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KEARNEY - It was a historic moment for Kearney Public Schools school board members Monday as they approved purchasing land for a new school.

The KPS Board of Education voted to purchase 11.5 acres in southwest Kearney for the construction of a three-unit school in the Kenwood Elementary School district.

Superintendent Brian Maher said the land, which is owned by Kelly Rapp and Laureen Striker-Rapp, will cost $250,000.

"It will be very easy to build in that particular area," he said to the Hub after Monday's school board meeting. "Utilities are already there or accessible. It's flat geographically."

The land is east of Yanney Heritage Park and south of 11th Street between 15th and 16th Streets, which haven't yet been constructed. Eighth Street eventually will border the south side of the tract.

Maher said four to five parcels of land were considered for purchase. In the end, the cost of the property and the cost of development were the deciding factors, he said.

"This was the most feasible," he said.

Maher said district officials have met with city administrators about the safety of children crossing 11th Street, access for emergency vehicles and the development of the building.

The district is working with architects on plans for the new school.

The purchase of the land is the first major step taken since the passage of a $45 million school bond Sept. 15. Funds from the 20-year bond will pay to purchase land; the construction of two new elementary schools; renovations at existing elementary schools, including an addition to Meadowlark Elementary School; and technology upgrades at all schools.

One new three-unit school will be built in south Kearney in the Kenwood Elementary School area and a two-unit school will be built in north Kearney. Another unit would also be added at Meadowlark.

A unit refers to the number of classrooms in each grade. A three-unit school has three kindergarten classrooms, three first-grade classrooms, etc.

The district will gain four units for each grade because the current Kenwood building wouldn't be used for classes. The building will be used for administrative offices and district programs.

Maher said the district plans to break ground by April or May, and the new school is anticipated to be open by the fall of 2011.

"This is a pretty historic moment," School Board President Tim Higgins said before the board voted to purchase the land.

e-mail to:

sara.giboney@kearneyhub.com

Also at Monday’s Kearney Board of Education meeting

The board voted to give Superintendent Brian Maher a 4.5 percent pay raise.

- “Dr. Maher’s done an outstanding job leading us through our bond issue effort, and he certainly deserves to be recognized with a raise in pay, and so we thank him for his leadership,” board member Julie Agard said. When the board approved the 2009-2010 budget in September, an increase of 4.9 percent was included for salaries. The increase resulted in pay raises of about 2.5 percent for teachers. At the time, Maher was not given a pay increase.

Higgins said Maher’s pay ranks fourth of seven peer schools. “It’s my belief that Dr. Maher has earned this increase with the work he’s completed over the past six months and with the work I expect him to perform over the next year. The superintendent’s salary is driven by the markets. We do not include health and insurance or many of the fringes the other districts supply,” Higgins said.

- The board voted to table entering contract negotiations with an owner’s representative. Maher said he still needs to “tie up loose ends” and requested a special meeting at 5 p.m. Monday to vote on the issue. The Owner’s Representative Selection Committee met Friday to interview two candidates.

The owner’s representative will provide assistance and consultation services to the district on cost estimates of all phases of construction, overall budget and fiscal oversight, scheduling, and value analysis, and will consult on alternative building systems and methods, will provide recommendations on the packaging of the projects and the type of delivery for each construction project, recruitment of general managers and contractors, and contract supervision of the work by the general contractor. 

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