Weathersfield schools OK state aid for project

By Mary Smith

A bond issue committee is planned for the May ballot.

MINERAL RIDGE — The Weathersfield Board of Education has approved a resolution to accept Ohio School Facilities Commission Classroom Facilities assistance for a proposed $17.7 million project to tear down the middle school and add on to Seaborn Elementary.

The facilities commission approved the project for the district Nov. 20. It includes a local share of about $7 million. The state’s share will be about $10.6 million.

The board is planning to place a bond issue on the May 2009 primary ballot, and introduced its levy committee — township Clerk David Rouhan and Atty. Joshua Garris, co-chairmen; Bill Holland, treasurer; and David Rummel, secretary.

Rouhan told the board that the district cannot afford the estimated $12 million to $15 million that it would take to refurbish the old middle school and bring it up to standards. “We have waited a long time for this, and I don’t think we have any choice,” he said.

He told the board that once the committee “gets the message” out to the community,” he is confident that it can garner support for a bond issue.

He told the board that it was good that they were patient to wait for schools facilities funds, because the district was able to obtain a 60-40 percent deal for the project.

Plans are to demolish most of the middle school on state Route 46 except for the gymnasium and cafeteria, which are to be used as a community center. The rear of the building, where bus garages are kept, will also be retained.

Middle school pupils will be moved to new quarters at Seaborn Elementary on Niles-Carver Road. A portion of Seaborn will be torn down and new classrooms and a new gymnasium and toilets will be added.

There will be two separate entrances into the building for kindergarten through fourth grade, and fifth through eighth grades, explained Summer Barker of MS Consultants of Youngstown. The two grade groups will share a common administrative office at the existing front of the building.

There will be 13 elementary school classrooms and 13 middle school classrooms, and a new gymnasium will be added. Each group will have a separate media center and art classrooms.

A stage will be placed in the existing gymnasium that can open to the gym or to the cafeteria area behind it.

New administrative offices for the entire district will be added on at the back.

Parking slots will be added, and buses will have their own road to drop off pupils so there will be no overlap of parents and bus traffic.