The building of a local trail system cleared one more hurdle Monday night at the Staples Motley School Board meeting when the board approved a request from the City of Staples for an easement through Central Lakes Ag Center property.

Kevin Grondahl, Parks and Recreation Director, explained the project. Also attending were Nate Mathews, city administrator; Jerel Nelsen, city economic developer; and Bob Schafer, Central Lakes Ag Center director.

Grondahl distributed a map which showed the trail heading north from Prairie Ave. along the airport property. At Airview Drive the trail turns west and follows farm trails through property rented from the school district by the Ag Center. This portion of the trail ends at Living Legacy Gardens.

Grondahl said they were requesting a 14-16 ft. easement on that path through school property for construction of the trail. The term of the easement would be 20 years.

The heavy equipment program at Central Lakes College will assist with building the trail through the section rented by the college. Grondahl said the instructors were excited to give their students a real life experience on a permanent project.

School board member Chad Longbella asked about the farm equipment that might be crossing the trail.

Schafer said he and farm manager Ron Nelson looked at how the land was used and where the equipment needed to be.

“We feel good about where it (the trail) is plotted out right now and for the future,” Schafer said.

He also noted that the Ag Center relies on publicity to get the word out about its projects. The gardens have helped and he feels the trails will, too.

The college is considering renaming the Ag Center to Ag and Energy Center, Schafer said, and to focus more on the education possibilities. The trail will enhance those options.

School board member Ken Swecker asked about liability with the farm equipment.

Schafer replied that the Ag Center would establish an internal policy regarding the movement of the equipment and told the board that most of the fields can be reached by alternate routes, if necessary.

Grondahl and Nelsen noted that once this portion of the trail is built, it will open the doors to building connections to regional trail systems that will encourage more visitors to the area.

Mathews added that there is no cost to the school district as the city will pay for the easements.

New teachers

Staples Motley High School will have a new science teacher and a new math teacher through a contract arrangement with National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA).

The school board approved a staffing agreement with NJPA for the services of Erika Johnston as a science teacher and Evan Meece as a math teacher.

The teachers will be employees of NJPA, not the school district, and payments will be made to NJPA. NJPA will “be responsible for all employment related expenses of the staff it assigns to the program including salary, benefits, travel expenses, training, secretarial time and ancillary expense,” according to the contracts.

Superintendent Mark Schmitz said these teachers will also be serving students in other districts through online classes in addition to the face-to-face time with Staples Motley students in the classroom.

He also said the amounts in the NJPA contracts are the same as those paid under the school district’s regular teaching contracts.

Swecker noted the teachers were starting in the middle of the salary schedule.

Schmitz responded that there is a shortage of both math and science teachers at this time.

In other business the board:

o APPROVED a revision to the 2009-10 budget, then adopted a 2010-11 budget. Business manager Bob Hamann pointed out that funding changes from various sources made this a difficult year. One example was keeping track of the stimulus money which, he said, basically off set the lack of state money. Special education funding was another area of concern.

“How will we get a handle on it (the budget) if we overspend $1 million in special education?” asked board chair Barb Schmitt.

That area plus other funding changes made the budget “a flowing target at this point in time,” said Hamann.

o APPROVED the termination of Mark Wonders as a high school custodian and authorized posting the position.

o AUTHORIZED posting for a part time custodian for the Freshwater Education District building.

o AUTHORIZED posting for a kindergarten teacher at Staples Elementary contingent on student enrollment.

o APPROVED over $6,000 in write offs, mostly debts for food service, that will now be turned over to a collection agency.

o ACCEPTED bids from Staples Bakery, Kemps and Northern Star Co-op for bakery, dairy and bulk fuel products respectively.

o ACCEPTED a $500 donation from the Staples Area Men’s Chorus in appreciation for the support given during the Big Sing in April.

o DISSOLVED a cooperative agreement with Wadena-Deer Creek and Verndale school districts for the 2010-11 girls swimming program as neither school had anyone interested in participating.

o HEARD a presentation by Cindy Swenson on the physical education and health curriculum for approval at next month’s meeting.