BOE hears updates on stadium, finances

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

An open house for the public will be scheduled once elevator work at Eggerss Stadium is complete.

During Wednesday’s Van Wert City Schools Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Mark Bagley said the elevator to the press box and Tyler’s Landing has been installed and is undergoing final work and testing. Once it’s been approved and certified, hopefully by July 31, an announcement will be made on the date and time of the open house. Bagley also informed the board that the new home locker room on the home side of the stadium is ready for use, along with the training room and multipurpose office. For a number of years, the Cougar football team has used the Goedde Building before and after home games, along with halftime.

“Things are going well at the stadium,” Bagley said. “We’re real excited about this third phase being complete.”

On a related note, Treasurer Troy Bowersock said $6.9 million has been spent on Phases I-III of the massive renovation project, and a one-year supplemental contract was approved for Bill Clifton, who will again serve as construction manager for the ongoing Eggerss Stadium renovation project.

During his monthly report to the board, Bagley noted that all but one staff spot has been filled for the upcoming school year, which begins Wednesday, August 20, for students in grades 1-12, and Wednesday, August 27, for preschool and kindergarten students. He also talked briefly about state level financing and said even though the biennium budget has been approved, there remains some uncertainty. In addition to that, Bagley said a statewide group is trying to get a complete property tax repeal on the ballot.

“They don’t have enough signatures yet but that could come in 2026,” he stated. “It’s not gloom and doom, it’s just a reality and it’s the world we live in right now.”

Bagley touched on the data center that is coming to Van Wert and said he and Bowersock plan to meet with city officials to see what it actually means for the city. The mega site property has already been annexed into the city, but it’s in the Lincolnview school district.

“How can we work together to make sure that all of us win in Van Wert County, because we’re talking about billions of dollars that will be infused into our community and obviously Van Wert city is a big part of that,” he said.

Kannen Wannemacher was approved as the new girls high school varsity tennis coach. He replaces Katie Peterson, who resigned her teaching and coaching positions last month. Other personnel matters approved by the board included Roland Alvarez, high school intervention specialist, and Amy Foreman, long-term substitute elementary intervention specialist.

The board accepted the resignation of Tricia Ridenour, gifted intervention specialist, and a one-year leave of absence for Josh Early, elementary school intervention specialist.

A daily pay rate of $110 was approved for substitute teachers, along with a professional services agreement for behavioral health services with Westwood Behavorial Health Center. A lengthy list of donations was accepted by the board as well. 

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, August 27, in the First Federal Lecture Hall at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.