BELOIT — The West Branch school board approved nearly half a million dollars for emergency repairs to the heating systems at the Early Learning Center in Damascus and the Knox Elementary building during its December meeting.

The board approved purchase orders up to $484,000 to repair and improve the heating system at the two facilities after avoiding the regular bidding procedures due to conditions of “urgent necessity” to make the repairs and improvements.

The board determined through an inspection and audit that the HVAC systems at the two facilities are “wholly inadequate to provide appropriate climate control” due to failing boilers and require immediate attention. The board determined the advertisement of bids would have delayed the project and threaten normal operations of the district.

The board accepted the quote and authorized the schools Superintendent Micki Egli and Treasurer Adam Fisher to work with a vendor on a proposed contract to be presented to the board at a later date while in the interim work proceeds based on the quote.

In other business, the board approved the five-year financial forecast presented by Fisher, which shows a positive cash balance through its entirety.

According to the forecast, the district will have a cash balance just over $6 million through fiscal year 2028, dropping to just over $5.1 million in the final year. Excess spending is expected to approximately break even the next four years before dropping to negative $842.486 in the final year.

Fisher noted deficit spending is on the horizon, but the district continues to look for ways to cut expenditures, some of which, like reducing open enrollment and the Trane utility project project, won’t start to show until a few years have passed.

The board also approved supplemental contracts for the 2024-2025 school year for Jaxon Robb as varsity boys basketball volunteer, Mike Falasca as varsity girls track head coach, Bryce Ostheimer as varsity boys track head coach, John Hancock as varsity boys tennis head coach, Jeff Benner as varsity girls wrestling volunteer, Rachael Basalla as middle school ticket taker and Megan Woods as middle school ticket taker.

Additionally, the board accepted gifts and donations of $250 from the Goshen Butler Township Community Fund to the National Honor Society, $7,000 anonymous to athletics for the state championship banner, $18,000 from the West Branch Athletic Booster Club to athletic sponsorships/fieldhouse scoreboard, $220 from the West Branch Athletic Booster Club to athletics for girls basketball practice jerseys, $300 from Jodi McDaniel to athletics for state championship banner, $1,000 from Baird Brothers Sawmill for FFA, $50 from The Barnes Agency for FFA, $1,000 from Damascus Methodist Church to the High School Principal’s Fund, $5,000 from Alliance Elks Charities to the Backpack Program, $300 from Mable Lou McLean and Anne Sellaroli to the food pantry and $500 from Deerfield AG Services for FFA.