Work continues on activity center
Paul Sievers/The Western News Troy superintendent of schools Brady Selle talks about the activity center, which could be finished by early February.
While the new Troy Activity Center awaits primary power, propane heaters are in operation to raise the interior’s ambient temperature in preparation for the gymnasium floor’s installation.
That was among the latest information offered by contractor Monte Jensen during Monday night’s Troy School Board meeting.
With the powerful propane heaters running and fans hanging from the ceiling to maintain circulation, Swank’s Jensen said the concrete needs to reach 60 degrees before moving ahead with flooring.
During the meeting, Jensen said the facility is slated for an early February completion. Getting electricity to the building to begin heating and drying the interior is crucial for hitting the target date.
Jensen said the next step before floor installation is to glue a sensitive moisture measurement tool to the concrete. The tester will be left in place for 24 hours and as long as the ambient moisture reads 6 percent, the concrete will be ready for flooring.
Jensen said a problem is that propane provides a “wet heat” and concrete draws moisture when it is cold.
The city of Troy has completed its portion of the electrical work and the building is expected to have full power soon.
“We appreciate your perfection,” board member Steve Garrett said to Jensen during the facility update.
In other school board action, the board passed its new cell phone policy, prohibiting their use in the district’s buildings.
On a budgetary note, Troy school superintendent Brady Selle said that the school budget has increased but individual taxes have decreased.
“Our percent of the tax burden is less and less,” Selle said. “People are paying a smaller amount of school taxes than two years ago.”
Troy High School principal Jeff Ralston excitedly announced a first for THS. Three students attended a Speech and Debate competition last weekend.
Juniors Jasmine Johnson and Nikita Kuckuc, along with senior Angelique Welcome, honed their wits in impromptu. Competitors in that category are given a topic of discussion and three minutes to prepare a three- to five-minute speech.
Ralston said the girls did very well for their first time but found reaching the minimum time limit a challenge.
“This is the first time in school history that students have competed in a speech competition,” Ralston said.