Meeker, Stories

Shifting soils convince Meeker board to build foundation under new elementary school

MEEKER — Soils in this area can be, well, a bit unsettling. With that in mind, the Meeker School Board has decided on a foundation for the new elementary school.
mknewelementaryschoolimage“The good news is that we’ll have an excellent foundation system for the school, which falls well within original budget projections,” said Mary Strang, school board president. “Arriving at the right solution has taken some time as the soils in this valley are universally a challenge, and those present at the school site are no different. The soils are not unique to this site … the alternative site would have possibly been worse. However, after weeks of soils analysis and research, the district’s engineers have come up with a reliable foundation design.”
School officials consulted with engineers from Terracon Inc. of Colorado Springs, which did the core drilling and analysis, and H-P Geotech of Glenwood Springs, which did a third-party review.
“(The engineers) concur that a deep over-excavation foundation concept is the best way to deal with the combination of compressible soils (sandy and wet clay) and expansive shale,” Strang said. “The whole design of the foundation is very intricate. The good thing was to have a third-party review. We felt we needed to do that, to exercise due diligence, and to two firms concur on the system to be used.”
Excavation work has begun at the school site.
“Consequently, the preparation of the site for the foundation requires more than meets the eye,” Strang said of the engineers’ recommendation. “It includes over excavating, replacing and compacting the acceptable soils, surcharging the west side of the building footprint, temporarily, with 12 feet of additional soil to compress a vein of wet clay, and them removing the additional 12 feet of soil once there’s been adequate compaction.”
Strang said the school board did extensive due diligence on the foundation issue, in response to community concerns about the construction project.
“We’ve understood there’s been some speculation in the community that there’s pending trouble with the foundation,” Strang said. “We’d like to put these fears to rest and give the community an update and some good news.”
In other business at the board’s May 5 meeting, all three building principals — George Henderson at the high school, Jim Hanks at the middle school and Jason Hightower at the elementary school — were awarded contracts for the 2009-2010 school year, as was Susan Goettel, administrative/executive assistant.
• Board members heard a presentation about a computer program the district will use for tracking and assessing student progress.
“It builds profiles for each student, showing their accumulative progress and processes the results of any new data,” Strang said. “With such a tool, our administrators and staff can utilize student data, rather than having to use a lot of time compiling it. I know all of the administrators are excited about the potential.”
• Board members discussed revisions to the district’s community use of school facilities policy.
“The goal is to have a fair and flexible way to facilitate the use of school facilities,” Strang said. “They belong to the taxpayer and should be used, providing such use doesn’t interfere with school programs.”
The board will approve the policy at its next meeting, Strang said.

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
  • The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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