FAIRMONT — The Fairmont School Board met on Tuesday to discuss the potential for the new Open Door Health Clinic which will primarily serve the student body. Despite the presence of local providers and the Mayo Clinic in Fairmont, there is a lack of care for many, especially when it comes to dental work.

The Fairmont School Board first started discussing a partnership with Open Door Health Clinic last spring.

Over 75 percent of the people who use the Open Door Health Clinic in the past have come in search of dental care. The number of dental care providers available for hire has been dwindling recently.

The members of the board were all in agreement that the motion should be passed, but Board Member Mike Edman wanted to see more specific wording in the documents.

The initial written agreement mentions that care will be for the students primarily with family access granted as well, but he wants to get specific as to what constitutes family in those terms.

The motion was passed and the wording in the agreement will be addressed before the clinic opens to the public later this year.

Another concern had to do with who is coming into the building to use the facility. The board and the Open Door representative agreed that they do not want members of the public freely entering the building to use the facility.

In other news superintendent Andy Traetow gave his monthly report.

He mentioned the population of the school system has gone down by 40 students since this time a year ago, but said it is nothing to worry about.

The other main point of his segment of the meeting had to do with a couple of improvements the district would like to make. The first being an update on the softball fieldhouse and it being close to completion, the new upgrades will include internet access as well as upgraded lights on the varsity field.

The other improvement Traetow is hoping to make is a new trailer for the music department. The current trailer is heavy and outdated and the improvement will make for easier transportation of the musical instruments.

Sticking with music, Ted Lobato donated a violin to the Fairmont orchestra program.

The last topic to address was the passing of a new special dietary needs policy. The policy will help to address students who may deal with food issues like lactose intolerance or not eating meat, to hopefully accommodate to their dietary needs.

The board will meet once more this month at 5:15 p.m. March 26 in the Budd room at the elementary school.