Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
The Clintonville School Board this week rejected a list of improvements suggested by administrators to improve school safety.
The proposed changes outlined by Steve Reinke, district buildings and grounds manager, included adding a glass wall at the main entrance at Clintonville Middle School so workers could see people as they pass through two sets of doors, estimated at $98,519; camera and buzzer system on the north side of the middle school, $2,250; locking a second set of doors at the main entrance of the high school and adding a window to the office, $43,981; improvements to the rec center, $16,433; camera and buzzer system for a delivery door at the rec center, $3,100; camera at entrance of Dellwood Early Learning Center, $1,225; updated cameras at Rexford-Longfellow Elementary School, cost undetermined.
The board voted down the administration’s recommendations for each building, but then approved a motion to update the rec center hallway, update the current cameras and install more cameras in each building. The money will come from the district’s maintenance budget and fund balance.
Board Members Tom Neely, Dirk Weber and Clyde Tellock voted against the proposal. Voting yes were Ben Huber, Jim Schultz, Jim Dins and Judith Magee.
Huber said he liked the idea of adding cameras and a buzzer system, but was concerned about the cost of a glass wall.
“There is not a window in this building that will stop a determined person from coming in,” he said. “To assume the door is the only place a person will come in, I think, is $100,000 wasted.”
Huber thought it was a good idea to know who is in the buildings, but that could be accomplished in a more economical way.
Telleck suggested that all doors be locked at all times and that the district needs a system that has sensors on all doors so staff would know when a door is open.
Dins suggested installing cameras and intercoms at each building.