Board puts levy on ballot

NEW BREMEN - School board members on Wednesday evening approved a resolution to place a levy on the May 2 ballot.

The purpose of the levy is to construct a new K-8 building adjacent to the current high school complex. Bonds are to be issued and sold to finance the $14.36 million project. The state will cover $5.2 million of that cost, officials have said.

The current bond rate interest is 5.1 percent and the life of the bond is not to exceed 30 years. Bond rates are subject to change based on the rate set in the coming summer.

The scope of the project includes the new elementary building, limited renovations to house grades 6-12, parking lot improvements and paving and demolition of the current elementary school.

The issue will be a 7.39-mill new construction levy and a 1-mill permanent improvement levy. The construction levy will cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $260 each year with another $30-35 for the improvements portion.

A current 6-mill levy, which financed the construction of the high school building, is set to expire in December 2017, leaving only the .68 permanent improvement portion remaining.

Officials also approved the Tri Star 2.0 resolution. All nine local districts in the Tri Star Career Compact are required to sign the agreement, which gives responsibility to the Celina Schools Board of Education to act as the school's fiscal board. Plans include issuing $17 million in bonds to finance the project to construct one building for all Tri Star programs near the Wright State University Lake Campus.

Superintendent Andrea Townsend presented the board with the proposed calendar for the 2017-2018 school year. The year would begin Aug. 23 and end May 24.

"There is another potential calendar currently in state legislation that would require all schools to start after Labor Day, (but) I don't expect a decision on that until after the first of the year," she said.

Board members will meet Jan. 11 for their organizational meeting, prior to the regular meeting at 7 p.m. Board president Doug Hall was appointed to serve as president pro tem until the new president is elected.

In other action, board members,

• increased high school secretary Yvette Blaine's work schedule to eight hours each day for 206 days. All three building secretaries will now have equal hours.

• hired Gary Jones as high school boys basketball facility coordinator. He will replace Chad Williams, who recently was hired as the girls varsity assistant.

• learned district officials had created a "where are they now" addition to the school website. The posts highlight past graduates and their achievements. Residents are asked to contact high school principal Brian Pohl to submit information about graduates.

• adopted a series of board policy revisions suggested by the Ohio School Boards Association. The items updated information on nondiscrimination, website, hazing and bullying and permits building administrators to search any unattended bag for safety or identification purposes.

• authorized the district to continue as a member of the Ohio School Board Association.

• thanked the Cardinal Pride for funding the purchase of headphones, microscopes, scales and hot plates to be used in the school language and science departments.

• recognized NKTELCO and Preston Meyer for providing the school their own on-line channel at no cost. This allows the video production class to publish their videos, called the Cardinal Student Network, to a site that does not have any offensive or inappropriate advertising.

• learned the end of the second nine weeks will be Jan. 6 with report cards going home Jan. 12.

• the district will be closed for the Christmas holidays beginning Dec. 23. Classes will resume Jan. 4.