Weathersfield board discusses project

August 25, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

MINERAL RIDGE

The Weathersfield school board Wednesday moved to apply for “active planning process” status with the Ohio School Facilities Commission for a proposed $24 million school renovation project.

The district should be on the top of the list for new project money, schools superintendent Damon Dohar said, because it is considered a “lapsed district” after failing to pass a local bond issue for 6.4 mills for the district’s share and 1.6 mills for maintenance in two attempts in 2009.

The board has placed on the Nov. 8 ballot a 6.6 mill, 30-year bond issue to generate more than $9 million for the local share of the project and an additional 1 mill continuing levy to generate $85,521 annually to maintain buildings. Voters must approve both before the state will grant its $15.6 million share for the project.

Dohar explained that the board’s resolution shows the state that the district is going on the ballot to try to pass the district’s share by May 2012, and asks the state’s help with detailed planning of the project.

The proposed project would tear down the 1959 portion of Seaborn Elementary School; the 1999 and 2001 portions would remain. The building will be switched from a K-4 building to a K-6 building. The high school will add grades seven and eight and an entirely new section for the junior high will be added at the back of the building, separate from grades 9-12.The building also will be remodeled.

The 90-year-old Middle School will be torn down except for the gym, administrative offices and bus garages

In other business, the board accepted a donation of $1,600 from the Mineral Ridge Alumni Association, Class of 1960. The funds are to be used for a scholarship for a 2012 graduate.

The board also accepted the resignation of Michael Cluse as athletic director, at a pay of $6,500. Cluse was hired last month under the supplemental contract but found full-time employment elsewhere. He was not a teacher at the school.

High-school principal Joseph Krumpak will become the athletic director at the same rate.