Steve Lorrain is a familiar face on the Community School District Board of Trustees. However, after 10 years of service, Lorrain decided not to run for reelection this year. Trustees and staff honored the former board chair at the May 7 meeting with thanks and with gifts as tokens of appreciation for his long service.  

“The minute you meet Steve you recognize his commitment to the community and the schools is always at the forefront,” said Alternative Organizational Structure 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler. Kahler added he appreciates Lorrain’s sincere concern for others. “As busy and crazy as it gets sometimes, he’s always checking in to see how people are doing. And a lot of people don’t see that because it’s just something he does because of how he is.”

Looking back, Lorrain said he first joined the board for two reasons. “First, I was asked,” he said. Lorrain added he felt the position was a way to give back to the community. He recalled people coming together for a spaghetti dinner to help care for his ill granddaughter. The event raised thousands of dollars.

“I mean, they just came together, had spaghetti, did that, and raised this kind of money,” he said. “From there on, I wanted to pay them back.”

But Lorrain admitted the job hasn't always been easy, especially considering the state of the school buildings and the recent elementary school flood. However, he said after what negative feedback and frustration he has received over the years “of all the things and of all the names and the insinuations, of the worst thing that could have been said about me that I was a politician. It just really irks me.”

Lorrain said he stayed on the board, largely made up of tradesmen, because of the people he served with and what they could accomplish together. He also said he couldn't thank his wife Jennifer enough, who he said listened patiently and provided years of support. As large renovation projects loom in the future, Lorrain expressed gratitude to be a part of work that helped the community realize what was going on in their schools.  

“I've worked with some really great people on these boards, and every one of them are all working people,” he said. He later added, “no matter how this all turns out, at least we've got the people talking about it, looking at it. The freeze-up last year at the elementary school really opened my eyes up to just what I was witnessing and seeing. People really closed in and they got a lot accomplished.” 

Lorrain hopes to stay involved but in a less formal role. He said he would like to help organize fundraisers for special programs.  

“We should have some fun. You know, fun has been taken out of a lot of places. I won't say we're going to light the world on fire, but maybe we could sustain a couple of programs for the school that (don’t) have to be funded by the taxpayers, or things like that, and have some fun.” 

In other business, trustees welcomed the newly elected Sewall Maddocks to the board. They also held officer elections and voted Troy Lewis as chair and Darrell Gudroe as vice chair.  

The board held an executive, or closed door, session “to consult with attorney concerning legal rights and duties” and returned over an hour later. Kahler then informed the public the recently filed petition to reconsider the April 24 referendum remains under review. May 13, the district announced a special meeting is scheduled May 14 with the petition item on the agenda. Kahler also told the Register the board took advantage of having its attorney present and asked questions they had been saving. 

At another point in the meeting, Kahler reported the district is collecting revised estimates for priority repairs including the dry sprinkler system and parapets at the elementary-middle school, a security entrance at the high school, and both schools’ roofs. In a financial update, Kahler provided spending and revenue figures for the CSD. He said the elementary school is over budget due to the flood and the district is still in negotiation with insurance for reimbursements. In addition, Kahler said a $450,000 line of credit, in the form of a tax revenue anticipation note, has worked exactly as the district hoped. The line of credit was in response to accumulating bills, including payroll and vendor payments, as the district awaits reimbursement for flood-related damages. He said it was accessed one time to catch up on accounts and will be paid back in time.