Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Celina names building options

New elementary, renovated middle school plan backed

By Amy Kronenberger
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Celina residents on Tuesday listen to construction options for the Celina City Schools district during a public meeting at the high school.

CELINA - City residents responded to a call for feedback on a possible school construction project.
Approximately 75 residents attended a community meeting Tuesday evening to learn about building options for Celina City Schools. About 87 percent favored constructing a new elementary school, demolishing East and West elementaries and renovating the middle school.
Matt Overman, a Celina resident and member of the facility planning committee, said he and his wife were surprised to see the amount of water in the basement at West and the space issues at both elementary schools.
"When we toured East, we were disgusted by the space conditions," he said. "Kids were having classes in janitors' closets. It's unacceptable."
School officials and representatives from Fanning-Howey Architects, Celina, first presented residents with the state-recommended master plan. The plan includes a new elementary building, renovating the middle, intermediate and high schools and demolishing East and West elementaries.
The price tag - $64.3 million.
The Ohio School Facilities Commission would fund 43 percent - $27.7 million - with taxpayers picking up $36.6 million.
But, new this year, the OSFC will allow a school to complete only a portion of the recommended master plan.
The district must agree on the total master plan but will have no obligation to complete the entire project. The completed segment must include a new building and the local share must exceed 4 percent of total district valuation - or $14.8 million, Fanning/Howey client liaison Joe DeLuca said.
The crowd on Tuesday favored a segmented option that would build a new elementary and renovate the middle school but eliminate renovations to the high and intermediate schools.
The price tag - $30.8 million. The state would provide $13.2 million and taxpayers $17.6 million. Taxpayers also would be asked for $3.1 million for Locally Funded Initiatives, which would be larger classrooms.
Superintendent Matt Miller said OSFC will only cover classroom space at a 25:1 student-teacher ratio.
"But ideally we want kindergarten and first-grade class sizes to be smaller," he said.
A bond issue for the preferred segment plan would be 3.2 to 3.5 mills for 37 years. A property worth $100,000 would pay $97-$106 per year for 37 years.
The $64 million state-recommended plan would require a bond issue of 5.9 to 6.5 mills, costing a $100,000 property owner $180-$198 per year. This plan includes an additional $5.3 million in LFI money for larger classrooms.
Other segmented options included a new elementary and just high school renovations at $47.1 million with $28.7 million in local share or a new elementary and middle and high school renovations at $57.2 million with $35.6 million in local share. Every option includes demolishing East and West.
DeLuca said state funding is based on property tax value per student. OSFC divides the total number of students by the total property value to decide how much funding to provide.
The funding then comes with certain criteria, such as the project must conform to Ohio School Design Manual standards and the location must be approved by the state. Also, if renovations to a building exceed two-thirds of the cost to construct a new one, a new facility must be built.
The new elementary building likely would be located at the site of West elementary. West would be demolished, and the students would be relocated during construction.
Miller said no final decisions have been made and the school will hold more meetings, including another community meeting before the board votes on a plan in May. He encouraged attendees to bring friends and neighbors to the next meeting.
If the board moves forward, OSFC approval for funding likely would come in July. The district then would have 13 months to pass a bond issue.
Officials have said a bond issue could be placed on the November ballot. If it failed, the board would try again in 2013.
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COLDWATER -   A report on the Race to the Top teacher inservice held recently at Coldwater schools highlighted Tuesday's brief board of education meeting.
COLDWATER - Lately, everything has been just "ducky" for a co-op, home-schooled group in Coldwater.
Six students in the group earned top honors in
MINSTER - A brother-sister team has opened an agency to provide home-care services to senior citizens.
John Paul and Maggie Slonkosky of Minster have a staff of 12 caregivers for their business, Visiting Angels, based at 96 W. Fourth St.
COLDWATER - From the feathered bangs and hippie styles of the 1970s to the casual silhouettes of today, Jean Homan and Rene Klosterman have witnessed a steady progression of hair fashions.
CELINA - The Celina Bulldogs used two big innings to improve to 2-0 on the season after posting a 13-3 win over Marion Local in five innings on Tuesday at Montgomery Field.
Local Roundup
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
  
