Tuesday, April 23, 2002
LEETONIA -- Schools Superintendent Thomas Inchak said the more than $600,000 the Ohio Controlling Board has approved for the school district probably won't be needed, but it's nice to know the money is available in the event an unforeseen construction problem arises.
State Representative Charles Blasdel of East Liverpool, R-3rd, announced today that the board released $632,077 to the district Monday.
Inchak said the funds are a "safety net" as workers are putting the finishing touches on the district's new kindergarten-through-12th-grade school.
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He said the board made the money available in advance because the release of additional funds takes time and otherwise wouldn't be available quickly in an emergency.
Inchak said the state board previously released about $1.7 million to cover increased costs caused by construction delays.
Construction began in May 2000.
"We're still being told we'll get temporary occupancy June 12," he said. "That's when we can start moving in. We will start school there in the fall."
The project, a school that will house all the district's nearly 900 pupils at one location, has a total cost of $17.7 million. About 90 percent of the money is from the Ohio School Facilities Commission's state building assistance fund.