West Carroll Formally Approves Thomson Property Transfer

By MICHAEL MILLER | For The Prairie Advocate News

THOMSON – At a special meeting on Wednesday, February 7th, the West Carroll School Board formally approved the transfer of the property known as “The Melon Days Property” and adjacent baseball diamonds from the District to the Village of Thomson, via an intergovernmental agreement.

Board members Mike Highland, Bev Kilpatrick, John Brigham, Jerry Anderson, Tim Atherton and Dawn Rath attended, with Mark Klein absent. No principals were present at this meeting, which, at eighteen minutes, dealt with only a few specific agenda items.

The Board mulled over the prospect of having the District take over responsibility for the Savanna Swimming Pool from the Savanna Park District (pursuant to a letter received from the Park District), with no real consensus of opinion. Atherton and Kilpatrick said they didn’t favor taking on any more property, due to financial concerns, while Highland favored “hanging onto it.” Karen Mennega, Savanna Park District Administrator, was present to answer questions regarding the heating components of the pool. No final decision was made regarding this matter.

The full Board then unanimously approved the resolution necessary to complete the transfer of the aforementioned property from West Carroll to the Village of Thomson.

The Board likewise gave their full support to a new Board member training and instruction program (“Starting Right: Board-building for the New Governance Team).

The last item on the Board’s agenda was the prospect of having a public forum for the District to discuss how to most efficiently utilize the District facilities (i.e. buildings), with Kilpatrick and Atherton both opining that this might not be either necessary, nor advisable.

Kilpatrick noted that such a forum might make people think they had influence into a decision that would ultimately be up to the Board, and Atherton agreed. Brigham said that when the item is on the agenda, people know about it and have the opportunity to comment at that specific meeting, and that if a large crowd is expected, accommodations could be made for that eventuality.

The Board then adjourned into executive session. Highlights of that session included the Board’s acceptance, with regret, of the resignation of both Clint Cowman as Athletic Director and Assistant Principal for the High School, and Kim Luckie as the Middle School basketball cheer leading sponsor.