The February 24, 2022 Hilltop school board meeting was held at 7 a.m. with all board members in attendance.
Superintendent Jim Wyse gave the Board an update on plans for replacing several buses using a state bus grant to offset some of the cost. Purchases will be made this and next fiscal years.
The Board voted to approve the following agenda:
-Minutes, financial statements and Investments from the January 2022 meetings
-Resolution accepting the amounts and rates as determined by the Budget Commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the County Auditor
-Purchase of an 84 passenger Blue Bird All American School Bus from Cardinal Bus through META Cooperative. The cost will be partially offset by Transportation Grant Funding through the State of Ohio
-Payment to EMS LINQ, Inc., for Website Hosting and ADA Compliance, $3,190
-2022-23 membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association
-Revenue increases and appropriation modifications
-Donations accepted: $500 from West Unity Lions Club to the Millcreek-West Unity FFA and two boxes of books to the school from Half Price Books
-Graduate study requests for Jordan Rode and Wendy Hogrefe
-Supplemental employment for Janice Bruner, Kim Goosman, Cristin Hagans, Amanda Nofziger, Vicki Rhodes, Michelle Steffes, and Jen Yoh
-School Van Driver job description
Also approved were the following supplemental employments: Desiree Arps assistant track coach; Corey Eisel assistant track coach; Shawn Blaisdell junior high track coach; Justin Wiyrick junior high track coach; Nate Meuschke jv baseball coach; Kaiden Clendenin assistant baseball coach; Randy Mahlman volunteer assistant baseball coach; Chase Whitman volunteer assistant baseball coach; Natalee Schaffner jv softball coach; Aubrey Wyse assistant softball coach; and Kim Maneval volunteer softball coach.
In legislation, the board approved the rejection of all bids submitted for the Gymnasium Addition Building Project as they exceeded the legal bid threshold. Before voting, the Board discussed the next item on the agenda, “The Resolution of Urgent Necessity” related to the gymnasium addition project.
“Because the lowest responsible bidder came in at just over 12%, the bids had to be rejected. However, due to the current economic climate, supply chain shortages, and the lack of available qualified work force, all as a result of the pandemic, it was reasoned that rebidding the project would not result in lower bids, but would in fact drive bids higher and cause even longer lead times for construction materials.
In addition, rebidding the project would push out the start date, which would also increase the costs as builders would charge more for accommodations that would have to be made when working winter conditions.
Due to increased costs that would surely face district taxpayers, the Board and its’ legal counsel considered that acceptable rationale for accepting the resolution to move forward with the project despite the higher bid.”
The board approved the resolution declaring urgent necessity related to the Gym Addition Building Project and authorized the execution of a contract for construction for the project.
With no further agenda the meeting adjourned and the Board will meet again on Monday, March 14, 2022 at 6 p.m. in the library.
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