NORMAL – One might say the recipe for the contest between the boys basketball teams from Normal West High School and Urbana didn’t seem appealing as the two sides prepared to meet last Friday:

Take two teams, one, a home team with a below .500 record. Add a winless visiting opponent. Mix.

The result gave Normal West fans something to stir over as the Wildcats defeated Urbana, 65-47 in their Big 12 Conference matchup.

After the game started with Urbana (0-12, 0-7 Big 12) jumping out to a 3-2 lead on senior Joshua Hall’s trey at 6:56 in the first quarter, the Wildcats went on a 14-0 run, beginning with Wildcats senior forward Martin Paska at the 6:13 mark.

West’s first quarter scoring stretch was helped along by a pair of three-pointers by senior guard Sean Seibring, giving the Wildcats a 17-7 lead going into the second quarter.

Seibring and West teammate junior guard Shauntrell Manney breezed past the Tigers’ defenders in the second quarter, each man contributing four points apiece in the period.

Urbana caught up quickly in the period on the strength of threes by seniors Simeon Simmons, Matthew Wilson, and Charles Glass III. Their efforts cut West’s lead to 34-21 by halftime. Wilson would be the only Urbana player in double-figures for the Tigers with 13 points.

While Urbana’s defense regrouped after intermission, Wilson nearly single-handedly helped the Tigers get back in the game, scoring two of three treys in the period. A three-pointer by Simmons to start the quarter helped Urbana cut West’s lead to 37-32 with 3:43 left in the quarter.

From there though, West’s pace increased, beginning with five unanswered points by Seibring, including a trey, and five more by senior forward Javon Bell, giving West a 47-36 lead.

Seibring single-handedly increased that margin as the third quarter was closing, having been fouled while in the act of shooting from beyond the arc by Urbana sophomore James Gherna. Seibring sank all three subsequent free throws, giving the Wildcats a 50-38 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Seibring, who led all scorers with 22 points on the night, added six more in the last quarter, while West’s defense held Urbana to nine points for that period.

Bell followed Seibring in double-figures with 10 points.

West Head Coach Brian Cupples said Seibring’s contribution to the Wildcats’ last five games has been to provide energy from off the bench. “But, more than his shooting, he has played really good defensively, really good on the glass, and got a couple offensive (rebounds), and defensively, he was on the glass.

“And then, on top of it, he made threes, which we really want him to do,” Cupples said. “We really want him to be a player, and I thought, tonight, he was really a player.”

NORMAL – Any business executive will tell you that every organization could use a review of its procedures periodically.

And admitting that such a review has been overdue in their case, the Unit 5 School Board heard a report by officials of a Bloomington-based company called Custom Training Services, who conducted interviews with 50 administrative staffers in November and December.

Among the items CTS recommended to Unit 5 in the report:

• Cross-training and sharing job responsibilities among department members.

• A centralized purchasing system to bid and buy in volume.

• Creation of a full-time Human Resources position.

• Create an employee training program.

• Establish regular monthly informal question-and-answer sessions that are open to all district employees.

The report’s findings were presented to board members by Lori Laughlin, CTS vice president and Julia Turner, CTS consultant. Laughlin said the interviews were conducted so that interviewees would remain anonymous in the final report.

“This (kind of review) is something we’ve needed for a long time,” Board member Gail Ann Briggs said following the CTS presentation. She cited that having a new superintendent gave the district a chance to get this done.

Dr. Gary Niehaus became the district superintendent last July.

“Many people don’t realize (that Unit 5) began as a small, rural district, but we aren’t that anymore,” said board president Jay Reece. “Becoming one of the county’s largest employers, sometimes we forget that.”

If The Feb. 5 Referendum Passes…: Should Unit 5’s $96.7 million referendum pass on Feb. 5, Board Member John Puzauskas told board members he would like the board, at a future meeting, to consider hiring a construction manager to oversee the project.

Puzauskas is a member of the district’s architectural committee which has been meeting to determine the exact specifications the two new schools elementary schools, one new middle school, and eight renovation existing schools need for use in future years.

Puzauskas’ rationale is that, during construction, a construction manager would be overseeing the project on the district’s behalf.

In addition, the architectural committee recommended opening the new middle school one year later than intended — in 2011, instead of 2010.

Puzauskas said time would be needed to prepare the land and build the infrastructure for the new middle school in south Bloomington.

The 40-acre property is along U.S. 150 and west of McLean County Highway 30.

