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WEATHERSFIELD LOCAL SCHOOLS District OKs $25M plan for major renovations
By Mary Smith
MINERAL RIDGE
The Weathersfield school board formally has accepted the Ohio School Facilities Commission Classroom Facilities Assistance Program for more than $25 million in building renovations, additions and demolition.
The state share through the OSFC will be $17.8 million, and the local share will be $7.5 million, with additions.
The OSFC and the State Controlling Board both have approved the district’s full package of plans for building and renovation, which increases the full budget for the project from $24.8 million to $25.4 million and increases the local share from $6.9 million to $7.5 million.
The revised plan will add $529,139 from a locally funded initiative.
The board was required to give new approval of the project plans because the state considered Weathersfield a “lapsed district” because it was unable to obtain local voter approval after four tries for a bond issue for the local share.
The OSFC originally approved $19 million for the project in 2009, school officials said.
Local funding will come from a 6.6-mill, 30-year bond issue to generate $6.9 million, which voters approved in March, along with a 1-mill continuing levy to generate $85,521.
Current plans call for a second gym at the high school for junior high students at an expected cost of $1.5 million, instead of using the old gym at the middle school. That building will be razed, except for administrative offices and the bus garage.
An addition to the high school to accommodate junior high school students will make it a seventh- through 12th-grade building.
Seaborn Elementary will be partly demolished and additions made to accommodate students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
MS Consultants of Youngstown are architects for the project.
Superintendent Damon Dohar said he expects a finalized basic plan from architects by early October.
He added projections are for the start of construction by summer 2013 and the completion of the project by fall 2014.
The board earlier this week approved a new advanced-placement English literature and composition class to the high-school curriculum for the upcoming school year.
The board approved a contract from Aug. 1 to July 31, 2013, with Transit Services Inc. of Youngstown for special education transportation services for this school year at a rate of $45 per day round trip per student.
The board also accepted a $1,600 donation from the Mineral Ridge Class of 1961 to the scholarship fund.