The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — Page 3The agenda slated for Tuesday’s Commit-
tee of the Whole meeting was relatively light.
The committee was scheduled to review and
recommend for approval a letter of resignation
from Susanne Huebner, who serves as admin-
istrator of the Barry County Remonumentation
Program. This program utilizes state dollars to
conduct land surveys and maintain monument
markers on an ongoing basis.
Huebner’s resignation is effective on Oct. 1.
The agenda item requested that county
administrator Michael Brown take over the
role of grant administration for the program.
The COW was also scheduled to weigh in
on whether or not the county should apply for
a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) grant in order to fund environmental
assessment projects for potential brownfield
redevelopment sites.
The county received $300,000 in grant
funding from the EPA in 2019 to evaluate theenvironmental condition of brownfield sites
throughout Barry County. The county has
inspected 10 sites total as the third year of a
four-year program comes to a close. The
county has $50,000 left, which is on pace to
run out before the grant program expires.
The EPA has introduced a new round of
funding for fiscal year 2023 that Barry Coun-
ty can potentially apply for.
Also, the COW was scheduled to review a
master engagement agreement with Tam-
pa-based MGT Consulting, which maintains
additional hubs around the country.
Barry County works with the company –
spending $9,500 annually over three years- to identify indirect costs that are incurred
by the county in supporting and administer-
ing federal and state programs. The compa-
ny also works to help the company find
ways to minimize and recuperate some of
that money.
event’s website. “We especially appreciate all
of the volunteers, some who gave hundreds
of hours of service, that made the N24HC a
premiere event.”
Goscenski submitted a letter of resignation
to the board in early June. The board put out
an advertisement seeking a new executive
director to take over administration of the
challenge, but received no applications,
Goscenski said.
“It was an unpaid position, not compen-
sated,” he said. “I had spent the last five
years doing it, and decided that the time
commitment was beyond what I was capable
and willing of doing moving forward ... I
think the primary reason (for ending the
event) was a lack of leadership to continue to
organize the event.”
The decision to end the National 24-Hour
Challenge came several months after this
year’s event, which would have been held on
Father’s Day weekend, was canceled because
organizers were unable to secure adequate
assistance from the Barry County Sheriff’s
Department for reserve deputies to provide
traffic control, as well as ensure an ambu-
lance and emergency medical technician to
handle any medical issues that might affect
cyclists.
“As of May 31...We had only secured four
law enforcement personnel and had not iden-tified additional medical personnel. We had
exhausted all possibilities, which led to the
cancellation of the event,” Goscenski said in
a statement posted on the event’s website at
that time.
The National 24-Hour Challenge was
founded in 1983 in the Grand Rapids area by
Skip and Diane Obermeyer. The couple orga-
nized the event for 25 years, starting from 18
riders in the first year, to nearly 500 riders in
the 2000s. The Rapid Wheelmen Bicycle
Club hosted the challenge until 2004, when it
was incorporated as a non-profit organiza-
tion. The Obermeyers retired in 2007 and
Lew Persenaire took over. After Persenaire
died in 2009, Pete and Kathy Steve stepped in
to direct the event, and held that role until
2017, according to the challenge’s website.
The 2020 24-Hour Challenge was canceled
because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The
event returned in August 2021, with 164 rid-
ers taking part. Riders came from as far away
as Washington state, according to the event
website.
Plans are being developed for a “farewell
ride” that will likely take place in June 2023.
The ride is expected to follow the “day loop”
route that challenge riders have used for
years, starting from Thornapple Kellogg
Middle School, going south to Delton, and
then back, Goscenski said.Hastings school board approves
43 new staff member hires
Hunter McLaren
Staff Writer
Nine new Hastings Area School System
staff members were introduced to the public
at Monday’s board of education meeting.
Superintendent Matt Goebel said the dis-
trict hired 43 new staff members this year,
with 65 new staff members hired in the last
two years. The wave of new staff appointed
comes amidst a national teacher shortage,
with many districts struggling to fill positions.
Goebel thanked school administrators for
their work in finding and vetting candidates.