Early voting began this week and runs through Jan. 31. Normal City Hall is one location where early voting can be done Monday-Friday from 9a.m.-1p.m. and from 2p.m.-4p.m.

In preparation for being able to finance new construction, and with board member Scott Lay absent from the meeting, the board voted unanimously to approve PMA Financial as financial advisor at a cost of $111,250. That breaks down to $1.15 per $1,000.

The board also voted for Mid-State Financial and Wachovia-A. G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. to serve as the underwriter for the potential construction bond sale after a successful referendum.

In This Corner (For Energy’s Sake)…: Two teams going to the State Robotics Competition gave the board and audience members a taste of what they will demonstrate at the Chicago competition Friday and Saturday.

Three teams comprised of students from different Unit 5 schools made it to the regional level. The remaining two teams are Power-Bots and the Prairieland Ragin’ Robot Kickers.

Each team gave brief snippets of a presentation of how to save energy which they will present at the competition. The theme for this year’s competition is “Power Puzzle – How Do We Become More Energy Efficient?”

To keep the two sides from seeing each other’s work, each team did their presentation after the other team was out of sight.

Representatives of the Power-Bots (and the schools they attend) are: Jacob Bova (Prairieland Elementary); Blake Byers (Prairieland Elementary); Matt Christopherson (Parkside Junior High); Nick Huber (Prairieland Elementary); David Janik (Parkside Junior High); Natalie Janik (Prairieland Elementary); Sam Kalina (Prairieland Elementary); Steven Lorenz (Parkside Junior High); and Chad Rosenbaum (Parkside Junior High).

Representatives of the Prairieland Ragin’ Robot Kickers (all from Prairieland Elementary) are: Brady Anderson, Kayleigh Anderson, Jacob Hayek, CeCe Hill, Eli Hill, Brycen Kirklin, Jacob Mattia, Dylan oughton, and Eric Reece.

Modular Classroom Purchase Approved: The board unanimously approved the purchase of four modular classroom units for Grove, Northpoint, and Prairieland Elementary Schools.

Each structure has two classrooms per unit. John Pye, assistant superintendent of operations and human resources, told the board the lease agreed to with Jim’s Mobile Offices, based in Marion, Ill., will run for three years at a cost to Unit 5 of $28,000.

Unit 5 had a previous agreement with Jim’s Mobile Offices which ran for three years ending this school year at a total cost of $29,750.

Same Day Enrollment Up: As 2007 came to an end, Unit 5 saw a jump in enrollment of nearly 2.5 percent. There were 12,478 students enrolled on Dec. 21, 2007, compared to 12,177 on the same day a year earlier. A total of 301 students helped Unit 5’s population swell by 2.47 percent in its same day figures over the previous year.

The district’s three junior highs saw an increase of 64 students over December 2006 figures, while its 15 elementary schools had 197 new students in them as opposed to December 2006.

Brigham and Northpoint were the only schools to lose students on the elementary school ledger – 35 each –, and Normal Community High lost 27 from the year before. NCHS now has a population of 1,754 students as a result.

None of Unit 5’s three junior highs had a drop in student population.

NORMAL – At the regular meeting of the Normal Town Council at Normal City Hall Monday, the council voted to approve publicly supporting the upcoming referendum to help the growing Unit 5 School District, but voted to table scheduled raises for their own membership.

Resolution Supporting Unit 5 Vote Passes: The council unanimously passed a resolution in support of Normal’s Unit 5 School District’s Feb. 5 ballot initiative to seek voter approval of a proposed $96.7 million school building bond issuance and a 10-cent increase in the district’s educational fund tax rate.

Council members who either attended Unit 5 schools themselves or have or had children in the district previously spoke fondly and in support of the ballot measure as a group of 12-15 members of the group encouraging passage of the measure, “Citizens For Unit 5,” sat in the audience.

Dr. Gary Niehaus, Unit 5 superintendent, Jay Reece, Unit 5 board president, and Unit 5 Board member Mark Pritchett attended the session, as well.

“(On) Feb. 5, we will be making one of the more important decisions for this community,” said council member Adam Nielsen. “We have an obligation to take a position on matters like this.”

Nielsen reminded those attending the meeting that Unit 5’s plan does not call for closing of any schools currently in operation.

“When such things like this come up, there are others who say there are other ways to raise the funds other than to increase taxes,” said council member Jeff Fritzen. “But things like this aren’t easy.”

If passed, help Unit 5 raise the money needed for the building of a new middle school, two new elementary schools, and help with renovations to eight current elementary schools.

