KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsVerdigre, NE school board recall fails; progress 'slow' on school

Verdigre, NE school board recall fails; progress 'slow' on school

VERDIGRE, Neb. (KTIV) -- It's a deeply divisive issue for a small northeast Nebraska town: whether to build a new school. It's so controversial, voters in Verdigre went to the polls Thursday to vote on recalling the entire school board.

However, every board member received enough votes tonight to stay on. But, that doesn't solve the problem of what to do with the 90-year-old Verdigre High School.

Crumbling cornices, loose brick and broken windows. One look at Verdigre, Nebraska's high school and many would agree, it's seen better days.

It's gotten so dangerous, the district's put up fencing to protect students from falling debris. But the problem's not just on the outside.

Jodi Wiese of Verdigre says, "Bad. It's bad. I have asthma and I couldn't even go down to the art room."

Wiese says that's because of the mold.

Last November, Verdigre voters passed a nearly $4 million bond to construct a new building to house junior high and high school and fix up the grade school. However, some in town say the school board violated open meetings laws, so the vote was tainted.

Wiese says, "It has divided people up, unfortunately because we're a very close community, but I feel in town here, there's been quite a bit of support."

But outside city limits, it's a different story. Rural land owners with much more property than people in town, will have to pay for the bulk of the project through taxes.

"I think we need to start looking at maybe consolidating instead of putting the burden on rural people to pay for the school and improvements," says Jeff Uhlir of Verdigre.

Jeff Uhlir's father lives on a farm and says his taxes would jump by at least $2,500 a year.

Uhlir thinks the district should start having conversations with surrounding districts about consolidation, an option he says the board never considered.

But Principal Chuck Kucera says a strong school is part of a good community.

"I think every community, especially in small town Nebraska, small town America needs a strong school," Kucera said.

And last year's vote, Kucera says, shows most people in the district agree.

"We already have passed the bond to build a new building and the voters of Verdigre have directed our current school board to follow through with their wishes for a new building," he says.

While not everyone agrees on a new building, everyone's concern for the kids' safety is unwavering.

Uhlir says, "There's obvious issues that need to be addressed and I'm not disputing that, but there's other opportunities."

But coming to an agreement is the hardest part.

The recall vote does not affect construction on the school, but the project is on hold because of a lawsuit.

The Nebraska Supreme Court will take up the issue next month, and if the project gets the green light, the new school would be built between the current gym and grade school, connecting to a nearby annex.

The current school lacks fire sprinklers and doesn't meet certain requirements under the "Americans Disability Act." The new building would take care of that.

Online Reporter: Zach Tecklenburg