Construction to start in March

MARIA STEIN - Superintendent Mike Pohlman told Marion Local Schools Board of Education members on Monday that groundbreaking for the elementary school classroom addition is tentatively set for March 25.

Plans call for adding four classrooms and renovating other space to accommodate rising enrollment. The cost has been estimated at $1.875 million. The project will not require new tax money.

Pohlman said Garmann/Miller Architects-Engineers has begun soliciting bids and expects to have a recommendation for a contractor at the March 8 board meeting. Completion of the work is expected in November.

Treasurer Heather Cramer told board members that after Mercer County's triennial update 2021 property taxes "increased due to rising property valuations brought on by the demand for housing over the last three years." She said the average price of residential homes exceeded the appraised value by 19% in 2017, 29% in 2018 and 38% in 2019.

"Along with the increase in property valuation typically comes an increase in property taxes," her monthly report stated.

Cramer said agricultural values had decreased after the update. The reduction was an average of 28% for cropland and 41.5% for woodlands.

She also advised board members that the district's state funding for fiscal year 2021 is projected at $5.015 million, up from $4.926 million the previous year. She also reported the district had received $25,291 from the casino tax, up from $23,240 a year ago.

Cramer reported district officials expect to receive $241,267 in the second round of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. She said the funds can be used for expenses dating back to the March 13 pandemic national emergency declaration.

In personnel action, the board accepted the resignation of Stephanie Kramer as assistant band director and approved the hiring of Diane Hoying as dishwasher and Treva Fortkamp and Don Heitbrink as groundskeepers on an as-needed basis.

High school principal Tim Goodwin congratulated Caitlin Puthoff and Josie Kremer on placing first in recent Business Professionals of America design contests.

Elementary school principal Nick Wilker reported Hannah Rindler had won the recent school spelling bee and Ryan Homan was runner-up. The top five spellers will represent the district in the Feb. 22 Mercer County spelling bee in Fort Recovery. Rindler will also compete in the regional spelling bee. Wilker also reported that 103 students are registered for kindergarten for the 2021-2022 school year. The school has been nominated for the National Blue Ribbon School award.

Board members also,

• approved a farm lease with Dave Pohlman for nine acres of district-owned land at $225 per acre.

• approved the 2021-2022 school calendar. Classes are to begin Aug. 25, and the last day of school is set for May 25.

• approved a contract with Chapel Hill preschool for the use of one room for the 2021-2022 school year at a fee of $2,000.

• accepted a $1,500 donation from Osgood State Bank. Pohlman said the money will be used to help fund the resurfacing of the all-weather track.

• heard technology coordinator Michelle Mescher report she had purchased 25 teacher classroom desktop computers, two teacher laptop computers and five CAD desktop computers.

• met in executive session to conduct the annual treasurer's evaluation. No action was taken after the session.