Vantage bd. OKs facility project contracts

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Vantage Board of Education approved bids for its facilities project and awarded personnel contracts during its May meeting on Thursday.

Contracts for the Ohio School Facilities Commission-approved project include the following:

• General Trades – W.A. Sheets, $12,410,000
• Plumbing – Ohio Plumbing, $1,319,000
• HVAC – Slagle Mechanical, $3,691,000
• Fire Protection – Vulcan Fire Protection, $327,301
• Electric – Woolace Electric, $3,604,000
• Food Service – Burkett Restaurant Equipment, $537,500
• Roofing – Bruns, doing business as Ohio Roofing, $1,089,285

MaryJo Wilhelm, Vantage public relations coordinator, was also at the meeting to urge board members to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the facilities project. The groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at Vantage, with an open house also scheduled for that day from 1-3 p.m.

Superintendent Staci Kaufman also gave a brief update on the facilities program.

Also during the meeting, the board approved a number of personnel contracts. Those include the following: Ted Verhoff, CTE supervisor; Matthew Miller and Daniel Joyce, science instructors; Sherryl Proctor and Jaime Kipfer, both math instructors; Angie Shellabarger, special education coordinator; Ashley Cline, and Shane Falke, special education instructors; and Penny Baucom, Karen McGilton, Alaina Gillett, Abby Ashbaugh, and G. Marie Bentz, all summer maintenance workers.

Supplemental contracts were also approved, as follows: Amy Grothouse, entry year mentor for Tony Unverferth and Suzie Smith; Rachel Harpel, Mike Knott, Theresa Mengerink, Jean Minnig and Marcia Osenga, all PLC training participants; Ted Verhoff, not to exceed 10 days, T&I supervisor training in June.

The board also approved continuation of the Paulding satellite program that included a reduction in force on Brian Merce.

Adult Education instructors were also hired on an as-needed, as-scheduled basis. They include: Kristie Jones, instructional leader; Shirley Jarvis, STNA coordinator; Connie Drake, Ted Daniels, Sonya Yenser-Hammon, LaDonna Etzler, and Carol Schaefer, Health Careers; Josephine Wilson, ABLE instructor; Steve Treece, transportation program coordinator; Robert Hogan and Mike DeMoss, Truck Driving Academy; Irvin Tumblin, tow motor instructor; Mark Ernst, Police Academy; and Carolyn Fast, basket making.

In other action, the board:

• Approved a resolution for a memorandum of understanding between Vantage and Westwood Behavioral Health Center for the purpose of collaboration in treatment of substance abuse for women of child bearing age, as part of the Project Women 2012 program.
• Approved the Alternative Energy Academy lead instructor job description.
• Approved a revised lead teacher job description.
• Authorized the purchase of an alignment rack from Hunter Engineering for approximately $53,000.
• Approved the purchase of a paint booth from Midwest Spray Booths for approximately $58,000.
• Accepted, with thanks, a donation of $50 from the American Association of University Women to the Vantage Interact Club.
• Accepted, with thanks, a donation of paint supplies from Dietsch Sales & Service Inc. worth approximately $33,000 to the Vantage Auto Body program.
• Approved a Solar Power Purchase Agreement and Solar License Agreement and authorized Board President Lonnie Nedderman and the superintendent to sign the contracts.

The next Vantage Board of Education meeting will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 2, in the Cup and Saucer Restaurant at Vantage.