Wayland Union Schools Assistant Supt. for Finance and Operations Patricia Velie has agreed to delay her retirement until June 30, 2023, explaining that “I have a deep commitment to this district and there’s still work to be done.”
Velie, took the assistant superintendent’s post in 2016, succeeding Bill Melching, actually has extended her retirement date twice before, from last June 30 to Dec. 31 this year and June 30 next year.
It appears that the unfinished business she’s talking about is the school bond project, which failed in the August primary this year, but will go back to voters in a special election next May. Velie has been the point person with the public on the project. She has appeared at local township board meetings, city council meetings and has sponsored public sessions to answer questions.
It so happened that the bond project was atop the school board’s agenda Monday night in its monthly work session. Board members were told the price tag will increase from $48.5 million to $49.7 million.
The idea is to build a new pool to replace the aging facility in disrepair and then in motion work to install a shop facility, band room, choir room, wrestling room at the high school and pay for other repairs and improvements at the middle school and all elementariness in the district.
Supt. Tim Reeves said, “I need all of you (board members) to be in support of the project… The needs we are seeking from the community are still there.”
Reeves said he met with architects Tower Pinkster Monday and learned that the cost would go up by $1.2 million simply because of inflation.
Trustee Becky Hohnke, noting the loss in the primary election two months ago, said, “We need to reach out to the people who don’t agree with us and invite them for coffee.”
Treasurer Peter Zondervan agreed, saying, “There’s a sense that we’re hiding something, that we’re not being transparent.., We need to make sure that we do what we say we’re going to do.”
Reeves added, “We’re only asking for what it will take to complete the project.”
In other business at the work session, the board:
• Heard a report from Velie about the shortage of bus drivers that has plagued Wayland and many other districts over the last three years. She said the number of bus routes has been reduced from 18 to 14 and the number of available drivers is adequate, but there could be trouble if somebody calls in sick.
“We’re not even getting calls (from prospective drivers job hunting),” she said. “But this is happening everywhere.”
Reeves insisted, “We have a very competitive package in wages and benefits for our drivers.”
- Was told that the shortage of personnel handling duties as crossing guards has ended, but most of the work is being done by administrators, particularly near Pine Street Elementary.
• Had a round-robin collective report from all seven members and Reeves, all of whom attended a Michigan Association of School Boards Conference last weekend about what they learned.
Thank you Mrs. Velie, you are the best.