New school board president approved

Water leak and CCC building discussed at first school board meeting of the year

WILLIAMS - During the Williams Unified School District (WUSD) regular meeting Jan. 12, board members discussed water leaks and the fate of the Coconino Community College building. David Nenne was also nominated as board president, with Kristi Fredrickson and Bud Parenteau sworn in as incoming board members by Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Robert Kelty.

The board discussed what to do about the Williams Elementary-Middle School's (WEMS) water pipe leak amid budget concerns. The leak was responsible for causing the evacuation of students and faculty in mid-December.

According to WUSD Superintendent Hudgens, the water leak was caused by a rupture in underground 30-year-old pvc pipe.

"According to what we know, this pipe just failed. It just got old," Hudgens said.

Because it was a fire pipe, which pumps water to firefighters in case of a fire, school was evacuated as a precaution. The leak was located on the southwest side of the building.

The pipe is maintained by the school district, and most of the talk surrounding the problem concerned how the district is going to pay in light of budget setbacks.

"We are in a position of that we need to fix it and we need to make sure it stays that way and make sure that it continues to be the way it is," Hudgens said.

The board decided to go ahead with emergency procurement for isolation of water leaks in the fire loop, but decided to table further arrangements with LP's Excavating and city of Williams until an estimated dollar amount can be presented to the school board for better budget tracking. WUSD approved the installation of an auto-surface valve by Pipeline Services, Inc. for $6,900 in order to isolate the WEMS pipe system from the city water line.

Status of CCC building

Coconino Community College has entered into discussions with Williams City Council and the WUSD school board regarding what kind of future lies in store for the college building, which has not housed enough CCC students to warrant continued operation.

According to Hudgens, WUSD owns the land that the CCC building sits on.

"There is talk going around that CCC is going to lease out the building, and put up a 'Bob's poodle petting dog store' or something like that," Hudgens joked. "Our lease with them is that we own the land and they own the building. When WUSD leased them the land, the condition was they have to be involved with something to do with public education."

Later in the week, at the city council meeting held Jan. 13, CCC President Leah Bornstein addressed the council, saying after the building's completion, a higher percentage of students started to opt for classes in Flagstaff.

"Actually building this building here has encouraged more people to take CCC classes, but in Flagstaff only," Bornstein said. "Now we have this building that we don't know what to do with that really hasn't had an impact over time other than to be a great marketing tool to bring folks to Flagstaff, but that isn't what we intended."

Bornstein said the CCC board recently authorized her to do something with the building. She said there are a number of possibilities for the facility's use, ranging from leasing the building, working with the city to come up with what she called a "win-win" situation or working with the school district to create a solution.

"We want to make sure it's an asset and doesn't become a liability to both the city and the college," Bornstein said.

In other school board news, Hudgens reported that the district received $28,000 in tax credit money, which was good news for the board.

"That is really a lot of money for this town, really a lot of money," Hudgens said. "Considering the condition that we are in, this tax credit money is going to really be beneficial."

Hudgens went on to say the money is very much appreciated by everyone affiliated with the school.

"I would like the community to hear a thanks from not only me, but the board as well as all the kids that go to school here," he said.