“We posted some of these jobs before
spring break, which actually has never hap-
pened before. But we knew that to be com-
petitive and to fill these jobs, we knew that
we needed to get an early start,” Goebel
said. “That says a lot about our administra-
tors. They go through the interview and
hiring process and get great people for our
kids, and I believe that we really have done
that here.”
Board President Luke Haywood thanked
the candidates for choosing Hastings and
welcomed back some staff members who are
alumni of the district.
“We know it’s a competitive market out
there. Thank you for choosing Hastings and
coming back to our community, many of you,”
Haywood said. “We’re excited to have you and
have many great things to come, I’m sure.”
Board members approved the financing of
four new diesel buses for the school’s fleet inan amount not to exceed $395,000. Goebel
said the buses were due to arrive in Novem-
ber and were badly needed.
“Right now, sometimes we have enough
drivers and we don’t have enough buses,”
Goebel said. “Our transportation department,
in partnership with our athletic department,
have really been creatively figuring out ways
to get kids (where they need to go), especial-
ly to athletic trips after school. We want to
make sure that all of our routes are being
taken care of first and foremost to get those
kids safely home.”
The board’s next meeting is scheduled for
7 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Hastings Middle School.
NEW DISTRICT-WIDE APPOINTEES
Ericka Critzer, childcare employee; Cas-
sidee Easey, childcare employee; Daniel
Hickey, transportation department assistant
mechanic; Michael Lesick, community center
attendant; Robert Woodworth, groundskeep-
er; Deborah Williamson; elementary special
education department chair; JoAnn Vanden-
Hout, physical education department chair;
Karen Schoen, fine arts chair and district
implementation team; Dora Leonard, district
implementation team; Edward Domke, CTE
department chair.
In other business, the board:- Approved a field trip for the Hastings
High School choir to Chicago on March
20-31, 2023. - Approved a field trip for the Hastings
Middle School Youth in Government organi-
zation to Lansing Nov. 20-22, 2022. - Approved the purchase of a new mainte-
nance vehicle in an amount not to exceed
$30,000. - Accepted a donation of pick-up lane
signs valued at $1,549 from DB Design for
Southeastern Elementary.
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& InsuredCHALLENGE, continued from page 1 ––––––––––––––––
Barry County commissioner Bruce Campbell chats with resident Jack Miner on
Tuesday after the Board of Commissioners meeting was canceled. The board
failed to achieve quorum when only three commissioners were present. (Photo by
Jayson Bussa)COMMITTEE, continued from page 1 ––––––––––––––––
In last week’s edition of The Banner , we wrote about Hastings High
School students and their successes in advanced placement courses. In
the photo, we assigned the wrong name to Hastings student Juan Osorio.
The correct photo and caption is below. We regret the error.Hastings High School students (from left to right) Juan Osorio,
Julie McLean, Anna Haywood and Molly Patton said their AP class-
es and exams helped them prepare for success past high school.CORRECTION
D-K school board considers trading property with
Barry Township after conflict with land boundary
Leila Wood
Contributing Writer
The Delton Kellogg School Board is work-
ing on a solution to a persistent problem
concerning the boundary between the dis-
trict’s property and Barry Township’s Wil-
liam Smith Park.
According to board member Rodney Dye,
the township’s construction projects in the
park have crossed the line onto the school’s
property several times; including with the
construction of public restrooms that were
built in conjunction with the amphitheater,
swing set and now one of the two new pick-
leball courts, which were under construction
over the summer.
Dye said the school previously donated the
piece of land that the restrooms were built on.
Members of the board and audience
expressed frustration with the situation and
concern about potential liability issues if any-
one using the park or working on the pickle-
ball court project were to be injured on school
property.
“I’m really disappointed that they did this
without owning the land, and if we did that,
we’d have repercussions, and they don’t,”
said board member Sarah Austin.
The question was also raised about poten-
tial fines for the township if they did not have
the necessary permits.
Dye said he did not know the answer to
that question.
“They were warned that they were really
close to school property, and we ended up
here... so here we are. They did it,” said Dye.
