District 91 school board plans for the future

The Idaho Falls School District 91 board of trustees are looking at the future. On Wednesday night, the district held a school board meeting at the district office. The board discussed a couple of property purchases and cybersecurity for the district.

One of the properties is on Hemmert Avenue.

It will be a site to centralize the district’s maintenance operation, grounds departments and warehouse.

Earlier in the year, the board gave approval on purchasing property on Lincoln Road, but the board cites the Hemmert property as a larger piece of land.

“It’s really an effort to sort of centralize so we can run a little more efficiently and it also frees up space on the Idaho Falls High School campus,” said Margaret Wimborne, of Idaho Falls School District 91. “Space is at a premium on that campus, we’re looking for room to centralize our Career Technical Education programs which are scattered around the district. Moving out maintenance and operations kind of frees up some space there.”

District 91 also gave the go ahead to move forward on purchasing a piece of property south of Idaho Falls, just off of 49th South. There are no plans for what will become of this property, but they say growth on the south side of the district is increasing. Board believes it would be “smart” to purchase the property while it is available.

Both of the properties were purchased with funds that are through the district’s special facilities fund.

It is money that is generated every year from the Special Plant Facilities Fund (SPFF) Levy.

After a few instances in the past few months with cybersecurity, Idaho Falls School District 91 board also approved an agreement to monitor detection in case of cyber incidents.

The district has been working with Kroll cybersecurity since October. That was after the district became aware of a virus impacting the district-wide computer system.

They now have a longer-term agreement to provide additional detection.

“The information that we hold at the district, we take that role very seriously,” said Wimborne. “Keep making sure that that information is safe and secure is one of the districts top priorities. This agreement again provides some additional support to make sure that we are able to address any cyber incidents that may occur.”