Board of Education Work Session Summary: April 7

The Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Board of Education met on Monday, April 7, 2025, in the Liberty Middle School Auditorium for its monthly work session.  

These are not the official meeting minutes and do not include every detail from the meeting but rather a summary to assist the District #7 community. The official minutes can be found on the District #7 Board of Education Board Docs once approved by the Board. 

Warehouse/Hadley House Discussion 

The district previously had 5,000 square feet of storage and three offices in the old section of Lincoln School, which was torn down during construction of the new addition. The district then temporarily leased 17,000 square feet near BJC Healthcare and Kohl’s from April 2023 to June 2024. When that lease was terminated early, the district moved items such as chairs, desks, maintenance supplies, and deliveries to different schools, including EHS (in the former Art Center), Cassens, Goshen, Hamel, Midway, and the Grounds Shed. 

A warehouse would provide adequate storage and streamline operations. Three options were presented:  

• Build a new 11,000 square foot warehouse on the northeast side of EHS. It would include some climate-controlled storage, a loading dock, and would cost about $4-5 million.  

• Lease: Options to rent space are limited and rent costs $10–25 per square foot. The district is currently leasing a 7,000 square foot climate-controlled space at 19 Kettle River Drive for food service, tech, and custodial supplies. 

• Purchase nearby property next to the EHS Sports Complex. It includes 7,190 square feet of space (3,776 for warehouse and 2,429 for offices), sits on 1.28 acres, and has 47 parking spots. It would cost $1.55 million and be financed through Busey Bank over 10 years, with annual payments of $194,000 from the Operations & Maintenance budget. With a few small updates, it could serve as the D7 Operations Center, housing offices for Food Service, Facilities, and Technology, as well as a conference room, maintenance storage, and a break/meeting space for staff. 

Hadley House 

The district acquired the grounds and mansion from the W.F.L. Hadley estate in 1953 to expand the high school site and provide more classrooms and office space. The Hadley family, known for their banking and law prominence in Edwardsville, built the mansion in 1875. After the acquisition, a new wing was added to the property. Following use as a school, served as offices and storage.  

The structural recommendations include removing files from the first and second floors, as well as the attic, since file rooms are designed to withstand higher loads (125-250 pound per square foot) compared to typical residential areas (40-100 pound per square foot). This removal does not account for the dead load from building materials and permanent fixtures. After clearing the files, the building will require time to adjust to the changes. 

After the building is emptied, the structural plan includes shoring the first floor to address warped areas, bracing vertical support posts in the attic, and repairing plaster. Additionally, asbestos and lead abatement will be required. Other repairs will involve plaster, ceiling tiles, floor tiles, and window/door caulk. 

Depending on the purpose and future use of Hadley House, this could be funded through private funds, Operations & Maintenance, or Health/Life/Safety. It will no longer be used for construction in fall of 2027.  

In action, the board approved:  

• The purchasing cooperative contract pricing bid from Byrne and Jones in the base amount of $2,329,259 to replace the EHS track, install a new synthetic turf filed at the Winston Brown Track and install a new synthetic turf field at varsity softball, to be paid over the next three fiscal years 2025, 2026, 2027. The track is being replaced due to the age and condition of the surface and to address concerns related to water retention inside the track. The varsity softball field will be regarded to address concerns about slope and drainage. The projects will be completed during the summer of 2025, fall of 2025, and summer of 2026. This will be paid from the District’s Operations and Maintenance Fund over the next three fiscal years.  

Next Meeting:  
Monday, April 28: Board of Education Monthly Meeting (7 p.m. at Liberty Middle School)