Building project a step closer to ballot

CELINA - School board members are now one step away from placing a building project issue on the May 4 primary election ballot after taking action at Thursday afternoon's special meeting.

Board members unanimously approved two resolutions - one certifying the maximum maturity of bonds at 37 years to help finance the project and another declaring the necessity of a bond issue and tax levy and certifying such to county auditor Randy Grapner and the board of elections, and submitting the question to district voters.

"(Grapner) will work his numbers and he will come back and give us what this projected millage will be for the next resolution," treasurer Tom Sommer explained, saying the board must convene again before Feb. 3 to approve a resolution to proceed with putting the issue before voters on May. 4.

Board members have directed Garmann/Miller officials to move ahead with the same master plan as previously put before voters - construction of a middle/high school and renovation of the intermediate school with an addition to house preschool-sixth grade.

Garmann/Miller and Ohio Facilities Construction Commission officials have estimated the cost of the overall project at $126.8 million, with the state to pick up 49% or $50.9 million of the expense, and the school district to cover $75.9 million.

The $75.9 million figure includes $22.8 million in locally funded initiatives that are not co-funded by OFCC, superintendent Ken Schmiesing confirmed to the newspaper.

At this point in time, officials estimate the total project millage rate to be paid by district property owners at 8 mills - 7.5 mills for the local share of the project and 0.5% for a state required maintenance portion of the project.

The owner of a $100,000 home, under the 8 mills estimation, would pay $280 per year.

Schmiesing laid out details of the master plan to the newspaper. First, the bus garage would be moved to the old Tri Star automative classroom space at the Celina High School.

Next, a preschool through fourth-grade addition would be constructed onto the intermediate school to house preschool through sixth grade. The primary and elementary school buildings (East and West Schools) would then be demolished, Schmiesing said.

A new seventh grade-through twelfth grade building would be constructed on the site of what is now the East School. The middle school and older parts of the current high school building would be demolished. The 1998 high school addition would be renovated to house the Mercer County Head Start program and central offices.

"We would then demolish the Ed Complex, including the auditorium," Schmiesing told the newspaper. "The Fieldhouse would continue to stand, and we plan to add a large locker room to the north side of the Fieldhouse to serve both our football and basketball needs. The new 7-12 building would include an auditorium and a competition size gym."

All of the buildings would be handicapped-accessible and air-conditioned. They would also contain storm shelters.

Primary LFIs, which wound not be co-funded by the state, are converting the 1998 high school science and media center addition to Head Start classrooms, board office and central offices, $1.2 million; converting the 1984 high school Tri Star addition to a bus garage and storage, $210,000; repurpose the intermediate school office space to cafeteria space, $200,000; add fixed seat auditorium that holds up to 600 people at 7-12 building, $3.5 million; convert current bus garage to parent/staff parking, $500,000; create bus pick-up/drop-off area on the east side of the PK-6 building, $500,000; handicapped-accessible playground at PK-6 building, $100,000; additional square footage at PK-6 building, $4.7 million; and additional square footage at 7-12 building, $2.1 million.

There is also a secondary list of LFIs that would be undertaken "provided that the realized construction costs are either lower than or are as estimated, and the future interest which is collected is substantial," Schmiesing said.

They are a metal roof at the 7-12 building; $1 million; metal roof at intermediate school addition, $875,000; button up the Fieldhouse, $500,00; Fieldhouse locker room additions, $875,000; security upgrade allowance at PK-6 building, $154,000; security upgrade allowance at 7-12 building, $182,000; terrazzo floor in 7-12 building main corridors, $270,000; terrazzo floor in intermediate school addition main corridors, $150,000; all brick exterior of 7-12 building, $455,000; all brick exterior of intermediate school addition, $385,000; air condition upgrade using ice storage system at PK-6 building, $192,000; air condition upgrade using ice storage system at 7-12 building, $227,000; rebuild track, $250,000; touch screens in all classrooms at PK-6 building, $105,000; touch screens in all classrooms at 7-12, $120,000; and add 1,000 seats to the new 7-12 building competition-size gym, $1 million.