School Board Continues Conversation about School Radio Station
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
School Board Continues Conversation about School Radio Station
MT 43 News Staff Reporter
The cost of upgrading KDGZ 98.3, the school’s low-power radio station may be a stumbling block for keeping the service in use, according to Luke Carr, technical coordinator for Townsend Schools. The school board has been reviewing whether to continue operating due to the $9,000 annual cost of maintaining the station.
Carr reported to the school board on Tuesday, October 11 the cost of replacing the radio receiver would be about $3,500. The receiver distributes national emergency messages. Local and state emergency messages must be phoned in and relayed to operations. The Uninterruptible Power Resource (UPS) will cost $2,500 to replace. He had checked with Lee Goode of Telesystem Services in Whitehall, Montana about replacing the outdated equipment. The radio equipment is housed in an unheated room beneath the water tower in Memorial Park on Broadway. Carr said it would be possible to move the radio monitor, which is most affected by changing temperatures, to the school where cold weather would not be an issue. “Nothing immediate needs to happen. Everything is working for now,” he said.
Technology Assistant Joe Gill explained the radio no longer operates its own software, so all files such as advertising or individual programming must be sent to Telesystem Services.
Board member Chase Ragen suggested if the radio continues to operate for both the school and community, other stakeholders should help pay for the radio station’s upkeep. Teacher Gary Bauman has shouldered the responsibility of collecting sponsorships for sports games broadcast throughout the year. The $150 donation per game is used to offset the cost of running the radio station plus paying the announcers and travel expenses. He has been contacting local businesses and individuals for their sponsorships.
Contractor Paul Kroeger expressed his support for keeping the station running. “Having it is a plus in this community. I’d think twice before giving it up. I listen to it all the time and I love it,” he said.
Chairman Jason Noyes concluded the discussion by asking Superintendent Susie Hedalen to form a committee to gather more information from the county and then set up a public meeting. He wondered how would be best to survey the public about how much listenership the radio garners. Gill suggested they put a public service announcement on to run for several weeks asking listeners to report how much they listen to the programs during the day.
Sheriff Rauser Suggests Reinstating a School Resource Office
Sheriff Nick Rauser presented a plan to reinstate a school resource officer (SRO) in the schools. He reported his officers are receiving more calls from the school about disruptions and unruly students. He feels a deputy resource officer in the school all the time could establish relationships with students. “The officer could talk to them to make sure they are doing all right,” he said.
Previously Townsend Schools had a deputy in the schools when the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program was active beginning in the l980s until the 2014-2015 school year. Michelle Meehan served as SRO beginning in 2003; Nick Korthals moved into that position from 2005 until 2010 but the position was discontinued due to lack of funding, according to former Sheriff Wynn Meehan.
Rauser emphasized he has the startup costs for establishing the position in his budget. “I would need your approval to start the ball rolling. Then down the road in the coming budget year if we partner on this, we would need to pool our funds to keep the position in place,” he said.
The SRO position would entail a salary of around $55,000 per year, plus training and equipment. Superintendent Hedalen mentioned there were grants available for such positions, but grant monies are time-limited so might not be a long-term solution for paying for the position.
Chairman Noyes emphasized the importance of the Sheriff’s Department's involvement in the schools, but that the big question is financing the program. High School Principal Sheri Hevrin pointed out the importance of the Sheriff’s office building relationships in the high school by doing programs on alcohol and drug education as well as on teen suicide and the effects of social media on students.
Board Vice Chairman Chase Ragen suggested the board put Sheriff Rauser’s proposal on next month’s agenda for further discussion.
Playground Fence and Landscaping Discussion Continues
Ragen presented the safety committee’s report on the Spruce Street playground fence. Fence Crafters of Helena was awarded a $10,200 contract to build a six-foot barrier fence with gates. The contractor had originally built a four-foot fence. The board decided to install a higher fence to assure more student safety. In an early meeting, Sheriff Rauser encouraged the board to erect a solid brick or concrete wall to assure student safety from someone running a car into the fence.
In an interview over the weekend, Ragen explained the board could not come to a consensus about what kind of barrier besides the six-foot fence would add to student safety. After discussion, the board returned the question of landscaping in front of the fence to board safety committee members. The committee will work with the school safety team to determine what changes must be made to landscaping currently in place. “I feel the parents and citizens should have a chance to weigh in on this issue,” he said.
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PhotoCredit: Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
Image 1 Caption: School Board decides on six-foot fence to protect students but undecided about extra safety landscaping.
Photo Credits: Nancy Marks
