School board members voted Monday on a capital plan that will close the Andalusia Middle School as an education facility, sending graders to the elementary school and seventh and eighth graders to a new facility at the high school.
Superintendent Ted Watson said a recent state department of education analysis report said that by reassigning the students onto two campuses it will save between $300,000 to $400,000 a year by eliminating duplication of staff and services.
“Andalusia City School parents and alumni expect a quality program, electives and academics that are second to none,” Watson said. “To do that, it was time for us to look within our system by looking for waste and duplication. By (reassigning students), the state says we can save money. We feel like, that, along with the fact that we don’t stay stagnate, we’re ready to move forward.”
The plan calls for constructing a kindergarten early learning center on the AES campus, and then using the space freed-up to house sixth graders. The move would maximize the efficiency of personnel by having all elementary certified teachers at the same location, Watson said.
The AMS building would then become a new home for the board’s central office, serve as a professional development facility for staff, provide additional storage and possibly be considered as a possible preschool or Head Start location.
“Then we would construct a seventh and eighth grade wing on the high school campus,” he said. “Those two steps would cost us a fraction of what it be to construct a new middle school, and allows for all those teachers to be under one roof.”
It would also allow for bus services for both campuses, he said.
“And the only concern I would have as a parent is if my student moved from the elementary to the high school,” he said. “That’s a big jump and they have a right to be concerned, until they realize they’ll have their own facility, their own bell schedule and move void of the bigger students. They won’t walk the halls at the same time.”
Board members agreed, with Dr. Bill King, board president, stating the annual cost savings should be enough to fund the project’s construction.
“There’s really no time frame on the project, but I’d like to see it done as soon as possible,” he said. “Within a year we should have a project ready to go on the table.”
Mayor Earl Johnson, who attended the meeting, commended the board on its foresight.
“When you go back to the 1970s and compare the number of students then to now, there comes a point when you can’t continue to have the same number of campuses to serve less students,” he said. “This move maximizes a lot of things – faculty, staff and facilities. It’s the biggest bang for your tax dollars. Our No. 1 responsibility is to provide the best education to all children of this community. What building it’s done in isn’t important.”
No firm timetable was set, but board members said they hope to have an architect drawing plans within a year. It is thought that the earliest possible implementation of the plan is the 2013-14 school year.
A public forum will be scheduled for the future to give parents an opportunity to discuss the move.
Tony Cardenas believes he has the “best kept secret in Andalusia.”
Just off Hwy. 84 East on Airport Rd., about two miles down, Tosa Park sits, waiting to offer its fun for the family.
“I don’t know what the thing is,” Cardenas said. “The weird thing is that there’s nothing else for these kids to do.”
Cardenas built Tosa Park from the ground up, laying the foundation for its 800-foot g0-kart track and the 18-hole mini golf course. The golf course took 19 yards of concrete to be completed.
The park has been open for two years, and it offers kart enthusiasts rides for $5, and golf nuts a round of put-put for $4.
Additionally, there is a party room for families or big groups interested in throwing birthday parties for kids up to 14 years old.
The park is open from noon until about 6 p.m. every day unless it rains, Cardenas said.
For more information on the park, call 222-1908.
“This is the best kept secret in Andalusia,” Cardenas said.
City officials said Monday that area senior citizens are being targeted with a direct mail campaign selling water line insurance.
While the direct mail piece says the insurance is offered by an independent company, Andalusia Utilities office manager Cathy Alexander said she has received numerous phone calls from local residents who believe they’re being encouraged by buy the insurance by the city.
“We want to make sure people know it is not from us,” she said.
“The Verdict” is in, and the food is good – or at least that’s the general consensus of those visiting the Court Square’s newest restaurant.
Located in the Prestwood Building, The Verdict is owned by Christy Cartwright of Gantt and features both a lunchtime and nighttime menu.
Cart-wright’s husband, Rick, is the chef.
“Christy had the idea (of opening the restaurant) because there wasn’t a lot of variety of things to eat near the Courthouse,” Rick said. “So far, business has been brisk, so she must’ve been right.”
There are daily lunch specials offered, like today’s meatloaf, he said. Other favorites include traditional lunch fare such has hamburgers and sandwiches.
The dinner menu includes steaks, seafood and pasta, he said.
“My specialty is the Bourbon Street rib eye,” he said. “I can’t describe it – all that seasoning. It’s just wonderful.”
Also, many may remember the couple’s son, Gordie, who was dubbed the “Cornbread King” after winning the national 4-H Cornbread Cook-Off last year.
Gordie will also be trying his hand at the grill, Rick said.
“He says he wants to be a chef,” he said. “We let him try it out when we’re not too busy. He’s pretty good, too, if I do say so myself.”
The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until 9 p.m.
Construction could begin at the new Andalusia High School athletic facility in as little as three weeks, said project engineer Joe Dofrono at Monday’s board of education meeting.
The announcement came after board members awarded the project bid to low bidder Bay Shore Construction of Bay Minette. The award was for the base bid and add alternate one. Cost of the project is set at $2.308 million; however, Dofrono said he will work with contractors “to get that price down even more.”
The company will have 365 calendar days to complete the project.
“It’ll take about 10 days to get the contract and do the paperwork,” he said. “We could turn dirt three weeks from today. It’ll take a bit to mobilize, but we’re going to kick it into high gear.”