By JASON TIDD

Staff writer

The new school year has brought new students to the Hill Building — 500 bats.

Marion-Florence superintendent Aaron Homburg told the board of education Monday that the bats invaded the attic and bell tower over the summer.

“(Principal) Tod (Gordon) takes all the seniors up there in May, they sign their name in the belltower when they graduate, and he said in May it wasn’t that way,” Homburg said.

He called an expert from Critter Control.

“He went up there, and within 30 seconds he sent his helper down,” Homburg said. “The helper said, ‘You know, I’ve only been working for the guy two weeks and I’m not on the insurance. There’s a lot of bats flying around, and he didn’t want me to get bit.”

Homburg said bats only needs three-eighths of an inch to get in. Critter Control will fill the gaps.

“Basically what they do is they come and they fill all the cracks where they may be getting in,” Homburg said. “They fill all those, and they basically leave a port for all the bats to get out. Well, there’s only one port out of there and they can’t get back in that port.”

Once the bats are out in five to 10 days, the port is taken out and the hole filled. Then it’s guano, or bat feces, cleanup.

Homburg said it is too early for cost estimates and time estimates.

The board approved the budget after no public comment in the budget hearing.

Homburg said the bricking of the sign in front of the high school could start this week at a cost of $2,700. The board approved a cap for the sign. The bricking should be done by the first football game, and a cap by Old Settlers Day.

The board hired a junior class sponsor after 20 minutes of closed session.