Centre school board hears proposal for caf building
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
Marion County Economic Development Director Teresa Huffman appeared Sept. 10 before the Centre USD 397 board of education to present a proposal for The Chipped Cup Café building in Lincolnville.
Huffman said the operators, Joe and Tish Vinduska, are intending to close the café, and MCEDC has investigated ways to keep the building under local control and make it a viable part of the community.
"We didn't want it sold to outsiders who don't care if it is there or not," she said.
Huffman learned about and applied for a Case Foundation grant which would allow Centre High School students to own and operate a grocery store in the building.
Under the guidance of an adult manager, students would learn all aspects of owning and operating a small business.
Huffman said the location along U.S.-56/77 would have high visibility and meet several needs of the community.
In addition, Huffman said, an area baker has expressed interest in renting the kitchen to produce bread, pies, cakes, and other goods to sell in the store and to other businesses. She also is interested in preparing nutritional meals for the elderly and disabled in the northern part of the county.
Volunteers from the area would be recruited to deliver meals and groceries.
Huffman noted that bus tours are being planned along the Santa Fe Trail in northern Marion County, and the grocery store would provide a stopping place for the tourists.
She also touted it as an intergenerational project that is "just the kind of thing" grant providers are looking for. She was confident the project could draw up to $35,000 with a possible matching grant from Network Kansas.
"This is a very innovative thing," said board vice president Jennifer Kassebaum, who led the meeting in the absence of president Jesse Brunner. "We need to look into it."
The other board members agreed. They plan to gather facts on what is involved in getting the project up and running before they take action on the proposal.
In other business, the board discussed whether or not to renew membership in TEEN (Technology Excellence in Education Network) for the next five years, July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2013.
Kassebaum said TEEN is a way for Centre High School to diversify its curriculum.
Brent Methvin wanted to make sure students know what is available to them through TEEN.
At least 33 Centre students currently are enrolled in TEEN classes in computer graphics, art, physics, college algebra, and college English. Instructor Chad Tischhauser teaches physics on the network.
It also was noted that access to the Internet is provided much more economically through TEEN than if the district had to provide connections on its own.
At the end of their discussion, the board voted unanimously to approve the inter-local cooperative agreement.
The board approved purchase of a new bigger-capacity ice machine for the Centre High School building from Muckenthaler, Inc., Emporia at a cost of $2,845. The old machine is 12 years old and frequently in need of repairs.
The board also renewed a one-year $1,500 contract with John Swarm of Tremco, Inc. to keep school roofs maintained.
Donald Zaideman, Herington, was employed as transportation director, with a pro-rated salary of $30,000 for 12 months.
Jesse Brunner was appointed as a delegate to the Kansas Association of School Boards Convention in December at Wichita. All other board members were named as alternates.
Agriculture instructor Gaea Wimmer presented a slide show on her trip to Japan this past summer.
Superintendent Jerri Kemble received a $500 Alfred P. Wilson Scholarship Award from the Department of Education at Kansas State University. She is pursuing a doctorate at the university.
