New Bremen narrows school options

NEW BREMEN - Options for a new or renovated school building for kindergartners through eighth-graders have been narrowed down from four plans to three.

School board members on Monday discussed plans presented by Garmann-Miller & Associates of Minster, the architecture and engineering firm chosen in August to complete pre-bond work on the building.

Plan A uses the existing K-8 building. The western three-story portion - the oldest part of the building - would be demolished, except for the gym. A new portion would then be built to connect the gym and the existing building, which would be renovated. The new portion would have one story and house grades 7-8.

Plan A would keep the K-8 building centrally located, which community members have indicated they prefer, school board members said. However, Garmann-Miller representatives noted the space would be tight and students would be displaced in phases for two years during construction.

Plan A's estimated local cost would be $18.1 million.

Plan B connects a new building to the high school, making it an L shape with a new K-8 building running along Cardinal Street. To keep the middle school separate from the elementary school, central offices would be located in the middle with grades 7-8 at one end and K-6 at the other.

Plan B would limit student displacement, Garmann-Miller representatives and school board officials said. The estimated local share of plan B is $13.9 million.  

Plan C also keeps the building centrally located by placing it in the fields north of the existing elementary school. However, space would be tight and seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms would need to be built at the high school, Garmann-Miller representatives explained.

Plan C's estimated local cost would be $13.6 million.

Plan D was eliminated by the school board. It included a full renovation of the existing building. Because the building's size exceeds the amount the state would fund, the plan's cost was the highest at $20.1 million for the local share. It would also displace students. Principals said they would like to avoid displacement to avoid disrupting education.

Plans A-C will be presented by Garmann-Miller and school officials at public hearings at 7 p.m. April 27 and 1 p.m. May 1. Both will be held in the high school auditorium. Community members are encouraged to attend and comment on the options. Plan D will not be presented but will be made available to anyone who wishes to study it.

Board members also,

• learned from treasurer Deb Meyer the district was entitled to receive $3,353 from a settlement the Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council reached with Reiter Dairy, which provides lunch dairy products to schools in the EPC. Due to a pricing error, schools in the EPC are eligible for the repayments. The school board passed a resolution releasing all claims against Reiter Dairy and accepting the payment. Three percent of the amount will fund legal fees.

• employed the following lawn-care employees on an as-needed basis for 2016 at a rate of $10 per hour: Burt Fiser, Don Kramer, Greg Maurer and Rob Sniegowski.

• approved a Tri Star Career Compact referral to purchase three welders for the welding program at a cost of $17,912. The cost will be paid from the reserve capital fund.

• accepted a $55,579 bid from Trisco Construction Services Inc., Lima, to repair the high school roof. It was the lowest of two bids submitted, with H.A. Dorsten of Minster bidding $64,600.

• met with spring athletes and wished them luck this season.

• rescheduled the June meeting for 7 p.m. June 22.

• met for one hour in executive session to discuss personnel. No action was taken.