The eight elementary schools which would receive renovations are: Carlock, Hudson, Towanda, Brigham, Fairview, Glenn, Oakdale and Colene Hoose Elementary School.

If the Feb. 5 referendum passes, a property tax increase could be used to raise the $96.7 million needed for the construction and renovations to be completed. Of the $96.7 million to be spent, $82.1 million would be strictly building construction costs. The remaining $14.6 million would be equipment costs.

Council member Chuck Scott reminded council member the referendum “addresses eight schools in residential neighborhoods,” and that maintaining something like that is important to the community.

Council member Jason Chambers tied schools to business, saying that when a community loses schools, that equals a community losing business dollars for some parts of a community, and that supporting the referendum would be helping local business in the long run.

“Unit 5 has done its homework and made the tough decisions,” Mayor Chris Koos told the gathering just before the vote to pass the resolution was taken.

Council Raise Ordinance Defeated: With council member Cheryl Gaines absent from the meeting, the council found themselves in a 3-3 deadlock over an ordinance on the council omnibus agenda which would give the mayor, as council president, and council members raises beginning in May 2011.

As an ordinance on the council’s omnibus agenda – a group of items parceled together to be voted upon at one time, — the council was presented with an ordinance which would have adjusted the salaries of the council President and council members, effective May 1, 2011 and amending Sections 2.1-2.5 and 2.2-2 of the Municipal Code of the Town of Normal.

The raises would not go into effect until each council member had gone through an election cycle.

Council member Jason Chambers told council members he was “not comfortable” with the timing of the ordinance appearing at the same time of the resolution supporting Unit 5.

He said he would prefer not to approve the ordinance at this time.

Council member Sonja Reece asked Chambers wondered aloud when Chambers thought it would be appropriate to address this ordinance.

Assistant City Manager Pam Reece told council members that, at the latest, this item would require notice of intent to put it on the agenda no later than February 2009, giving time prior to the next council elections set for April 2009.

With Council member Cheryl Gaines absent from the meeting, remaining council members voted to a 3-3 tie on the ordinance, in effect, voting it down.

Voting in favor of the measure were Mayor Koos and council members Fritzen and Scott. Voting against the measure were council members Neilsen, Chambers and Reece.

Omnibus Agenda Approved: Among the omnibus agenda items the council approved at Monday’s meeting were:

• Approval of the minutes of the council’s regular meeting of Dec. 17, 2007.

• Approval of Town of Normal expenditures for payment as of Jan. 2, 2008.

• A resolution authorizing the purchase of property by the Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System. The property is a 17-acre tract of land located at Wylie Dr. and Enterprise Dr.

• A resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement with Chicago-based Farr Associates to create a form-based code for the Main Street corridor.

• A resolution authorizing execution of an agreement with Addison, Ill.-based Proto Productions, Inc. for museum fixtures, furniture, furnishing and equipment for the “Healthy Kids, Healthy Future” kisosk for the Children’s Discovery Museum.

• A resolution authorizing execution of an agreement with Sharon, Mass.-based Brad Larson Media, Inc. for production of an interactive media component for the Children’s Discovery Museum’s “Healthy Kids, Healthy Future” exhibit.

• A conditional resolution partially approving the final plat of the Vineyards II subdivision

• A conditional resolution partially approving a final plat for the 6th addition to the Ft. Jesse Rd. office complex subdivision (Country Acres Land Corporation).

BLOOMINGTON – Times-area teams went two-for-three when they participated in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Central Illinois Shootout, held here Saturday at the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan campus.

Hartsburg-Emden 81, A-C Central/Virginia 67: Hartem (11-7) defeated A-C Central/Virginia, 81-67, managing to find its way around the Knights’ scoring machine, senior Ross Hager, who scored 34 points on the day on the strength of five treys and hitting 9-of-14 free throws.

Hartem senior Dakin Bolen was able to keep pace with Hager, scoring a team-high 27 points, which included going 7-for-11 from the free throw line.

A-C Central/Virginia (9-4) owned a fast 15-10 lead on Hartem with 3:01 in the first quarter, courtesy of treys by Hager and senior Brock Thompson.

That would be the Knights’ last lead of the day, it turns out.

After a quick time-out called by Hartem head coach Josh Nauman, the Stags returned to the floor and began a turn-around, starting with a trey by senior Tyler Schleder and two Dakin Bolen deuces to move in front of the Knights, 21-18, to close out the first quarter.

A second quarter that saw two treys each by seniors Brandon Duffey and Jordan Folkman and one from junior David Neuendorf allowed Hartem to continue to distance themselves as the game continued, giving the Stags a 49-31 halftime lead.

