The ongoing problem of too many keys for the Northport Public School building will be solved with a new security system, officials hope.

Superintendent Tyrus Wessell said Thursday that while nothing criminal has happened to force a change of the locks, there have been increasing incidents of people being in the school after hours who gained access by using a copy of the master key. Wessell said he has received many calls from the Sheriff’s Department about people inside the building late at night.

“We simply have too many keys out there,” he said.

Wessell plans to replace the lock system with a new key card entry system, similar to the kind used in motels. The advantage for the school is the system could be controlled from a computer, allowing Wessell to issue temporary cards.

“If someone from the community arts group needed to get into the school, say on a Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, I could issue a card that would only work during that time period,” he said.

The system would cost $4,975 plus other minor expenses for a four-door system, or about $6,000 for a six-door system. The Northport Board of Education had set aside funds in its 2006-07 budget for the expense.

Wessell said another benefit to the system is the computer could keep track of who is in the building on any given date, noting the time when they entered and when they left.

Teacher Dan Stowe said still another benefit is the system can be locked down from one location in the event of a crisis.

“When we did a school lock-down drill last month, we had to have people go to each door and lock it manually. Some of those doors require an Allen wrench to lock the bar. This will be much easier,” he said.

Wessell did not say when the system would be installed.

In other business, the board:

• Approved the non-homestead millage rate for 2007 at 13.39 mills. The millage should generate $2.834,712 for 2007.

• Heard a report from Wessell that the he and Leland superintendent Michael Hartigan and Suttons Bay superintendent Michael Murray met with representatives from the State Board of Education to discuss forming a cooperative to offer Advance Placement (AP) courses. Wessell is hopeful Northport can work out an agreement with either Leland, Suttons Bay or both.

The board also heard from Wessell that the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District is asking school boards to centralize their special education transportation costs. Wessell said the district would only be interested in combining services if it would save money and not require overly long bus rides.