School building in Salem bought

By D.A. WILKINSON

wilkinson@vindy.com

SALEM

The closed Prospect Elementary School will become a residence for a former student.

Earlier this week, the Salem school board voted to sell the building for $10,000.

Board member Steve Bailey said the district has spent $40,000 to $50,000 to maintain it.

Bailey added, “It’s been closed for the last four or five years.”

The purchasers are Wayne and Nicole Lyons from Ravenna, who plan to live in it, school officials said. They added that Wayne Lyons had attended the school.

David Stratton, president of the Salem Historical Society, said the 27,700 square-foot school building dates to 1896. Residents on the west side of the city wanted a school in their area rather than having their children walk a long distance to classes.

Nick Bush, board member, said there was no other bidder for the structure.

In other action, the board agreed to a new pact with the Ohio Association of Public School Employees that represents 67 nonteaching workers in the district.

Bill Gray, the union head, said workers will receive a 1 percent raise a year for the next three years. The pact takes effect July 1 and ends June 30, 2013.

Cafeteria workers and duty aides are at the low end of the district’s pay scale, at $7.65 per hour. At the high end of the contract are bus drivers, who make $15.75 an hour.