Lakeview, state to devise plan for facilities

The Ohio School Facilities Commission will help
formulate the plan.

CORTLAND — The Lakeview school board voted to enter into an agreement with the Ohio School Facilities Commission to prepare a districtwide building facilities plan.

The OSFC’s Expedited Local Partnership Program works with districts that are more than two years away from eligibility for state assistance. Superintendent Robert Wilson said Monday that the district is approximately two to four years away from state funding.

He said the OSFC is working on schools that are around 275 on the funding list, with Lakeview sitting at 396.

The OSFC will visit Lakeview schools in the coming months and begin to formulate districtwide assessment of the facilities and will determine a master plan for the district, which can include recommendations to renovate or add to current facilities or build new facilities.

Wilson said the district’s aging buildings often require a lot of time and money to keep them up and running.

The district recently spent more than $100,000 to replace boilers in Lakeview and Bazetta elementary schools and $7,200 to fix a ceiling in Lakeview Elementary School.

If the district is eligible for state funding, the OSFC will return to the district and complete another facilities plan. If funding is offered, the district will have to pay a portion of the project. Wilson said the district will likely have to pay approximately two-thirds.

The OSFC has funded more than $5 billion to school building projects since 1997.