.

– The school board reviewed a proposed budget for the 2019-2020 school year presented by Director of Business Services Kevin Pascoe. In addition to the general and food service funds, a new required fund will begin next school year — the student/school activities fund. Pascoe provided the school board with a breakdown of each projected fund, general – $1,378,772, food service – $10,676, and a projected committed fund balance of $202,172 for the student/school activities fund. A 2019-2020 public budget hearing will be next week.

– The board received the 2019-2020 school board schedule and two proposed school year calendars.

– School board President Dan Flynn provided the board with contract negotiation items regarding Fletcher’s contract. A three-year contract will be further discussed at the next meeting.

– A 2.2 percent raise of non-union employees’ rates and union area purchasing insurance agreements were discussed with action to be taken next week.

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