Vantage approves staff salary contracts

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Vantage Board of Education approved new contracts with the school’s teaching staff and non-teaching employees, heard cafeteria manager Penny Baucom’s annual report and also gave the final approval to year-end fiscal reports during its July meeting held Thursday.

The board first went into executive session to hear final details of the contract with non-teaching employees before approving both that contract and one with the Vantage Teachers Organization. The three-year contracts provide 2 percent wage increases over the life of the contracts.

Baucom provided information on cafeteria operations during her report, and the board later approved bids from Aunt Millie’s Bakeries for bread and Arps Dairy for milk for the upcoming school year.

The board also approved lunch prices for the 2014-15 school year, which are unchanged from 2013-2014.

Treasurer Lori Davis had good news for the board during her report, noting that the district was able to sell its “Build America” bonds at a savings to the district of $3.5 million, while also reducing the length of time needed to pay off the bonds by seven years.

“It’s a good thing for the taxpayers,” Davis noted, adding that the district actually saved $4.1 million in present value dollars.

The board later approved Fiscal Year 2014 final revenues and appropriations, as well as FY 2015 temporary revenues and appropriations.

In addition to approving contracts, the board also hired a number of Adult Education staffers, including Phyllis Wortman, Adult Education evening secretary; Ron Schumm as Small Business and Green Farming coordinator; Adult Education instructors Michael DeMoss, Karri Fife, Robert Hogan, Alex Rompilla, and Thomas Wylie; Rebecca Mayer as an ABLE instructor; Diane Meringleo-Dirksen as transitions coordinator/student support specialist; and Doris Jones as transitions coordinator/counselor.

In other action, the board:

• Renewed a participation agreement in a consortium that provides the district with property, fleet and liability insurance at a cost of $52,958.
• Accepted a $500 donation from Stephen Brown of Van Wert for the Vantage Carpentry program.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with Apollo Career Center for the ABLE/GED program, effective July 1.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with WSOS Community Action Commission to implement the U.S. Labor Department’s “Ready to Work” initiative.
• Authorized a computer services agreement with the Northwest Ohio Area Computer Services Cooperative.
• Accepted the resignation of Robert Schnippel as Paulding satellite agriculture instructor.
• Authorized Superintendent Staci Kaufman and Davis to apply for state and federal funds, as appropriate.
• Approved an agreement with Four County Career Center to expand training for advanced EMT and paramedic programs at Vantage.
• Approved an Enterprise Zone Agreement sought by Herbert E. Orr Company in Paulding. The agreement calls for 100 percent abatement for a period of 10 years. The company plans to add 10,000 square feet to its facility at a cost of $680,000 and create five full-time jobs. Vantage will receive 25 percent of the abated tax amount through this agreement.
• Accepted a grant of $42,663 from the Van Wert County Foundation’s Rothacker-Lampe Bequest to purchase equipment for Vantage’s Electricity program.
• Accepted a grant of $785 from the Patricia M. Lichtensteiger Memorial Fund, through the foundation, for  Vantage’s literacy program.
• Approved a Bullying and Harassment report for the 2013-14 school year.
• Approved a wellness policy for the school.
• Authorized the following transfers: $85,000 from the General Fund to the Adult Education Fund for FY 2015 (satisfies mandated contribution to maintain Vantage’s Adult Education Full Service Center), and $225,040 from the General Fund to the Maintenance Fund to meet the district’s obligation with the Ohio School Facilities Commission to set aside maintenance dollars.
• Authorized a resolution to deposit half of the wind turbine PILOT money into the General Fund and the other half into the Permanent Improvement Fund.

The next meeting of the Vantage Board of Education will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, August 7, in the district conference room.