News from the week of March 23, 2005
School land offered for new daycare
District 417 Board of Education has agreed to sell approximately five acres of land for the construction of a new daycare in Tracy.
The board approved selling the land to Tracy Kid’s World for $1 Monday, after hearing a presentation on the center. The plot of land is on the southeast section of the school’s property, just east of the Tracy Elementary School parking lot.
Corey Brunton and Kristi Donahue of I&S Engineers and Architects, along with Mark Priegnitz and Louise Noomen of the Tracy Kid’s World board shared information on the proposed floor plan and outside design of the daycare center.
The plan includes an approach to the center’s parking lot from Pine St., and a circle drive for drop-offs that exits back onto Pine St.
Food service will be brought in from the school building, via a sidewalk from the existing elementary school parking lot to the daycare. A fenced-in playground is planned on the west side of the daycare.
Donahue said the floor plan was laid out with security in mind. A vestibule entrance leads to a lobby area, which has a keypad entrance to get into the rest of the facility. The director’s office is located next to the vestibule entrance, with windows to both the outside and into the lobby.
The vestibule entrance includes a separate entrance into the Head Start room. Donahue said the design was done so the Head Start room would basically be separated from the rest of the facility.
The plan also includes two before and after-school rooms, one of which can be used as a small gymnasium. During the day, these rooms can be used for the district’s preschool program. Priegnitz said the larger room could also be used for other school and community functions, such as team practices.
The facility’s main floor is 11,500 square feet in size. There is an additional 1,500 square feet in the basement. This area will be used for utilities and as a storm shelter, said Donahue. The building’s dimensions are 161-by-72 feet. The building can accommodate up to 117 kids.
Noomen said extra land around the daycare could eventually be developed into an environmental learning center that could involve community groups such as scouts and FFA. The project could be developed over several years, she said.
Brunton said the outside of the building was developed with efficiency in mind. He said the idea was to design a playful-looking building that fit in well with the existing school campus. The design includes efficient, low-maintenance materials, he said.
Board Chairman Dan Zimansky questioned how selling the land would affect school activities.
Activities Director Bill Tauer said the school would lose five flag football fields and possibly a couple of soccer fields. He said he believed other school land could be developed for these purposes. He said additional land for soccer fields would likely have to be developed anyway as the program expands.
Board member Garry Hippe said he had spoken to all the groups that could be affected by the sale.
“Hopefully we’re covering all out bases here so we can make everyone happy,” he said.
He said the FFA indicated willingness to give up the land it uses as a farm plot for development of athletic fields. He said he had received estimates that it would cost about $9,000 to tile the field area and an additional $1,000 to level it.
Brunton told the board that I&S had done a topographic map of the area that the district could use as it seeks another area to develop for its athletic fields.
Hippe said he was pleased with the proposed daycare plan.
“I’m impressed with this plan,” he said.
“It will be a nice addition to Tracy,” Brunton agreed.
$1.1 million borrowing set for pool
Financing to repair the Tracy Aquatic Center is being put in place.
Tracy City Council members have approved a plan to borrow $1.1 million through a short-term bond sale. The bond proceeds will be used to pay for aquatic center repairs that have been estimated at $1,154,000. A bid opening for the repairs is scheduled in April, with construction starting in May. Nov. 1 is the target date for “substantial completion.”
The City of Tracy is pursuing a lawsuit against Olympic Pools, a major contractor during the aquatic center’s 2001-02 construction; USAquatics, the pool’s architect and construction
on on the proposed floor plan and outside design of the daycare center.
The plan includes an approach to the center’s parking lot from Pine St., and a circle drive for drop-offs that exits back onto Pine St.
Food service will be brought in from the school building, via a sidewalk from the existing elementary school parking lot to the daycare. A fenced-in playground is planned on the west side of the daycare.
Donahue said the floor plan was laid out with security in mind. A vestibule entrance leads to a lobby area, which has a keypad entrance to get into the rest of the facility. The director’s office is located next to the vestibule entrance, with windows to both the outside and into the lobby.
The vestibule entrance includes a separate entrance into the Head Start room. Donahue said the design was done so the Head Start room would basically be separated from the rest of the facility.
The plan also includes two before and after-school rooms, one of which can be used as a small gymnasium. During the day, these rooms can be used for the district’s preschool program. Priegnitz said the larger room could also be used for other school and community functions, such as team practices.
The facility’s main floor is 11,500 square feet in size. There is an additional 1,500 square feet in the basement. This area will be used for utilities and as a storm shelter, said Donahue. The building’s dimensions are 161-by-72 feet. The building can accommodate up to 117 kids.
Noomen said extra land around the daycare could eventually be developed into an environmental learning center that could involve community groups such as scouts and FFA. The project could be developed over several years, she said.
Brunton said the outside of the building was developed with efficiency in mind. He said the idea was to design a playful-looking building that fit in well with the existing school campus. The design includes efficient, low-maintenance materials, he said.
Board Chairman Dan Zimansky questioned how selling the land would affect school activities.
Activities Director Bill Tauer said the school would lose five flag football fields and possibly a couple of soccer fields. He said he believed other school land could be developed for these purposes. He said additional land for soccer fields would likely have to be developed anyway as the program expands.
Board member Garry Hippe said he had spoken to all the groups that could be affected by the sale.
“Hopefully we’re covering all out bases here so we can make everyone happy,” he said.
He said the FFA indicated willingness to give up the land it uses as a farm plot for development of athletic fields. He said he had received estimates that it would cost about $9,000 to tile the field area and an additional $1,000 to level it.
