Board Approved Street/Parking Lot Bid At District Facility For Next Summer After 42 years in education, 10 of which have been at Eureka USD 389, Superintendent Scott Hoyt presented his letter of resignation to the Eureka USD 389 Board of Education during their routine monthly meeting last Monday, Nov. 10. The board reluctantly accepted the resignation, with Hoyt’s last day being June 30.
“My ten years in Eureka USD 389 have been truly rewarding for both myself and my family. When I first arrived, I was not familiar with this community- but what I found was a place filled with genuinely good people and a culture that proved to be a perfect fit for me personally and professionally,” the letter read.
“I have been in education for 42 years, and my time in Eureka has been among the most fulfilling in my career. As a district, we have faced some key challenges-none greater than the tornado damage that tested our resilience. I believe we emerged stronger, with improved facilities that will benefit students and enhance community pride for years to come,” the letter continued. Hoyt went on to acknowledge Board Clerk Tammi Burtin and Treasurer Madeline Dehlinger for their support and dedication. “They have been excellent to work with, and I couldn’t have asked for a better situation or more capable partners in assisting me in leading the district.”
The letter concluded with Hoyt noting that he was committed to assisting with the transition to new leadership and supporting the board as they work to find a successor. Hoyt now looks forward to retirement, with hopes of spending more time with family and traveling.
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Regular Business Meeting The board heard from Devin Metzinger, with MMI Asphalt out of Winfield, who presented a street and parking lot bid. At a previous meeting, the board asked Maintenance Director Derek Larcom to gather bids to replace/repair the district’s parking lots. Metzinger provided his recommendations which included: mill and overlay 1.5” of the east parking lot at Eureka Junior/Senior High School (EJSHS), west drive off of 7th Street, Marshall Elementary School (MES) and between the Ag building; full replacement (excavate existing asphalt, replace damaged subgrade, install two lifts of hotmix asphalt to a finish depth of 5” at the south and east of the Tornado Activity Center (TAC); and sealcoating existing asphalt in the west parking lot and north of the TAC. The board received two bids. One from MMI Asphalt, totaling $312,959.50 and the other from Encore Pavement, totaling $385,771.41. The board approved the bid from MMI Asphalt after confirming that capital improvement funds were available for the project. The project is believed to be completed during June; however, could start in mid-late May.
Senior members of the local Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Chapter shared that they kicked off an inaugural pledge at Eureka called “Not In Our House.” The students shared that “this is our house and we will leave it as we found it.” They read the pledge below to the board. Senior FCA members also gathered funds for a poster to share the pledge throughout the community. The poster is hanging on the south wall of the EJSHS gymnasium, as well as will be shared with community businesses.
Board member Luke Adkins noted that throughout the year, it has been evident that many younger students look up to those seniors in attendance and expressed appreciation to the senior FCA members for their leadership.
Eureka FFA members provided an update on their recent trip to Indianapolis, Ind., as they traveled to the National FFA Convention last month. Students provided a recap of the events they attended as well as the Eureka Meats Judging team, sharing that they placed 8th at the national contest. FFA Advisor Trint Peine expressed appreciation to the board as well as commended the students for their success over the years, noting that the four on the meat judging team have made an impact over the years. He went on to note that current seniors Hannah Perrier and Addison Westerman have been on a championship district team throughout high school. Perrier was also a member of the National Champion FFA Livestock Judging Team.
MES Student Lighthouse Team also provided a presentation, sharing pictures and important information they felt was relevant at MES.
Administrative reports were given by MES Principal Stacy Coulter, EJSHS Principal Angie Lowe and Superintendent Hoyt.
The board held a 10-minute executive session to discuss student matters with Superintendent Hoyt and MES Principal Coulter. No action was taken.
The board also held a 15-minute executive session for personnel – future employment, with Superintendent Hoyt. After returning to open session, the board accepted Hoyt’s resignation and moved to begin the superintendent search with the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB).
The next Eureka USD 389 Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 8, at 6 p.m.
