Board OKs state funding for 3 local school districts

The board also approved money to demolish to Arlington Elementary in Newton Falls.

By MARC KOVAC

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

COLUMBUS — State officials have signed off on funding for new facilities at 34 school districts, including three in Trumbull and Mahoning counties.

Following the July decision of the Ohio School Facilities Commission, the State Controlling Board OK’d the release of more than $131 million for the projects, including:

UGirard City School District will receive about $20.9 million. It will provide a local share of about $5.2 million as part of a $26 million project to build a new middle/high school and demolish the existing junior/senior high school, according to documents.

UBrookfield Local School District will receive about $20 million. It will provide about $11.3 million as a local share as part of a $31.4 million project to build a new facility to house kindergarten through 12th grades. Allowances have been included for the abatement and demolition of Addison and Stevenson elementary schools, Brookfield Middle School and Brookfield High School. Brookfield Elementary is to be abandoned, “as it is located in Pennsylvania,” according to documents.

USpringfield Local School District will receive about $19.8 million. It will provide $10.7 million as part of a $30.5 million project involving the construction of a new middle/high school, renovations and additions to the existing Springfield Intermediate/High School (to be converted into an elementary school). Allowances have been included for the abatement and demolition of the district’s administrative offices and Springfield Elementary.

The facilities commission last month OK’d $1.26 billion for master facilities planning across the state. Of the total, $792.6 million will come from the state, with the remainder provided at the local level.

In other business Monday, the controlling board approved the release of $74,628 as part of a facilities project at Newton Falls School District in Trumbull County.

The funding will be used to demolish Arlington Elementary, which was not included in the original master facilities plan and was not anticipated in the construction manager’s contract, according to documents.

“The additional scope of work, including the construction manager amendment, are affordable within the currently budgeted amount for the project and will not require an overall budget adjustment,” according to documents.