A-C Central/Virginia was able to slow down Hartem in the third quarter while using three treys – two by Hager and one by Thompson – gain on the Stags.

The Knights came within 10, 59-49, going into the third quarter, but foul trouble for the Knights put five separate Stags players at the free throw line, allowing Hartem the opportunity to go 6-for-9, adding distance until the final buzzer.

Bolen was joined in double figures by Duffey and senior Dustin Bolen, with 15 points each, and Folkman with 10.

Thompson followed Hager in double digits for the Knights, with 14 points, and junior Alex Kilby’s 11.

Nauman said he saw an attitude change on the part of his team against the Knights. He said his team has not shown an aggressive playing style of late, but that one seemed to have appeared during the game against the Knights.

Nauman said he is hoping his players will keep this game in mind when they take to the court against Lewistown on Friday.

Olympia 65, Kewanee Wethersfield 46: Like Hartem, Stanford Olympia might not have been able to completely stop a scoring machine like Kewanee Wethersfield junior Nathan Kohler from scoring a game-high 24 points, but the 7-6 Spartans did keep the Flying Geese from winning, with head coach Gerry Thornton’s Spartans posting a 65-46 win.

A trey from junior Matt Flynn and three buckets and a free throw, all in the first quarter, by senior Colt Stroud, pushed the Spartans to a 14-11 lead after the first quarter.

Stroud’s last two first quarter back-to-back buckets may have ended the first quarter, but they also ignited a fuse on a 12-0 run, enabling Olympia to own a 23-11 lead when the streak ended on a basket by Kohler.

Stroud’s 20 points led Olympia’s scoring, and he was followed in double-digits by junior Matt Flynn’s 11, and 10 from junior Matt Frahm.

Olympia (8-5) outscored Wethersfield 15-4 in the second quarter, for a 32-15 halftime lead.

A trey by junior Brady Cremeens and six unanswered points by junior Trevor Strubhar helped Olympia to possess a 43-24 lead at 3:36 in the third quarter, and the Spartans entered the fourth quarter leading 49-33.

Two seniors, Shawn Roman and Erik Tye, followed Kohler in scoring for Kewanee Wethersfield (5-7), with each man scoring 10 points.

The lead enabled Thornton call on his bench players to see time on the floor. “We weren’t great the second half, but we were really good the first half,” Thornton said. “And we’re still a young ball club. Six of our top seven are still underclassmen, so we feel like we can still get better.”

Donovan 61, Midwest Central 58: Although Head coach Kevin Burks’ Midwest Central squad held a lead for two quarters over Donovan in the game that started the Shoot-Out event, it did not start that way, and it ended in the Wildcats coming from behind in the fourth quarter to secure a 61-58 victory.

Midwest Central (7-7) came from behind after one period, down 15-12, using an 8-0 run in the second quarter, highlighted by a trey at 1:29 before halftime to lead the Donovan Wildcats, 30-24, going into the intermission.

The Raiders maintained that lead on the strength of a pair of baskets by senior Jayson Brienen, giving Midwest Central a 34-29 edge with six minutes left in the third quarter.

A trey by junior Steven Jackson at 4:56 pulled Donovan (13-2) within two, 34-32, before baskets by senior Justin Eads and junior Keith Munter, accompanied by two free throws by senior Tyler Burks, pushed the Raiders out to a 42-36 lead going into the fourth quarter.

But Donovan out scored Midwest Central by an 8-2 count in the first two and a half minutes of the last quarter, cutting the Raiders’ lead to 44-42. From there, the game would see three ties – 44-all, 46-all, and 48-all – before a free throw by Donovan senior Charles Coleman with 1:33 left in the game would put the Wildcats on the victory path.

After Coleman’s free throw, Donovan would outscore the Raiders, 12-6 in the game’s last minute, led off by a trey from Jackson, giving the Wildcats, a 52-50 lead.

Jackson led all scorers with 17 points. He was followed in Donovan’s double-digits by junior Ben Hicks’ 13, and Coleman’s 10.

Senior Justin Eads led the Raiders in double-digit scoring with 15 points, followed by 13 from Burks, who was 9-for-11 from the free throw line.

“We were in the game in the fourth quarter and certainly had opportunities to win it,” said Burks. “We had some balls on the rim that decided to come out the other way instead of going through the hole, and that really hurt, but I thought we played well.

“I thought, defensively, we had a pretty good effort and, you know, I was satisfied with everything except the outcome.”