{"id":212040,"date":"2026-11-05T22:30:34","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T03:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=212040"},"modified":"2026-11-05T22:30:35","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T03:30:35","slug":"turner-to-retire-boe-discusses-medical-academy-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2026\/11\/05\/turner-to-retire-boe-discusses-medical-academy-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Turner to retire; BOE discusses Medical Academy project"},"content":{"rendered":"
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After 10 years at the helm, Vantage Career Center Superintendent Rick Turner will retire at the end of his current contract, July 31, 2027. The search for his replacement is getting underway. Scott Truxell\/Van Wert independent<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

SCOTT TRUXELL\/<\/strong>independent editor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The search is about to begin for a new Vantage Career Center superintendent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday night, the Vantage Board of Education accepted the resignation of Superintendent Rick Turner, who plans to retire at the end of his current contract, July 31, 2027. The board also voted to approve a contract with Celina-based Grand Lake Regional Educational Service Center to aid in the search for Turner\u2019s replacement. The contract calls for a flat fee payment of $5,000 at the conclusion of the search process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turner\u2019s ties to Vantage go back to the late 1970s. He graduated in 1979 from the school\u2019s machine tool technology program. He was hired as Vantage superintendent in 2017. Prior to that, he spent a number of years at Apollo Career Center and worked as director of adult programs for more than 11 years at the Lima area vocational school before his appointment at Vantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shortly after calling Thursday\u2019s meeting to order, the board went into executive session with Grand Lake Regional ESC Superintendent Shelly Vaughn and Western Buckeye ESC Superintendent Missy McClurg to discuss the pending superintendent vacancy. The closed door session lasted over an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Vantage Academy of Medical Careers was a topic of discussion and the tone turned to dissatisfaction with the pace of work and general contractor Alexander & Bebout as the project winds down. The academy is in the former Thomas Edison building across the street from the main campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cContractors need to complete final punch-list items for the academy,\u201d Turner told the board. \u201cExterior landscaping is still pending and given the time of year, some final work may be deferred until spring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Turner said he believes the project could be completed with five good days by the workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe thing that saddens me about this it\u2019s an absolutely beautiful place \u2013 it\u2019s going to be a wonderful training facility, we\u2019ve just got to get over the hump,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renovations were scheduled to be complete by August 1, in time for the new school year. However, it was pushed back to September 29, but is still not complete. The board also voiced unhappiness at the September meeting (see story here<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Board member Pat Baumle (Wayne Trace) shared a rather blunt thought during the discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think they\u2019ve endangered their business with the 13 local schools,\u201d Baumle stated. \u201cWe\u2019re not satisified and this isn\u2019t just a one school thing because Vantage has a community of all the surrounding areas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later in the meeting, the board authorized Turner to seek an alternative plan if the project isn\u2019t finished in a timely manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt means we can give them a letter of 10-day notice and their bond agent to finish the project or we\u2019ll have someone else complete it,\u201d Turner explained. \u201cThe architects (Munger Munger + Associates Architects) feel we need this tool to get their attention. We hope it won\u2019t come to that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turner also said there was a contenious meeting between the architects and Alexander * Bebout earlier this week over delays in finishing the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a somewhat related move, the board approved a per diem rate for three employees for the move to the Vantage Academy of Medical Careers, plus an equipment purchase list for the academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In personnel matters, the board accepted the resignation of adult education testing proctor Lori Allen. Brent Forsthoefel, Matthew Fourman, Dylan Kolb, Alexander LeVeck and Austin McIntosh were approved on an as-needed basis as adult education public safety instructors. Dillon Staas was approved as a police academy instructor on an as-needed basis, along with Luke Sellers, work-based learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other business, the board:<\/p>\n\n\n\n