Taylor Walls put Parkway into the lead with a fifth-inning home run as the Panthers improve to 2-0 on the season f
Minster made history last June by winning its first-ever state championship in baseball.
The Wildcats rebounded from a 6-7 start to the season and
CELINA - Drew Braun is hoping that a strong work ethic and a versatile roster will be enough to offset a young and inexperienced team as the Celina baseball team begins the 2012 season.
CELINA - Only a 15-inning loss to Lima Shawnee a year ago prevented Celina's softball team from winning the Western Buckeye League championship.
Wi
COLDWATER - Brian Harlamert admitted that last year wasn't what is typically expected from a Coldwater baseball season as the Cavaliers finished 15-11, the first time since 2003 that the program had suffered double-digit losses in a single season.
COLDWATER - While the record stood at 11-13 at the end of last season, Coldwater's Ken Fisher was happy with how his softball team improved throughout the season as the Cavaliers won a sectional title before bowing out of the postseason at the district level.
FORT RECOVERY - It appears that baseball is getting some revival in Fort Recovery.
After two seasons of small numbers and just a varsity schedule, the Indians have bolstered their numbers enough to field both varsity and junior varsity teams this year.
FORT RECOVERY - Following a 12-14 campaign a year ago, Fort Recovery's softball coach Marie Osterholt will look to get her team back above .500 this season while also trying to retool her squad after the graduation of a talented senior class.
MARIA STEIN - The Marion Local Flyers finished a respectable 13-9 overall and 4-5 in the Midwest Athletic Conference a year ago, and third-year coach Bryan Gray is hoping that improved depth will lead to an even better season this year.
MARIA STEIN - In his fifth year at the helm of the Marion Local Flyers' softball team, Russ Puthoff will be counting on a crop of underclassmen to contribute in a major way.
MINSTER - In the past 10 seasons, Minster's head baseball coach Mike Wiss has hit for the cycle as far as team accomplishments are concerned.
His
MINSTER - With a year of experience under his belt, Minster's head softball coach Scott Robinson is prepared to kick off his sophomore campaign with high expectations as he looks to guide the Wildcats toward contention in the Midwest Athletic Conference.
NEW BREMEN - When trying to describe the 2012 New Bremen baseball team, it might be tempting to use the "R" word, as in rebuilding, but fifth-year Cardinals' coach Greg Cox would rather use another word that begins with the letter R, as in retooling.
NEW BREMEN - After a quick glance at New Bremen's softball roster, it might appear that Cardinals' veteran coach Craig Griesdorn has a veteran team a
ROCKFORD - Veteran Parkway baseball coach Mike Schumm is excited to have nine returning letterwinners back from a team that finished 13-8 a year ago.
ROCKFORD - While Mark Esselstein has experience returning on his Parkway softball team after a 19-3 season a year ago, two key voids will need to be filled.
ST. HENRY - John Dorner's St. Henry baseball team won't be lacking experience as the Redskins welcome back 10 players from a team that reached the regional level of the postseason while finishing with a record of 19-12.
ST. HENRY - Although experience will certainly be an asset this season for St. Henry's softball coach Melissa Starkey, the Redskins must develop a pitcher in the early going in order to improve upon last year's 10-10 record.
ST. MARYS - Dave Huber is hoping that a veteran roster will help St. Marys' baseball team reach the top half of the Western Buckeye League standings for the first time since 2009.
ST. MARYS - It may sound like a cliche, but the focus for St. Marys' softball team will be one pitch, one out, one inning and one game at a time.
CELINA - Dan Otten's Celina track teams are perennially viewed as Western Buckeye League championship contenders, and this year will be no different for the Bulldogs.
COLDWATER - Depth will not be a concern for the Coldwater track teams this season.
Cavaliers' head coach Pete Lisi has experience in all of the events and the distance athletes for both the boys and girls are likely to lead the way this spring.
FORT RECOVERY - The biggest concern for the Fort Recovery track teams this spring is a lack of numbers as the Indians will have a total of just 23 athletes (13 boys, 10 girls).
MARIA STEIN - The Marion Local track squads have been taking advantage of the balmy weather to get prepared for the upcoming season.
"Even with the
MINSTER - As Minster's boys' track coach Larry Topp dissects this spring's roster, he can't help but grin.
That is not good news for the rest of the Midwest Athletic Conference or those expecting to contend for the Division III state championship in June.
NEW BREMEN - Veteran New Bremen girls' track coach Sue Ritter-Burnell is working with a small and young roster this spring.
In addition to the loss
ROCKFORD - Michelle Agler's Lady Panthers will be a young group this season as 13 freshmen and five sophomores dot the roster.
"We have a couple o
ST. HENRY - Veteran St. Henry track coach Mike Eyink is welcoming back a talented group of athletes for both the boys' and girls' teams.
"Our boys
ST. MARYS - Kathy Sites is optimistic that her St. Marys' track teams have enough depth to finish with the top-tier teams in the Western Buckeye League this season.
CELINA - Experience may be lacking a bit, but the potential is evident according to Celina's boys' tennis coach Jan Morrison as she is optimistic that the Bulldogs can once again contend in the Western Buckeye League.
ST. MARYS - A senior-laden team helped lead the St. Marys' boys tennis team to a runner-up finish in the Western Buckeye League a year ago, and first-year head coach Bill Ruane is hoping to be reloading this season.