Board gives go-ahead for new parking lot

HARTINGTON — Parking near Hartington-Newcastle School should soon become much easier to find.

The Hartington-Newcastle School Board Monday ap- proved plans to construct a new 49-stall parking lot east of the current elementary school playground.

Board members accepted a bid of $236,870 from LT Companies of Tea, S.D., to complete the project. Three other bids were received, but LT Companies submitted the lowest proposal. School o$cials also noted the district has had a good working relationship with the company, which previously installed the concrete for the elementary playground.

Stockwell Engineers of Yankton, S.D., developed the plans for the project.

The fully paved lot will feature four rows of vehicle parking and will also include space for buses.

Superintendent A.J. Johnson said the company plans to begin work in May shortly after school dismisses for the summer. The project will include grading and leveling the site before the concrete is poured. Construction is expected to be completed in late July.

Board member Jason Heikes said the additional parking is long overdue.

“We need to add parking. There are not a whole lot of options as to where else to build this,” he said. “We looked at moving the bus lane and putting parking there, but that simply wasn’t a feasible option.”

Also Monday, the board approved switching vendors for the school’s accounting and business software.

Software Unlimited of Sioux Falls, S.D., recently provided a demonstration of its system for HNS Business Manager Tina Opfer. Business managers from four other school districts also attended the demonstration.

Opfer said the new program oers more than standard accounting functions.

“It not only handles accounting, but also helps with human resources and can assist the school with its annual budgeting process,” she said.

Opfer recommended changing providers after the dis- trict's current vendor, Aptafund, announced a significant rate increase beginning in 2026. Several area schools are expected to see increases of at least 65 percent, while some