VWCS Bd. moves to issue stadium bonds

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The Van Wert Board of Education has taken the next step in the plan to renovate and improve Eggerss Stadium.

During Wednesday night’s monthly meeting, the board approved a resolution to move forward with the sale and issuance of $5 million worth of bonds to pay for the renovations. School district voters approved the 20-year bond issue during the May 3 election.

Superintendent Mark Bagley said he’s hopeful the bonds will be issued in late June or early July, and he added architects with Garmann Miller will be at the stadium today.

“They’ll look at the concrete and they’ll look at the restoration underneath and up top,” Bagley explained. “There is a timeline and we have to follow that timeline based on getting the bonds to sell and those kind of things.”

Bagley and Board President Anthony Adams thanked voters for supporting the issue in overwhelming fashion.

“That was great to see but now the pressure is on us to come through with what we promised,” Adams said. “We’ll do our best to do that. It’ll be an exciting time here as we go through a fairly major building project.”

During his report to the board, Assistant Superintendent Bill Clifton outlined the summer maintenance schedule, which includes sanding, redesigning and repainting the middle school and high school gymnasium floors, and the resealing of the Early Childhood Center and high school parking lots.

Clifton also said he’s waiting on quotes for one or two new buses and he said the district will purchase a second maintenance truck.

After hearing from Treasurer Michelle Mawer, the board approved the updated five year financial forecast, which shows deficit spending starting with fiscal year 2024. A carryover balance could cover the difference and Mawer said the forecast changes daily.

“It is a snapshot in time,” she said. “It’s used to look at periodically where we’re at and we use it to make decisions for the future.

The board heard a brief presentation from Van Wert Elementary Principal Justin Krogman, Assistant Principal Tracy Wehner, Literacy Collaborative Coach Kim Werling and Special Services Coordinator Ruth Ann Dowler about the school’s literacy collaborative.

In personnel matters, the board accepted the retirement-resignation of Susan Brubaker, elementary school music teacher, effective November 18, and the resignations of Zane McElroy, middle school gateway to technology teacher, and Tyler Money, assistant to the technology director.

The board also accepted the resignation of head volleyball coach Paul Wisden, who was hired last month. Matt Krites was then approved as the new varsity volleyball coach.

Board members approved several hirings, including Ashley Mooney, first grade intervention specialist; Jason Holubik, fourth grade teacher; Chris Kraner, middle school English language arts/social studies; Sarah Smith, school psychologist; Paige Motycka, high school intervention specialist; Julie Hamilton, paraprofessional at the Van Wert School at the Goedde.

The board also approved a three-year administrative for Van Wert Elementary School Assistant Principal Tracy Wehner.

Eli Alvarez and Della Harting were approved as high school paraprofessionals, and Danae, Leaser, Chrissy Kreischer, Janine Warnecke, Jennifer Huffman, Lisa Knoch, Shelly Place, Drew Bittner, Lydia Whitman, Deb Pollock, Sherry Boroff, Nikki Adams, Ronda Niemeyer, Kim Dowdy and Judi Smith as Early Childhood Center summer staff members.

Tom Baer, Erin Lee and Harting were approved as middle school summer staff members and Jeff Kallas was approved as a summer government teacher.

Bagley noted the hiring of staff for the 2022-23 school year is nearly complete.

In other business the board:

• increased the pay rate of substitute teachers from $90 to $100.
• approved an overnight girls varsity/JV basketball trip to the University of Findlay June 24-26.
• approved an overnight varsity football/JV/freshman trip to East Harbor State Park July 14-15.
• approved a varsity girls soccer trip to White Oak Campground in Whitehouse June 10-13.

The board accepted a long list of donations from charitable groups, entities and individuals and the board met in executive session to discuss the employment of personnel, with no action taken afterward.

Before the meeting, the board observed a moment of silence to honor the victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, in the First Federal Lecture Hall at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.