The latest remodeling plan for the Mandan Community Center builds on what's already in place.

Architect Al Fitterer presented at the Mandan School Board meeting Monday a preliminary plan for remodeling the community center into district office and classroom space.

The district is working with the city and park district to transfer ownership of the building to the school district. The district administrative offices would be relocated to the building, along with the Missouri River Educational Cooperative and the Morton Sioux Special Education Unit.

There also will be a classroom for the alternative day program, as well as classroom space for the technology education program, health care careers program and carpentry. The gym at the community center will stay, although it will be moved to accommodate classrooms along the perimeter.

About 33,000 square feet of space will be remodeled, Fitterer said. About 19,000 square feet is for classrooms and about 14,000 square feet is for office space.

"We tried not to change the building in great detail," said business manager Joe Lukach.

The carpentry space is larger than what it occupies in high school. It will be about 2,600 square feet, or about four times more space. The school limits carpentry to 12 students because of space limitations, Mandan High School Principal Mark Andresen said.

In addition to reviewing the remodeling plan, the school board approved a boys and girls soccer program for the middle school and approved a preliminary mill levy for the 2009-10 school year.

The district will take over the soccer program for middle school students from the Mandan soccer club. Boys soccer will start this fall. A coach is lined up pending approval of district activity director Lorell Jungling.

The property tax relief bill requires all school districts to reduce the general fund mill levy by 75 mills in exchange for an equal amount of state funding. This could lower the mill levy in Mandan to 157.19 mills for all funds compared to 233.94 mills the previous year. The change is greater than 75 mills because of projected decreases in the special assessment fund and the sinking and interest fund. The district is basing its mill levy projection on a 6 percent increase in property valuation.

The school board will meet again Aug. 17 at city hall. The board has a retreat Aug. 11 and Aug. 12. The retreat is from 6 to 8 p.m. each day. The first day of the retreat is at The Post and the second day of the retreat is at the district office. Some of the retreat agenda items include a review the district's strategic plans, the committees' goals and creating a committee to look at starting a foundation.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune.com.)