Magazine pays tribute to Nisswa library
The Nisswa Community Children's Library was honored in the American School and University magazine for design excellence.
Kevin Donnay of Widseth Smith Nolting architecture and engineering firm told the Brainerd School Board Monday of the honor and presented the board with a plaque.
The magazine lists the library at Nisswa Elementary School as one of many projects in the nations listed in its "Architectural Portfolio 2002" November issue.
The magazine's Web site at www.schooldesigns.com indicates the magazine has been hosting this competition for education design projects since 1983.
Donnay designed the library, which opened last December, and M.G. Carlson was the general contractor.
The Nisswa library is named after Brownlee and Julia Cote, who were longtime residents in Nisswa and the Gull Lake area. Their five children donated $575,000 for the library in memory of their parents.
The school district receives a 21st Century Grant that provides funds for personnel and activities housed in the library. Some of the goals of this grant are to provide literacy programs for preschool-aged children through adults, offer programs for children under age 5 and their families and create a technology center.
The school and Nisswa work jointly together to operate the library and accept donations to keep the library open in years to come.
In other school business, the school board:
Set its reorganization meeting for 11:30 a.m. Jan. 2.
Heard in the Financial-Insurance Committee report that Ehlers and Associates financial advisers recommend the school district to begin the process to refund its 1993 building bonds of $3.855 million. The school district would save $38,000 per year in future debt service payments from 2004-2011.
School Business Manager Steve Dickinson will stay in touch with Ehlers and Associates for the best time to refinance the bonds. Dickinson said at the finance-insurance committee meeting that the district would not want to conduct the sale earlier than Jan. 27.
The bonds are from a combination of projects at Riverside and Garfield elementary schools and Mississippi Horizons.
Heard an update on Forestview Middle School. Donnay said a more exact cost estimate from Kraus Anderson, construction manager of the project, should be available in a week since the design of the building is more detailed.
The foundation and the footings on the four wings of the school are complete. Of the 4,200 feet -- 3,134 feet of the footings is complete and 67 percent of the walls are done.