Thursday, February 12th, 2009

Fort Recovery eligible

School construction funding from state

By William Kincaid
FORT RECOVERY - Board of education members are considering a $4.3 million school construction or renovation project with financing help from the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC).
Board members this week learned Fort Recovery is once again eligible to participate in an OSFC-funded project - and a decision must be made in the next few weeks. School officials already have deferred OSFC funding three times.
On Monday, Superintendent David Riel and board member Dave Hull met with OSFC officials. The OSFC is willing to fund 79 to 80 percent of a $4.3 million project for either renovation or construction, according to Treasurer Lori Koch.
But Riel stressed the $4.3 million number will change once OSFC finalizes all the figures, including enrollment numbers.
Koch said the state money could be used for a single K-12 facility, renovation of the high school or demolition of part of the high school and additional construction. The OSFC prefers a consolidated K-12 building, Koch noted.
If board members accept state funding, the school must secure a bond levy and at least $1 million in a year's time, Koch said.
Garmann/Miller & Associates, Minster, was authorized by the board this week to provide architectural services until the passage of a bond issue.
Both Riel and architect Brad Garmann said the OSFC has presented a multitude of options.
"They presented a lot of options - we want to boil them down to a manageable number," Garmann told board members.
Additional information will be presented at the board's work session scheduled for 6 p.m. March 10 before the regular school board meeting.
Board members have deferred OSFC funding the last three years, most recently at a September board meeting, Koch said.
Riel said he had the impression OSFC officials want to move on from Fort Recovery.
"They want a decision," he said.
Riel said the state is using billions of dollars from the one-time tobacco settlement to finance school projects.
"They don't want to find themselves in a position where we're ready to say yes and they don't have any dollars," he said.
Since the board's last deferral, Fort Recovery dropped in the state's priority ranking from 99 out of 614 schools to 112.
Additional online stories on this date
Hurricane force winds struck the local area Wednesday night downing trees and power poles and damaging buildings and vehicles.
No injuries were rep [More]
School construction funding from state
NEW BREMEN - New Bremen Local Schools board of education Wednesday night decided to defer an Ohio School Facilities Commission project another year given the current state of the economy. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
ST. MARYS - In view of the current economic troubles, one community member thinks the school district should look at wage cuts to show it understands local residents' struggles.
Mercer County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) technicians will be creating a topographical map of the flood plain area around Beaver Creek for 32 landowners in that area.
Mercer County Soil and Water Conservation District board members Wednesday reviewed and accepted a pollution complaint involving a Fort Recovery dairy with a history of improper manure management practices.
WAPAKONETA - Funding shortfalls at the state level could have drastic eaffects on area programs that affect the health and well-being of local children.
NEW BREMEN - The New Bremen Local Schools board of education Wednesday night unanimously agreed to seek renewal of a 1 percent income tax. The resolution of necessity represents the final step in the process of placing it on the May 5 ballot.
COLDWATER - Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland's school funding proposal, particularly the portion dealing with accountability and transparency, is "a good thing," say administrators at Coldwater Exempted Village School.
Local officials expect program to provide $132 million for upgrades
Mercer County officials hope to receive a share of the $132 million in federal funds expected to be distributed to Ohio communities this year for economic development.
For the second time in three days, Celina's girls basketball team will face one of the best teams in the state.
While Tuesday's overtime loss to Crestview provided the Bulldogs with a chance to see how they stacked up against an elite team, tonight's challenge is even greater.
Passport to History
With the area gymnasiums heating up as the end of the basketball season quickly approaches, February has historically provided loads of excitement.
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
The Wright State University-Lake Campus men's basketball team ended the regular season on Tuesday with an 85-53 win over OSU-Mansfield at the Mercer-Auglaize County Family YMCA.
Highlight Game:
The annual Backyard Battle features the top two seeds of the Division III Wapakoneta sectional after Sunday's sectional meeting.
The Redskins have