(PHOTO BY JESSIE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
MOVING AHEAD … Superintendent Chris Lake discusses the baseball/softball complex project status during Wednesday’s meeting of the Swanton Local School District Board of Education.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Swanton Local School District Superintendent Chris Lake gave an update on the baseball/softball complex project during Wednesday’s meeting of the board of education.
According to Lake, a phase one has been split off the previously estimated $1.71 million project, adding in brick dugouts that had been missing and bringing the first stage estimate to roughly $1.33 million.
By splitting the project, it pushes off construction of bleachers, batting tunnels, bull pens, bathrooms, et cetera, and focuses on getting playable fields in place.
The district had about $122,000 in the bank for the project in February and has accepted an additional roughly $93,000 in donations since then, including $81,073.31 accepted at Wednesday’s meeting.
Lake also reported the early details of a loan option through F&M Bank for the project of $1.33 million at a rate of 5.25 percent for 10 years, a rate he pointed out was well below the current prime rate of 8.5 percent and also below a previously discussed loan option through JHP.
Board members shared their concern that the bank was still unable to provide the amount of the payments for the loan and also requested that every aspect of the project be reviewed again before it moves forward.
This is in an effort to avoid issues in previous projects that ranged from not having enough classrooms in the elementary school building after moving one grade there from the middle school building and another where additional design was required after learning the district didn’t actually own part of a property, they thought it did.
OTHER BUSINESS
The board accepted donations of $100 for the Gorringe Scholarship, $950 for the Swanton Elementary School second grade field trip, $2,000 for the athletics enrichment fund, and $161.45 for athletics.
The board approved the regular annual submission of documentation of certain investments, fees, and commissions to the board, superintendent of public instruction, and the state auditor.
The board approved just over $5,500 in changes to temporary appropriations for fiscal year 2025. The board approved the annual bus routes for the 2024-2025 school year.
Several comments were made regarding the impact of construction closures on South Main Street through at least October and temporary rerouting that will be required to transport students who live south of Airport Highway.
The board approved an agreement with the Wood County Juvenile Detention Education Program for the 2024-2025 school year to provide education to incarcerated students at a rate of $88 or $96 per individual per day depending on whether they are assigned to the Wood County Juvenile Detention Center or the Juvenile Residential Center of Northwest Ohio.
The board approved pass-through federal funding for St. Richard Catholic School through the IDEA-B federal grant for the 2024-2025 school year in the amount of $9,519.57.
School psychologist services will be $85.35 per billed hour as needed, occupational therapist services will be $338.66, and speech therapist services will be $5,461.82 for the year.
The board approved a letter of understanding with the Napoleon Area City School District for Title I services at St. Augustine Catholic School for the 2024-2025 school year, including $1,304.82 in funding to the private school.
The board approved a slate of personnel recommendations made by Lake, including for classified supplementals, NWOESC substitutes, classified substitutes, student teachers, and athletic workers and volunteers.
The public portion of the meeting ended with the board voting to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing compensation and personnel issues. No action was expected as a result.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Local School District Board of Education is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11 at 108 N. Main Street.