School Board approves Sterling High School library renovation

BY JOSEPH BUSTOS SVN REPORTER jbustos@svnmail.com STERLING - With a slight adjustment to the district's $33.1 million budget, the Sterling High School library's $500,000 facelift is nearly a done deal. The School Board Wednesday tentatively approved shifting $142,500 slated for middle and high school textbooks to the renovation project. The final vote will be made at the April meeting, after the revised budget has been available for public comment for 30 days. Reallocating the money will allow the district to accept $364,000 from two private donors who have specified the money is to be used for the library, which hasn't had a major renovation since it was built in 1976. The work, which will be done during the summer, will include rewiring, installing a new ceiling, laying new carpet, getting new furniture and bookcases and creating a research room and computer room. For the last two years, the Sterling Schools Foundation's Bucks for Books campaign has raised $196,000 for textbooks and library books; $116,000 of that has been spent. That means the donated money can be used for more cosmetic needs. "With support from the Sterling Schools Foundation, we can expend (the money) in another area," Superintendent Wil Booker said. "It gives us a little more flexibility with the money we would not have." Also Wednesday, the board awarded the geothermal system's installation contract for Franklin and Jefferson schools to John A. Loos and Sons, of Sterling, for $468,000. The well-field drilling portion has been awarded to Fischer Excavating, of Freeport, for $580,000; the equipment is being bought from Earth City Distributing, of St. Louis, for $332,400. That brings the total cost of retrofitting both buildings to $1.38 million; a private foundation is paying for that work. Reach Joseph Bustos at (815) 625-3600 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 529.