$14.9M left from construction of 13 new Youngstown school buildings

$14.9M left from construction of 13 new buildings

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The board of education passed a resolution that approves a financial disposition of money left from the construction of 13 new buildings since 2003.

The board passed the resolution at its Tuesday meeting 5-1, with board member Anthony Catale voting “no.”

The resolution ratifies an agreement with the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission that the buildings project is complete and all the finances are accounted for, said Harry Evans, the school district’s chief of operations and business affairs.

There was $14.9 million left from $193 million for the construction, Evans said.

The OSFC funded 80 percent of the construction, and the school district funded 20 percent, he said.

The district will get back just under $3.1 million and the state will get back $11 million, he said.

The amounts reflect the 80 percent and 20 percent funding split, said board President Lock P. Beachum.

Catale said he voted “no” because he disagreed with the amount the district is receiving.

“I believe the district had a strong case we were due back more,” he said.

“I thought the numbers clearly showed that we should get $4.6 million.”

Beachum said he does not agree with Catale’s assertion.

“Our attorney told us this is the best way to go, and he made the recommendation,” Beachum said. “Otherwise, we would have to go to court.”

Beachum said the $3.1 million the district is getting back can only be used for building improvements.

In other business, the board went out to the parking lot to show off one of 37 new buses it ordered. The buses cost $1.9 million.

Some of the old buses, said district transportation director Winnie Timpson, “went to the crusher,” but the district has 10 left and may sell some to Teen Challenge and Heart Reach Ministries, she said. The oldest bus the district replaced was from 1988.