Crestview BOE hears various updates during meeting

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

CONVOY — Voter approval of Crestview’s permanent improvement levy drew praise and thanks from school officials Monday night.

During his report to the school board, superintendent Matt Dube thanked voters for renewing the five year, 2-mill levy, which passed by a 58-42 percent margin. 1,097 ballots were cast in favor, while 776 voters said no.

“That’s always important,” Dube said. “That way we can get our buses, our school furniture and things that we need around the building.”

He noted he and Treasurer Ashley Whetsel looked at previous renewals and found last week’s passage rate was a bit lower.

“I think that’s more of a statement of the climate we’re currently in, with taxes and levies and everything being on the tips of everyone’s tongues, particularly with our legislators,” he said.

Dube said statewide, more than half (54 percent) of school levies were approved. However, renewals fared far better than new issues.

“Anything new money and anything that was income tax did not go well,” he stated. “I think people around the state and frankly people around the country have made a statement that things need to change. We need to make sure we’re doing a good job of listening to our people, showing that we’re doing what they want with the resources they put us in charge of.”

Dube also gave a brief update on the ongoing athletic facilities improvement project and said the high school gym is 99 percent complete. The new artificial turf is down at the newly configured football stadium and he said he’s hopeful the track will be lined this week.

“They’ve showed up multiple times to line the track and they either got rained out or they’d clean the track and then they’d put the marks where they’d go and it would start to rain again,” he explained.

Demo work at the old football field is slated to begin soon, including removal of the fence, while the bleachers will be removed. According to Dube, the new press box at the baseball/softball complex is complete, while roofs will soon go on the dugouts. Infield turf will be installed in the near future, and new fencing is coming in.

“The good news is we’re on target, we’re on track,” he quipped.

Dube also congratulated the boys cross country team for finishing sixth at state, along with Emily Heth for competing as an individual on the girls’ side.

He also said the district will purchase three new 36-passenger buses and will sell two buses via private sales, with one going to a limo company and the other going to a farmer.

The board sped quickly through a light agenda, with the entire meeting lasting just 11 minutes.

Board members approved Ebany Hammons as a volunteer coach for the middle school track and field program and Braxton Struckenburg as a volunteer coach with the high school softball program.

The board also approved purchased services of a School Resource Officer from the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office and a salary schedule for stipends on the winter event manager list.

Before adjourning, the board went into executive session to discuss personnel, but no action was taken afterward.

The next meeting of the Crestview Local Schools Board of Education will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, December 14, in the multi-purpose room.