Thursday, June 25th, 2015
Celina schools' building projects may cost $69.2M
By Jared Mauch
CELINA - Renovating or replacing the seven city school district buildings would be costly.
The board of education learned Wednesday night that major renovation or replacement of the district's seven buildings would cost about $69.2 million, according to estimates from architectural and engineering consulting firm Garmann-Miller.
State estimates for similar work had come in at $72.8 million, said Wayne Colman of Garmann-Miller. Those repairs would bring all buildings up to date with state-of-the-art improvements.
However, Garmann-Miller estimated scaled-down improvements at the buildings would cost $10.7 million, but Colman said those repairs would not be a long-term solution.
"I don't want to use the term 'Band-Aids' but you're just patching things up to last a little longer," Colman said.
The smaller-scale maintenance would last three to five years while the major renovations would prepare the district for the next 30 years, Colman said.
Garmann-Miller reviewed 23 areas, including heating and HVAC systems, structural integrity, flooring, roofing, electrical systems, interior lighting, security systems, technology, hazardous materials and chairs and desks. The estimates given were of each area individually and combined for the $69.2 million total.
The estimates used 2014 construction costs but those prices are expected to rise about 3 percent annually, Colman said.
Board members have not decided how to proceed and took no action but asked Colman to return to further discuss planning.
The board approved a resolution to inform the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission members it intends to seek a bond issue to replace or renovate the buildings.
The vote did not commit the board to seeking the bond issue, board member Matt Gilmore said. Board president Connie Paulus said the OFCC would pay for about 46 percent of costs for any construction with the district responsible for the remaining balance.
Board members also approved reassigning Cory Ahrens, the current elementary school assistant principal, as a building principal.
"We have not decided which building to put him in yet, but we are going to move him from assistant to building principal," superintendent Jesse Steiner said.
Board members also,
• moved to drop Celina Middle School's career technical program for the 2015-16 school year.
"We do offer some career tech courses. We have a STEM class at the middle school. We have a career exploration course," Steiner said. The state recently changed the specifications for career tech classes, he said.
"We don't have the time. We don't have the personnel," he said.
• learned Tri Star Career Compact had purchased a lot in the Wheatland Acres subdivision for $23,000 for the 2015-16 Tri Star house project.
• approved the 2015-16 student/parent handbook for the intermediate school, elementary school, primary school and middle school.
• approved the 2015-16 workbook fees.
• approved the 2015-16 middle and high school athletic forms.
• approved the addition of Jaden Markins as an added graduate of the class of 2015.
• accepted a $5,000 donation from Celina Boosters for high school scholarships.
• approved junior varsity and varsity girls basketball players to attend an overnight field trip July 17-19 in Findlay.
