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(NewsDakota.com) The Oakes School Board held their regular monthly meeting for the month of December last week.

Among the topics, the board discussed options on lowering the district’s debt, which currently sits around $1.5 million. Superintendent Art Conklin says the district is looking at paying $500,000 of that debt in the near future without asking for additional funds.

The board approved a joint powers agreement for the next 50 years with the Oakes Park Board in regards to using Cummings Field. The district now has the ability to use funds to pay for new lighting at the facility which is used for baseball and football, and they will pay for half of the cost of the instillation.

Applications for the next Superintendent will be accepted from January 15 to February 15 2013; Conklin is retiring at the end of the year. 

A special meeting of the council is set for Friday December 21 at 9 a.m.; the agenda notes there will be a conference call with Dr. Jon Martinson; the Executive Director of the North Dakota School Boards Association. The next regular monthly meeting is January 8 at 12 p.m.