Board moves to buy land

ST. MARYS - School board members on Wednesday moved to purchase 25.5 acres of land east of the current high school and middle school building for $459,990, with hopes the land could be used for potential future expansion.

They also approved a new contract with the teachers union and extended multiyear contracts to top administrators.

Board members agreed to pay $18,000 per acre. Superintendent Bill Ruane said the purchase was financed with proceeds from the sale of the Dennings building, formerly used to house part of the Tri Star program before the construction of the current campus on State Route 703. The Dennings building sold for $460,000, Ruane said.

In February, city officials approved the approximately $2.5 million purchase of about 147 acres of land on Shipman Road from the Doseck family. City service and safety director Greg Foxhoven said the purchase would allow for long-term planning by school district officials with some potential uses for housing development and recreation for the city.

The purchased parcels are located both north and south of Shipman Road, though Ruane has said the district planned to acquire land only on the south side of the road in the future. Future land purchases would also be funded through the sale of existing assets.

Ruane reiterated the district has no immediate plans for the land, but was purchasing it to keep options open regarding expansion. If a potential future expansion on the land doesn't materialize, the district could sell the land down the road, he said.

School buildings such as the elementary and intermediary schools are in great shape, Ruane said earlier this year. Yet decades down the line, when the need arises, officials would have land directly adjacent to the high school upon which to build.

If the district doesn't acquire the land, officials would have no input into what might be built on it in the future and wouldn't have the option to enlarge the existing campus, he has said.

In other business, board members approved negotiated contracts with the St. Marys Education Association and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees. Union employees will see 2% salary increases over the next three years, in line with non-union employees, whom the board also approved raises for Wednesday.

A three year contract was approved for current district treasurer Andrew Wilker, and a four year contract was approved for Ruane.

Ruane also noted Wednesday the board would need to update its mask policy at the next board meeting set for 6:30 p.m. July 14 in the high school auditorium. The district plans to change the mask policy next year to make it a personal choice of parents, children and staff members on whether they want to wear a mask. Ruane said the move would be in line with feedback he's received from the community.

Board members also approved a resolution in support of the Fair School Funding Plan, a proposed overhaul of the state's school funding formula brought about by State Rep. Robert Cupp. Four years in the making, the bill's makers have spent time studying different funding formulas and looking at the real cost of educating children in Ohio, according to Ruane.

The Ohio Senate has proposed a different school funding plan, but Ruane said the FSF plan would support the district better and more thoroughly.

Board members also,

• approved the transfer of $75,000 from the general fund to the athletic activity fund. Limited football games and capacity impacted ticket sales for 2019 and 2020, and Ruane said the district lost an average of $100,000 for the athletic department, which this amount was intended to help offset.

• approved payment to Dave Thornsberry in the amount of $11,233.71 for probation services, provided by the Auglaize County Juvenile Court, effective June 15.

• recognized the girls 4x200 meter relay track team for qualifying for the Division II OHSAAA State Track Meet, Brandon Bowers for qualifying for the Division II OHSAA State Track Meet in the 300 meter hurdles and the e-sports team for being named state runners-up in Fortnite at the Spring State Tournament.