East Union’s ASPIRE Center to repair parking

AFTON - Construction isn’t always limited to school facilities.

East Union’s A.S.P.I.R.E. “More” Learning Center and Thrift Store, a popular location for mid-week shopping and educational support, will have their parking lot replaced.

The parking lot has been in disrepair due to frequent use, with Superintendent Tim Kuehl not holding back when describing it.

“If you’ve been by, it is a cracked up, uneven, dangerous mess,” Kuehl said.

The Aspire More center has been a consistent source of community involvement since its inception in 2001. From starting after-school programs, rec teams and the current iteration as a local, donation-driven thrift store, Aspire has evolved along with the district.

The parking lot won’t be the only thing new with Aspire. Director Tammy Ross is retiring at the end of the school year. For a center that’s changed a lot over 25 years, Ross has been there to see it all.

The parking lot will be replaced by Hayes Concrete Construction, with an accepted bid of $31,360. The project will install 6-inch thick concrete with half-inch rebar, alongside the addition of a new shed pad.

In other East Union news...

For East Union Elementary’s annual Family Literacy and Learning Event, the school board approved hiring Fantasy Drone Shows. The quote provided to the district was discounted by Fantasy Drone Shows due to the educational opportunity of the event.

The total quote for a themed 200-drone show and various presentations throughout the day cost $13,000, funded through approved Title I funds and the Bayer Grant. The drone show will take place today starting at 8 p.m., if weather permits.

A replacement floor scrubber will be purchased for the East Union High School. The current unit had a life expectancy of 10 years, but with repairs the the scrubber has been used for the past 20 years. With repairs now too significant, the new floor scrubber is now necessary. The district will purchase the scrubber for $12,317.50.

Additionally, floor care supplies will be purchased for $6,879.55. These new materials will replace the current annual floor stripping plan. The new plan, organized by new Building and Grounds Director Justin Bane, will save the district funds and require less maintenance long term.

Two public hearings were set for the next East Union school board meeting, both approving items for the next school year. The first will approve the 2026-27 school calendar. The other will approve next year’s budget.

Due to a lack of changes from the state legislature on the school start date, the proposed schedule is unchanged. The public hearing on the budget will see the biggest change related to the increased SSA state-approved rate, which is set at 2% next year compared to a lower percent predicted during previous public hearings.

These changes can be discussed during their respective public hearings. The next school board meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on April 20.

Two full sets of yearbooks will be donated to local institutions. The first set will be donated to the Gibson Memorial Library for their Union County Genealogy Department. The other will be donated to the Afton Star Enterprise.