VIENNA — Superintendent Teresa Messersmith Sept. 22 told the Maries County R-1 Board of Education that the district could only partially complete the HVAC project funded by Proposition Eagles.

Voters approved April 7 Proposition Eagles, a $1 million bond for HVAC and facility repairs. However, because the high school boiler cost more than expected, the school will have to wait to complete HVAC units not funded by this bond.

Messersmith said the high school boiler and chiller will cost about $500,000, more than expected, and the HVAC units for the classrooms will cost $10-15,000 each.

She also said that the other costs are $268,000 for the roof repairs, $27,000 in fees to bond issuer LJ Hart & Company, $5-10,000 for Archer-Elgin’s request for proposal fees, leaving about $130,000 for the classroom units.

Because some of the HVAC units are in the ceiling, replacing the units in those classrooms will also require replacing the ceiling grids, tiles and lighting.

Messersmith said that the advice she was given was replace six of the more difficult units. Therefore, if a unit fails during the school year, there would be fewer disruptions. Afterwards, the board will have 21 more classroom units to replace.

Assuming $20,000 per classroom for the unit and the ceiling repairs, Messersmith estimated it would require about $420,000 more to finish the project.

Messersmith later in an email gave updated numbers and clarified that these are rough estimates. She said that LJ Hart’s fees were less than expected at $8,000, leaving $214,000 for the classroom units. She also assumed $15,000 per unit in this updated calculation. Therefore, the district needs about $191,000 more to replace all the units but will replace as many as it can with the remaining funds.

AED Installation

The board also approved 6-0 covering one third of the cost of maintaining, installing and repairing an automated external defibrillator (AED) that will be placed at the concession stands of the Vienna city park.

The AED will be installed in a climate-controlled box with a security camera. When the AED is used, MOAD will receive a notification.

This is in response to Missouri Senate Bill 68, signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe July 9, 2025, for the 2026-27 school year onward.

It requires schools to have an emergency response plan for cardiac arrest. The law also lays out guidelines for AED placement throughout the school campus. During the school day, athletic events and practices, the device must be unlocked, clearly marked and accessible.

President David Long shared concerns about vandalism. Messersmith said that the AED will be locked and that people will have to “bust into it.”

Jacob Hallahan, board member, noted that the school pays the city rent to use the park facilities and is also going to pay for infrastructure for that facility.

“And that’s true, but they don’t have to have it out there at all. We do,” Messersmith said.

Messersmith said that she didn’t know the cost but thought installation was about $1,800 for the electrical work.

Denise Wilkinson, board member, said the board should know the amount being approved. Messersmith said that she didn’t think the cost was much but restated that the school board doesn’t have a choice.

MSBA Policy

The board approved 6-0 all except for one revised policy from the Missouri School Boards’ Association. These policies are the result of changes to Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP 6).

The board did not approve Policy JDHE: Behavioral Threat Assessment. Messersmith said that the district would need to have training to follow the policy, and the board can choose to approve it later. She also said the school has a policy in place for behavioral threats.

“It’s something we need to make sure that if we’re going to approve it and say we’re doing it, we better be doing it,” she said.

The following policies were approved:

• Policy CB: School Superintendent

• Policy CBE: Superintendent’s Development Opportunities

• Policy CBG: Evaluation of the Superintendent

• Policy CFB: Evaluation of Administrators

• Policy GCL: Professional Staff Development Opportunities

• Policy GCN: Evaluation of Professional Staff

• Policy GDL: Support Staff Development Opportunities

• Policy GDN: Evaluation of Support Staff

• Administrative Procedure CFB-AP(1): Evaluation of Administrators

• Administrative Procedure GCL-AP (1): Professional Staff Development Opportunities

• Administrative Procedure GCN-AP(1): Evaluation of Professional Staff – (Teachers)

• Administrative Procedure KB-AP(1): Public Information Program – (K-12 Districts)

Approve appointments

The board approved 6-0 the following appointments:

• Joe Edwards, special education department director

• Safety coordinator

• Homeless coordinator

• Gifted coordinator

• Foster care point of contact

• Migrant coordinator

• English language learner director

• Natalie Martin, high school counselor

• At-risk coordinator

• Tim Metcalf, high school principal

• Title IX coordinator

Miscellaneous

The board approved 6-0 adding Lexus Spencer and Robert Crum II to the substitute list.

The board also approved 6-0 the annual dyslexia plan.

For the ag surplus property bid, the board awarded 6-0 Jack Stratman the plasma cutter for his $120 bid.

Closed session

The board voted to adjourn to closed session for Revised State Statute 610.021 (3), the hiring, firing, disciplining or promoting of employees, and (6), student records. No votes were made.