Steiner: Fewer buildings wouldn't endanger jobs

CELINA - Jobs would not be in jeopardy if school officials decide to reduce the number of buildings in the district.

Consolidating buildings was one idea discussed during the Celina City Schools Board of Education meeting Wednesday night. The district currently has seven school buildings.

"We look at our elementary and intermediate buildings and they both have cafeterias. Reducing buildings could eliminate cafeterias and help save money," board member Matt Gilmore said.

Gilmore said consolidating buildings would be more cost efficient.

"Having less buildings would obviously be cheaper," he said.

Superintendent Jesse Steiner said no jobs would be eliminated regardless of how many buildings were consolidated.

"We're not looking to cut jobs. If we reduced the number of buildings, we would simply eliminate redundant positions as people retire out of them," he told the newspaper.

Board members Wednesday approved hiring Garmann Miller and Associates of Minster as chief architect. The company will be asked to discuss goals with the board before assessing the school buildings and recommending how to proceed with renovations or new construction, officials said.

The board said Garmann Miller ranked the highest of the four candidates because they are certified in Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design and are willing to hold weekly meetings with the board to discuss the status of the project.

Board members said in the past they had experienced difficulty contacting some architects.

The board wants Garmann Miller to evaluate the school before revealing members' concerns to the architects. Some board members felt giving the firm a list would "put the company's hands in a bind."

"As soon as we tell them what we want, that's what they are going to present to us because we are paying the bill. I would love to hear what they feel we need to do first and then be able to sit down with them to tweak it to fit our budget and goals," board member Ken Fetters said.

Steiner agreed.

"The last time this was done, I believe in 2010, the board sat down and told them (a local architectural firm) what they wanted, and what they presented to the board was pretty much exactly that," he said.

The 2010 evaluation determined the school buildings were in poor shape, Steiner added.

The board also seeks to address the heating and cooling systems throughout the district. The boilers are outdated and inefficient, according to Steiner, and replacing them with something more efficient would save the district a "massive amount of money."

In other business, the board had a 30-minute executive session to discuss with the district's attorney, Pepple & Waggoner of Cleveland, the legal requirements and restrictions of hiring an architect for pre-bond work.

"We just wanted to make sure we are handling the process correctly," Steiner said.