By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Swanton Local School District Superintendent Chris Lake reported during the board of education’s most recent meeting Wednesday evening that the district’s new baseball/softball complex fields would be ready to use in the upcoming season.
In his update on the project, Lake said work is progressing on the dugouts, which were built with blocks donated by Tri-County Block and Brick.
The home dugouts will include a storage and changing area for players, a coach’s changing area with its own door, and a storage area for field equipment like rakes. The dugouts will eventually be painted white.
“The weather has not been super cooperative for us lately as you can imagine. We were on a pretty good pace, and then with the rain and snow and super-cold weather,” Lake said.
He said they had originally hoped to be able to start practicing on the fields by the beginning of April, but it will likely be a little later due to the fields needing to firm up and the grass needing to build a root base.
Lake said they are working with Tyler Athletic Fields, that installed the playing surface. The work included a two-year maintenance agreement which covers weeding and fertilizing.
OTHER BUSINESS
Treasurer Sheila Horseman reported revenues had climbed enough to surpass expenses, and that the district’s cash balance was higher than expected.
The board authorized the participation of the district in a cooperative for the purchasing of electricity and school buses through the Ohio Schools Council. Lake said that, at a cost of approximately $150,000 per bus, the district will “probably” buy one bus.
The board approved its 2026-2027 service agreement with the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center at a cost of $1,872,177.44.
The board approved a two-year contract with Advancing Fulton Physical Therapy for physical therapy services at a cost of $82 per hour plus mileage reimbursement.
The board approved a policy recommended by NEOLA based on a new state directive banning schools from serving lab-created meat, according to Lake. “Apparently they don’t want people experimenting on kids. Who knew,” Lake said. The board approved a three-year contract extension for Horseman.
The board approved a variety of personnel changes, including the hiring of Barbie Shepherd, director of curriculum, instruction, assessment, and communication at Pike-Delta-York, as the district’s new student services] director effective August 1.
The board approved a variety of appropriations changes. The board accepted donations including $20,000 from the Swanton Athletic Boosters for the baseball/softball complex, $785 for track, $200 for prom, and $450 for Adulthood Day.
The board ended regular business by going into executive session to discuss “the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of a public employee or official.” No action was expected as a result of the session.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Local School District Board of Education is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, at 108 N. Main Street.