Hurley School seeks new plan for snow plowing

By LARRY HOLCOMBE

lholcombe@yourdailyglobe.com

Hurley — Hurley School District officials are looking for a new plan for plowing snow beginning next winter.

The city of Hurley has been plowing the school’s snow for free since the fall of 2006, but city officials told the school district earlier this year that they just can’t keep up with the status quo as costs have increased.

The school board on Monday evening discussed calling for bids for the 2023-2024 winter and beyond. Administrator Kevin Genisot posed a the idea of a three-year contract. Member Kathy Saari wondered if a two-year contract was better. Board president Leslie Kolesar said she might prefer two years as well.

Saari also suggested asking, as part of the bid, for a list of equipment and back-up equipment, as well as proof of insurance and references.

The board also talked about the idea of the district doing its own plowing, and asked maintenance supervisor Rich Huotari to put some numbers together about purchasing, running and storing the needed equipment. Saari wondered if the district could rent the needed equipment. Huotari said when he worked at the hospital, they did a lot of plowing as they had to keep the facility open 24 hours a day.

Genisot said the bid will ask for plowing the road into the school, parking lots and a fire lane around the school. He suggested a 3-inch threshold of snow to require plowing, and that the plowing be done between midnight and 7 a.m.

The board agreed to continue discussing its options and bid requirements.

The city’s snow plowing of school property was part of an agreement between the city and district in October 2006 that gave the city about an acre and a half of school property for a desired well field. The city had been testing for wells there for two years and was hopeful of drilling wells that would produce enough water for the city. The project never happened and the test wells were capped earlier this year under order of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The same 2006 agreement annexed the school into the city of Hurley from the town of Kimball, and benefited the school with lower water rates and a better fire rating for insurance purposes, according to an Oct. 18, 2006, article in the Daily Globe. The story also points out the school had been spending about $20,000 a year on snow plowing.

On Tuesday, Hurley Mayor Joanne Bruneau told the Daily Globe the city’s costs just keep going up and the city crew members plowing the school were needed elsewhere in the city to deal with snow.

Genisot told the Daily Globe after Monday’s meeting he understood the city’s position, citing the city’s time commitment to plowing the school property.

“We have a great relationship with the city, they’re always there for us,” he said. “Totally understand it. We added the addition onto the parking lot, which increased their workload; and now that the DNR had them seal those wells, it’s time.”

In other action, the school board:

—Accepted and approved the retirement request of high school history teacher Chris Kelly. He has taught at the school for 36 years.

—Heard from Huotari that the school had received one bid on a new dust collection system for the shop class. Genisot added there had been some adjustments to that bid and they were waiting on a second bid.

—Heard a report from Kolesar on the recent three-day School Board Convention. She said she enjoyed many different and varied sessions. Genisot, who also attended, said he hoped all the school board members would be able attend in the future, even if for one day.

—Discussed updating the district’s policy for closing school and creating a policy for cancelling a board meeting. At Genisot’s suggestion, the board decided to revisit the issues next month when they will be asked to review several school policies with Neola’s input, adding Neola’s attorneys help keep a school district’s policies in line with the law.