Vantage board welcomes new member

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Housekeeping items were at the top of the list during Thursday night’s meeting of the Vantage Career Center Board of Education.

As required by law, the board must hold an annual organizational meeting no later than January 15 to appoint board officers, set meeting dates and times and more.

Pat Baumle (Wayne Trace) was re-elected as board president and Lonnie Nedderman (Crestview) will again serve as vice-president. A new board member, Tim Fitzpatrick, was appointed as legislative liaison and Greg von der Embse was appointed as student achievement liaison. Laura Peters was appointed as treasurer and chief financial officer.

Fitzpatrick is replacing Molly Hoersten as the representative from Fort Jennings. He took the oath of office for a three year term, along with returning board members Robin Etter (Continental), Michelle Gorman (Lincolnview) and Kim Wannemacher (Ottoville).

The board set meeting dates and times for 2023, usually the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. except for July, when the meeting will be held two weeks prior, June 22, to officially close out the school year. Compensation was set at $125 per meeting. The board also held its annual tax budget hearing and gave approval later in the meeting.

During his report to the board, High School Director Ben Winans said the school has started recruiting efforts for the 2023-2024 school year.

“We’ve been out to visit some of the home schools, talked with the sophomores and February 3 those sophomores will be coming here for a visit to see two programs, then our annual open house will be February 27,” Winans said. “We really look forward to getting the sophomores here on February 3 and letting them see the opportunities that they could have here.”

Winans also said next year’s school calendar will be presented to the board next month and it includes two virtual days next February, while Vantage hosts a Regional Skills USA competition.

Adult Education Director Angie Fahy informed the board that customized training is “going through the roof” right now.

“The big areas we’re seeing are electrical training, CDL and welding,” she said.

Fahy also said Vantage has had site visits from the Ohio Department of Public Safety for the EMT program and from the Ohio Board of Nursing for the LPN to RN training. She added both visits went well and she said some area fire departments have asked for advanced EMT training.

Micheal Dirr was hired as an adult education police academy instructor, Marsha Stechschulte was approved an STNA instructor, and supplemental contracts were approved for Scott Shardelow and Brenda Wurst as adult banquet workers.

Staff input is being sought for projected needs for facilities and equipment over the next few years.

“This survey is one component of our five year strategic organizational goal that we’re focusing on this year, to maintain and upgrades facilities, equipment and technology,” Superintendent Rick Turner said. “We will analyze the input from that survey to create timelines for replacement and upgrades of equipment, technology and facilities.”

Turner also thanked the board as part of School Board Recognition Month.

The board gave approval to a handful of items, including:

• Out of state travel for Larry Davis, Dan Edwards and students in the auto body program to travel to Detroit Autorama Student Day on February 24.
• Out of state travel and an overnight stay for Theresa Mengerink to teach American history multi-day seminar in St. Louis, Missouri on April 28.
• A heat pump replacement in the ECE classroom from Qualls Mechanical Services LLC for $24,998.
• A customized hourly rate for adult education at $200 per hour, not including mileage, supplies or other items.

The board also accepted the new minimum wage of $10.10 per hour and adjusted all minimum wage employees accordingly.

Several donations were accepted, including $660 from the Marsh Foundation for the construction equipment program; Matrix hair color worth $350 from Smart Style in Van Wert for the cosmetology program, and $560 from the Robert (Bob) Ricker Memorial for the carpentry and construction equipment technology programs.

At the end of the meeting, the board met in executive session to consider personnel matters, but no action was taken afterward.

The next meeting of the Vantage Career Center Board of Education will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 2, in the district conference room.