Vantage breaks ground on facility project

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Everyone knows the saying “April showers bring May flowers,” but what occurred Sunday under May showers sowed the seeds for a sunny future for Vantage Career Center.

Everyone got into the act — contractors, architects, staff, administrators, current and former students and state officials — as ground was officially broken Sunday afternoon for Vantage’s $34 million renovation-expansion project.

It was a double celebration, as Vantage also celebrated its 35th anniversary and honored the man who made it all come together, the late Bob Brandt, the center’s first superintendent.

Current Vantage Superintendent Staci Kaufman emceed the groundbreaking, which began at 1:30 Sunday afternoon, getting a bit emotional as she talked about the many contributions Brandt made to the facility from his hiring in 1974 through the opening of the current facility in 1976 and up to his retirement in 2002. Brandt died on Memorial Day 2005.

The former superintendent was also honored through the awarding of the first Robert Brandt Scholarship, a $1,000 grant that was presented to Josh Grubaugh, a Crestview senior in Vantage’s ag mechanics program. Grubaugh plans to attend Owens State Community College in the John Deere Tech Program.

Speakers for the event included Ohio Senator Cliff Hite, who read a General Assembly resolution honoring the project; Melissa Short of U.S. Representative Bob Latta’s office, who also presented a House resolution and a flag that had flown over the Capitol; and Ohio School Facilities Commission Project Administrator Samantha Cothern.

Cothern noted that the groundbreaking was the culmination of months of work related to the bidding process and site preparation for the project. “This is an important milestone for your community and, believe it or not, you’re actually about halfway done,” she told those who attended the groundbreaking ceremony.

Also speaking briefly was Paul Copleman of Iberdrola Renewables, who traveled from Maine to congratulate the community on moving forward with the project and also presented a check for $150,000 to Board President Lonnie Nedderman that will be used as seed money for Vantage’s new Alternative Energy Academy. The program would provide career training for alternative energy jobs.

Copleman also noted that his company was also looking at starting the installation process for its wind turbines today in Van Wert and Paulding counties.

Kaufman also honored a number of original board members, including Jim Robey of Van Wert, and thanked voters for their passage of the bond issue in November 2009 that provided the local financing for the project.

“Our taxpayers have given us a tremendous gift,” the superintendent stated. “Please accept our thanks and gratitude for your help in providing us with a facility which will continue to serve the training needs of the district for years to come.”

Then it was time for the groundbreaking, with Senator Hite, Cothern, Bruce Miller of Garmann Miller Architects & Engineers, representatives of general contractor Gilbane Construction, graduates from each of Vantage’s past 35 years, current and former Vantage staff, and current students donning hardhats to throw some dirt while a light rain fell.

Those representing each of Vantage’s 35 years of existence included five of the school’s current staff members: Mel White (1977), Larry Ray (1980), Stacie Leiter (1983), Leslie (Putman) Ringwald (1985) and Lisa (Korte) Hatcher (1988).

Vantage staff also served cake and punch, as well as popcorn, during the groundbreaking/35th anniversary celebration (more photos will be in on Wednesday).