 Prior to
the approval of the 2006-2007 Holden R-III School District budget
at the special board meeting held June 29, the school board approved
district superintendent Scott Slava’s recommendation
to transfer up to $250,000 from the incidental fund to the capital
projects fund.
The monies will be used to fund projects already underway or
those that had been postponed awaiting funding. The funds
will also be used to defray possible project overruns on the
high school track and elementary and intermediate parking lot
drainage projects.
District projects that could benefit from the fund transfer include: Acoustical
tile for the elementary/intermediate gymnasium, movable bleachers
for football visitors and baseball events, high school auditorium
chairs, elementary school playground equipment, projectors, boiler
removal, school sidewalks and a water system for the baseball
field.
Projects already funded and completed or in progress prior to
the fund transfer include: Central office upgrade, track
renovation, removal and replacement of floor tile in the elementary
school, doorways in the elementary, elementary/intermediate school
parking lot drainage, middle school bleacher repair, high school
locker painting and repair and elementary school mud jacking.
After those projects had been funded, there was slightly more
than $50,000 left in the fund, prompting the transfer. Slava
has stated that he wanted to keep a minimum of $50,000 in the
fund to be used for minor grounds upgrades and to lead into projects
slated for the 2007-2008 school year.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
The Rural
Health Care Foundation of Western Johnson County will receive
a grant in the amount of $8,500 from the United States Department
of Agriculture in order to purchase and install a backup generator
to be used at the Western Johnson County Medical Clinic in Kingsville.
The paperwork was signed in a ceremony held Friday at the clinic. Signing
the contract for the foundation were president Dr. Lynn Hawley
and foundation secretary Debbie Robledo. Representing
the USDA was Lois East, an area specialist from Clinton. Also
present for the signing was Lloyd Stever, foundation vice president
and mayor of Kingsville.
“This grant will provide the money to purchase and install the backup
generator which will be critical to the continued function of the clinic in
emergency situations,” Hawley stated.
Explaining the function of the foundation, which just received
its “not for profit” classification last Monday,
Hawley said, “We exist to provide financial support to
insure the future of the clinic, to provide quality and affordable
medical care and to serve the western Johnson County communities.”
She continued, “There is a real need for the clinic in
this area because many of the people we serve are without insurance. There
is also a larger eldery population. The foundation’s work
includes applying for grants like the one we just received, soliciting
for donations from those with similar interests and providing
a fundraising base.”
Speaking of the medical clinic, Hawley gives credit to the efforts
of its founder Steve Flick, president of Flick Seed Co. “Steve’s
dedication to providing good affordable medical care in this
community was very instrumental in getting the clinic here. He’s
a great organizer - the way he is able to round up people. Getting
this clinic going has been a total group and community effort.”
By Steve Sullins
Editor
The Holden-area
Chamber of Commerce presented 14 lucky winners with $10 and $25
gift certificates that can be used at any business that holds
a membership in the chamber.
Winners, who had registered with participating Holden businesses
through close of business last Monday, were named in drawings
held at the July 4 celebration sponsored by the chamber at Holden
High School.
The winners of $25 gift certificates were Pat Deln, Shawna Vantine,
Bonnie Acock and Steve Jeffrey. Recipients of $10 certificates
were Phyllis Millstead, Jennifer Adams, Season Belchor, Dronda
Dills, Tabitha Brants, Jordan Palin, Eli Kirchhoff, Kaitlin Keating,
Jessie Gaston and Maggie Wood.
Highlights of the Independence Day celebration were a children’s
carnival with games manned by area political candidates and the
annual giant fireworks extravaganza at dark.
According to chamber president Dennis Mason, “We had a
little lower attendance for the children’s games than we
wanted, but we probably started them too early (the games ran
from 6 to 8 p.m.). More people showed up after we had already
closed the games.”
He added, “Next year we will have a planning committee
to arrange the celebration.”
Mason also stated that he wanted to thank the political candidates
for participating in Holden’s celebration.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
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Already one
of the hottest days of this summer, it got a little hotter for
residents of the Shamrock Mobile Home Park at 307 N. Mary Street,
as the mobile home in lot 26 became engulfed in flames last Monday
which had to be extinguished by members of the Holden Fire Department.
Aided by a tanker from the Madison location of the Johnson County
Fire Protection’s western district, the firefighters spent
approximately one and one-half hours putting the fire out, and
another one and one-half hours going through the structure looking
for hot spots.
According to Holden City fire chief Larry Miller, “When we
got on the scene at a little after 3:30 p.m., the trailer was already
fully involved. We immediately started attacking the flames
using two one and one-half inch hand lines from both the east and
west sides of the home.”
The structure, owned by Janet Harbison, was deemed a “total
loss” and according to the state fire marshall the cause
was undetermined.
“It was just too far gone,” Miller continued. “We just
kept trying to extinguish the fire and keep it cooled down to safeguard the
trailers on either side. The fire also jumped to a disabled vehicle parked
in the driveway. I’m sure it was totaled as well.”
According to Miller there was no one in the mobile home at the
time and both the gas and electricity had been turned off previously.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
Rural Holden resident
Darin Schuette has brought a new method of home insulation to the
area as he and partner Jack Fisher of Johnson County, KS, have started
Retrofoam of Kansas City.
Schuette says that the Retrofoam concept is better because the product fills
the entire cavity to be insulated. Unlike fiberglass and cellulose he says
that Retrofoam will not settle over time causing the insulation to stay in place
particularly at the top of walls where it is most needed.
He became interested in the product when his brother Kevin brought him some material
with reference to the company. They flew to Michigan, which was the closest
dealer at the time, to watch the process and become more familiar with the product.
Schuette, who also runs heavy equipment, decided that the product was a natural
for this area because of the large amount of older homes. “The product
is ideal for existing homes because most of the time it is installed from the
outside. So, there is no tearing out walls and the inside stays clean. We
feel older homes especially will see a decrease in their utility bills after
installing Retrofoam.”
He also said that the product was safe for cinder block walls because it doesn’t
expand.
For more information on the process and to contact Schuette, call (816) 213-7228. Information
can also be found on the internet at website: www.retrofoam.com.
Schuette and his wife Phleta have two children, Mackenzie and Morgan who will
be seventh and sixth-graders respectively at Holden Middle School next school
year.
By Steve Sullins
Editor |