WARREN SCHOOLS Officials discuss goals for building project

The OSFC is paying for the bulk of the project.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The project to build new city schools should involve and engage pupils and staff and provide a sense of ownership within the community, those involved in the project say.
School board members, district officials, representatives from the Ohio School Facilities Commission and architects working on the project met in a daylong session Friday at Abruzzi's Cafe 422 to try to determine the project's goals.
School board members also formally approved an agreement to work with OSFC. Board member Lynn Gibson, whose family is in the construction business, abstained from the vote.
District officials listed several goals. Superintendent Betty English said it's important to assure student safety during the project.
Nedra Bowen, board member, said she's heard from some staff members who are concerned about losing their jobs so they need to be involved and engaged as the project proceeds.
Gibson said she hopes the community develops a sense of ownership in the plan.
In November, voters approved a 5.5-mill bond issue and accompanying 1-mill maintenance and permanent improvement levy that will generate the 19 percent local share for the estimated $169 million project. OSFC is providing the remaining 81 percent.
Building plans
The plan is for five new kindergarten-through-eighth-grade buildings and a new high school, with current school buildings likely to be demolished. Board members, however, have indicated a wish to retain some portion of Warren G. Harding High School, which was built in 1924, for historic preservation.
The agreement authorizes more than $17 million for demolition with about $12 million of that for hazardous material removal.
Carbone, Ozanne & amp; Hammond of Cleveland is construction manager for the project, and Fanning/Howey of Dublin and Olsavsky Jaminet of Youngstown are the project architects.
The project also includes items that must be paid for with local money. Those items include $4,318,000 for an eight-lane competition swimming pool at the high school. The price estimate includes locker rooms and seating for 300 spectators.
An additional $500,000 is to cover land acquisition in case the board must buy property to accommodate the new buildings, and $3.5 million is established as a contingency to pay for unforeseen conditions that arise during construction.