Crestview School Board

C’view tabs new board member

DAVE MOSIER/Van Wert independent

CONVOY – The Crestview Local Board of Education gave a nod to the person unofficially selected to replace board member Thad Lichtensteiger and also approved Tax Increment Financing requests made by Tully and Union township trustees.

The board acknowledged Mike Schlagbaum as the unofficial selection to replace Lichtensteiger, who will resign his school board position in January to become a Van Wert County commissioner. No official action can be taken until 10 days after Lichtensteiger’s resignation takes effect, Superintendent Mike Estes said.

The Crestview board also approved two TIF agreements requested by Tully Township for a hog farm and an egg farm, as well as a TIF agreement sought by Union Township for a hog farm on Bowers Road.

The TIF agreements call for 90 percent reallocation of taxes for a total of 30 years. TIF agreements do not abate taxes, but reallocate taxes to cover costs incurred by the townships in connection with the three farm operations.

The board also learned that most of the contract work related to the facilities project has been completed, although some problems with interior doors remain unresolved, Estes noted, adding that punch list work continues on the project, including issues with rubber floor tile installed in the building.

The board also authorized creation of a School Improvement Committee headed by Crestview Elementary Principal Kathy Mollenkopf that is tasked with the goal of achieving an excellent designation on the State School Report Card. The district has garnered less-than-desired report card rankings the past two years, mostly due to the new Value-Added requirement.

The board also learned that Crestview’s share of Race to the Top funding has increased to more than $106,000 because some districts have decided not to participate in the program. That money, Estes said, would mostly be used to fund the School Improvement Committee.

Also Monday, the board approved a new 3½-year contract for Treasurer Laura Metzger that will run through July 31, 2014, and thanked several entities, including Hall Lumber Company, Trinity Lutheran Church and the Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio for their assistance during the facilities project.

A resolution was also adopted thanking the community for its renewal of the 5-mill, five-year operating levy during the November general election.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the district five-year forecast, as presented.
• Authorized the creation of the Crestview Indoor Track Club, to be coached by James Lautzenheiser. Mary Alvarez, Ben Winans, Natasha DuVall and Shawn Shuette were also approved as volunteer coaches for the new program.
• Approved the following volunteer coaches: Ali Sawmiller, varsity softball; Cindy Perkins, junior varsity softball; Mike Hammons, eighth grade softball; and Becky Macki, seventh-grade softball.
• Issued the following supplemental contracts: Carl Etzler, softball varsity assistant; Katie Ammons, junior varsity softball; Lori Hammons, eighth grade softball; Chad Pugh and Macki, seventh-grade softball; Alvarez and Winans, varsity track assistants; and DuVall, junior high track coach.
• Approved a motion to name Dave Mosier of The Van Wert independent and Ed Gebert of The Times-Bulletin to the 2010 Ohio School Boards Association Media Honor Roll.
• Approved Don Coleman, Jamie Gamble, Kirby Joseph, Dan Myers, Jay Nofer, Dave Ray and Jim Winhover as volunteer drivers for the Band Parents’ box van for swing choir and band equipment.
• Authorized a band and Knight Vision trip to Disney World in Orlando, Fla., for the week of March 25-30, 2011, with teachers Josh Thomas and Danille Hancock, and the eighth grade class trip to Washington, D.C., with teacher Owen Pugh.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Crestview Board of Education will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 21, in the district boardroom.