Security, band discussed at L’view meeting

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

In the event of an active shooter or other emergency at Lincolnview Local Schools, the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office is prepared to take the necessary steps to diffuse the situation.

That was what School Resource Officer Corey Long told the school board during Wednesday night’s meeting.

“Texas is on everybody’s mind with the (school shooting) situation that happened down there last month,” Long said. “With the Sheriff’s Office training that we do here in Van Wert County, nothing like that would ever happen in this county. We take our training very seriously and we do it often.”

“We’re there to do one thing and one thing only and that is to seek out the active shooter and to use whatever means necessary to stop the threat or detain the threat,” he added. “We are not trained to sit back and wait for orders.”

Long also said he attended a recent conference on school safety and shared information about ways to increase school safety and security, including the use of certain apps, ID scanners and name tags for visitors and new locking mechanisms. More information is expected at next month’s meeting.

Lincolnview Band Boosters President Jackie Goins told the board the band is growing and is in need of new instruments, because some of the instruments date back to 1950. She said fundraising efforts are scheduled to begin this fall and she gave board members a proposal requesting over $190,000 over five years.

“It does seem huge but we want to work with the school board and administration,” Goins said.

More discussion on the request will come as soon as next month.

York Township Trustee Brad Schwartz asked the board to consider a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) agreement for a new hog farm on Goodwin Road, just south of Ohio 709. The farm will have two barns that will house 2,400 hogs each. The request is expected to appear on a future agenda.

During his report to the board, Treasurer Troy Bowersock said revenues for fiscal year 2022 were five percent off, while revenues were within four percent of what was anticipated.

Superintendent Jeff Snyder told the board video streaming of indoor junior high and high school sporting events will continue during the upcoming school year and he said new signs noting athletic accomplishments may be placed at multiple locations around the district.

The board also heard from head baseball coach Eric Fishpaw and several team members who talked about finishing as Division IV runners-up for the second consecutive year.

In personnel matters, Cheryl Mongold, Whitney Akerman and Kayla Hoersten were approved as kindergarten aides, while Marcia Weldy was hired as an elementary library media aide.

Supplemental contracts were approved for Karla Bowersock, assistant high school softball coach; Lauren Calvert, junior varsity softball coach, and Allison Hammons, assistant athletic director. Personal service contracts were approved for Eric Giessler, assistant high school baseball coach; Nick Leeth, junior varsity baseball coach; Clay Erman and Becky Fackler, assistant softball coaches, and Annette Hoverman, accompanist.

Several resignations were accepted, including Douglas Billingham, assistant/junior varsity soccer coach; Anna Nussbaum, kindergarten aide; Kayla Hoersten, Ellen Moore, cooks, and Becky Emrick, bus driver.

In other business, the board approved:

• A memorandum of understanding with the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office for a School Resource Officer for the 2022-2023 school year
• Cafeteria and athletic ticket prices for the 2022-2023 school year
• A list of open enrollment students for the 2022-2023 school year
• Agreements with Van Wert Health for athletic training and school nurse services
• An agreement with Midwest Regional Education Service Center for vision services
• Membership renewal in the Northwestern Ohio Educational Research Council.

The board graciously accepted a pair of donations, $12,218 from the United Way of Van Wert County for the Latchkey program, and $4,600 from the Richard and Nadie O. Klein Memorial Trust through the Van Wert County Foundation.

The next meeting of the Lincolnview Local Schools Board of Education will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, August 24, in the Neubrecht Lecture Hall.