Morrice school board took up elementary well, youth football Oct. 14

A new well for the elementary school and the return of seventh- and eighth-grade football and cheer were both on the table when the Morrice Area Schools Board of Education met Oct. 14 at Morrice Jr./Sr. High School, 691 Purdy. The agenda lists four items for a vote. The district has not yet posted minutes, so how the seven trustees voted on any of them is not public.

The well item is listed as "Elementary Well (J&M Well Drilling - Scotty's Construction)." That is all the agenda says: two contractors, no price, no scope, no explanation of what is wrong with the current well. A school's water supply is not a small line item, and the agenda carried no supporting material to tell a parent whether this is a repair or a replacement.

The second item a Morrice family will notice is "7th & 8th Football & Cheer." The Current reported this month that the board's Sept. 9 meeting touched on seventh- and eighth-grade youth football without the record showing what was decided. The Oct. 14 agenda moved it from discussion to a vote. At that same Sept. 9 meeting, trustees voted 6-0 to start a varsity golf team, with costs coming from the athletic budget, fundraisers and a request to the Athletic Boosters.

Also up for a vote: the 2025-2026 financial audit, and a "31aa Opt-in." Section 31aa of Michigan's state school aid act funds school mental health and safety work, and districts choose whether to take part. New Lothrop's board took up its own mental health and safety decision this month, as The Current reported.

Three items were listed for discussion only, with no vote: a bond update, selection of a date for the January organizational meeting, and FFA. The bond update is the second one this fall; our Sept. 9 coverage of the golf vote left open what the earlier bond discussion covered.

Board President Jerry Dennis was listed to open the meeting at 6 p.m. The roll call names trustees Dennis, Wyzga, Iler, Hovis, Hower, Binkley and Moncur. Charli Iler is listed as the student representative. The consent agenda carried the Sept. 9 minutes, the treasurer's and financial reports dated Sept. 30, and the personnel report.

What happens next: the Oct. 14 minutes go before the board for approval at its next regular meeting, which is when the outcome of each vote becomes part of the public record. The agenda does not give that date. The district lists 517-625-3142 as the superintendent's office number, and asks anyone needing an accommodation to attend a meeting to call at least five days ahead.