“I don’t know why those permits weren’t
pulled. I don’t know why they didn’t know
where the property lines were. Even if you
didn’t need a permit, you still – even farmers
- they need a zoning permit... so there’s cer-
tain processes and steps that were probably
not taken.”
After a bit of discussion, the board voted to
have the land surveyed and to work out a deal
with the township. The district would trade
the land on which the swing set and pickle-
ball court have been built for another lot on
Orchard Street, owned by the township,
where the school currently has an easement.
“We’ve talked with Drew Chapple (realtor)
and the township... What the proposal is, is
to square the township property up and give
them an additional roughly 180 feet that will
be surveyed off... which will clear and allow
them to keep the footings for the second set
of pickleball courts – they won’t have to tear
those out. In return for that, they will trade us,
so we’ll trade that for the corner lot that has
the easement on it,” said Dye.
Dye also said he would like the township
to pay for the survey.
“This, the development of what’s going on
here, is all at fault of the township. It shouldn’t
fall on the school at all. We shouldn’t have
any monetary ramifications for any of this,”
he said.
He said they would then put a fence along
the boundary to help separate the school
property from the township property and pre-
vent future issues.
Dye also suggested that the school should
also reevaluate its other boundaries and
ensure that they are clearly marked.
“I don’t think any of us up here are
opposed to the idea of a pickleball court...
but we just have to make it legal... I played
on the pickleball court the other night. It was
fun, but we have to make it right,” added
board member Kelli Martin.
During the meeting, an update was also
provided on the Elementary reconstruction
project.
The board said the project is about a week
ahead of schedule.
Footings are going in, and the structure
should be going up very soon.
“(The construction company) said you’ll
start seeing it come up, and they said when it
comes up, it’s going to come up pretty fast.
You’ll see it coming out of the ground,” said
Superintendent Dr. Herman Lartigue Jr.
The discussion briefly turned to plans for a
time capsule that will be placed in the new
building, inspired by the one that was discov-
ered during the demolition of the old building
and opened in August, during Delton Found-
ers Festival.
According to Lartigue, the construction
company working on the project, Christman,
has offered to donate the box for the new time
capsule.
“It’s really exciting, but we have to start
thinking about what we’re going to put in it
and also, actually looking at the old box,
think about what will last, because like so
many of the pictures were faded from the old
box,” said Lartigue.
In other business:- Jesse Shaver was appointed by Barry
Intermediate School District to fill a vacancy
on Delton Kellogg’s board that was left by
Brandy Shooks, who resigned several months
ago. Shaver was sworn in during a special
meeting last Thursday. He gave a brief state-
ment introducing himself to the audience
Monday evening, during the meeting: “I’ve
got three young kids in the district. I’m a
transplant to the Delton area, approximately
12 years ago, or so. I love the area, love the
school system. I’m here to support all our
kids, our staff and continue to make this dis-
trict awesome,” he said.- According to Superintendent Lartigue,
the Delton Kellogg Education Foundation
has been busy with several successful fund-
raisers lately, including a pancake breakfast
at the Moose Lodge and a movie in the park. - Middle school paraprofessional Cathyrae
Mishoe has resigned. - Delton Kellogg Schools will hold a plan-
ning retreat in the elementary school library on
Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 5 and 6 from 6
p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Board members, administra-
tors, teachers, parents, community members,
other staff members and students are invited to
attend and help develop the vision, mission
statement, beliefs and goals for the district.
Anyone planning to attend should call 269-
623-1501 to RSVP by Sept. 29.
From left to right, the board introduced new staff members Elliza Tolles and Robekah Warner, high school; Michelle Barrows,
HMS; Kelly Wilson and Heather Armour, Southeastern Elementary; Theresa Slagel, Central Elementary; Andrea Price, Southeastern
Elementary; Savannah DeYoung and Kayleigh Collins, Central Elementary.
School Board President Luke Haywood (back, left) shakes hands with Michelle
Barrows while Superintendent Matt Goebel (back, right) shakes hands with Kelly Wilson.