Brunton told the board that I&S had done a topographic map of the area that the district could use as it seeks another area to develop for its athletic fields.
Hippe said he was pleased with the proposed daycare plan.
“I’m impressed with this plan,” he said.
“It will be a nice addition to Tracy,” Brunton agreed.
Demand high for Small Cities projects
Two years after the City of Tracy was awarded a $934,750 Small Cities grant, most money in the program has either been allocated or spent.
“It’s coming along rather well,” said Community Development Director Robert Gervais, in a report to the Tracy City Council last week.
The program, which is being administered by Western Community Action, will soon begin its third year in Tracy. The State Department of Economic Development announced the Small Cities grant award in April of 2003. An application process for projects within a 10-block target area began late that summer. The first Small Cities construction projects got underway in the winter of 2003-04. The original target area was later expanded for owner-occupied housing.
As of March 8, Western Community Action reports that:
• Nearly $187,00 out of $252,450 allocated for commercial projects has been spent or committed.
• More than $145,000 out of $198,000 allocated for rental improvements has been spent or committed.
• A total of $254,410 of $352,800 set aside for owner-occupied housing improvements has been spent or committed.
Demand has been especially strong for commercial improvements. The grant program budgeted money for ten commercial projects at $25,000 each. But 22 applications were received. Money has been either given to or promised to 12 projects. The grant money represents one-third of the commercial project costs. The other two-thirds comes from owners.
The $198,000 rental rehab budget was meant to improve 15 apartments. That goal will be met, since money has been committed to four projects involving 15 apartments.
The $352,800 intended for owner-occupied housing had a goal of 25 houses. So far, three residential projects have been completed, seven applications have been approved, and 11 projects have had money committed. Twenty-two applications are still in progress. Eleven applications have been denied or dropped.
Jill Houseman, director of housing and energy assistance for Western Community Action, said that she expects the remaining own-occupied housing money to be used on applications that have already been received. She notes, however, that Western Community Action has other home improvement programs for income-eligible households. Inquiries can be directed to Sarah Schlemmer, Western Community Action, 400 W. Main Street, Suite 201, Marshall, 1-800-658-2448.
Tracy Postmaster retiring
After 12 years, John Schuch is hanging up his hat as Tracy’s Postmaster. His last day is March 31.
An open house farewell is planned for him at the Tracy Post Office on Wednesday, March 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Schuch’s career in the Postal Service dates back more than 30 years. He began his career as a part-time clerk in Mankato in 1971, following service in the U.S. Navy.
Schuch was in the Navy from 1969 to 1971, and took his civil service test upon leaving the military. The Wisconsin native put in three towns in Minnesota and Wisconsin as possibilities for where he would like to work. Mankato sent a letter asking him to work there.
“If I wouldn’t have gone there, who knows what would have happened,” he said.
Having grown up in a small town of about 800 people, going to Mankato on his own was a big change, Schuch said. Still, he feels fortunate to have started out in a big office.
In 1974, Schuch became the second person in Mankato trained as a letter sorting machine operator who passed the test. In 1978, he was promoted to supervisor.
The following year, Schuch made his way to Waterville, where he was the Officer in Charge. In 1980, he got his first postmaster job in Elk Mound, Wis. He worked there for three years before becoming postmaster in Montgomery, Minn. During his term in Montgomery, he spent a few months as the Officer in Charge in Waseca.
In 1992, Schuch served as Officer in Charge in Slayton, before coming to Tracy in 1993.
Schuch said he has enjoyed his years in Tracy, particularly working with the close-knit group of employees at the Tracy Post Office. Special memories include birthday parties for each and every employee, regardless of rank or position.
“We all got along,” he said. “Nobody was ever forgotten.”
He said the closeness in the office helped make his job easier over the past 12 years.
“It always makes it easier when you’ve got good employees,” he said.
Changes within the Postal Service have prompted the 53-year-old’s decision to retire. Much of the work, he said, is now done by computer—a major change from when he started 34 years ago.
Schuch’s wife, Gayle, who is the postmaster in Redwood Falls, is retiring too. She has worked for the Postal Service for 25 years. An open house is planned for her on Thursday, March 31.
The couple doesn’t have any definite plans for retirement. They’d like to spend more time with their children, most of whom live in the Twin Cities area. They are planning a trip to Montana to visit Gayle’s mother. They’ve also discussed a trip to Mexico.
“We’re really excited,” Schuch said.
He said he may look for a part-time job to occupy his time as well … “Somewhere I’m not the boss.”
Schuch will look back fondly on his years in Tracy, but says it’s time to retire.
“It’s been fun, but I’m ready,” he said.
• • •
Lynn Vandenbroeke will serve as Officer in Charge while the Tracy Post Office searches for a new postmaster. She is the Postmaster in Westbrook.
After touring Barcelona, students begin family stays
Eight Tracy High School students are in Spain this week.
Ross Ryan, Rebecca Gervais, Tina Gervais, Jenna Schaar, Nicole Haecherl, Dane Bloch, Lyndsie Murphy and Bailey Landa left Minnesota Sunday to begin a two-week study trip in Spain. After two-and-a-half days of sightseeing in Barcelona, students were each to begin a seven-day stay with a Spanish family in the towns of Bilbao and Logrono Wednesday.
On Tuesday, March 29, the group travels to Segovia. Four days of touring in Madrid will cap off the trip. The group is scheduled to return Sunday, April 3.
Veteran Tracy language teacher Shorty Engel is accompanying the Tracy students, who are traveling with a group from Clear Lake, Iowa. All of the Tracy students are third-year Spanish language students.
The trip is arranged through Language & Friendships, Inc.