July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
JCHS renovations a go (6/28/05)
Project will cost about $18 million
By By Jennifer Tarter-
Renovations at Jay County High School are moving forward with a $18 million price tag.
The preliminary determination resolution for the proposed $18 million renovation project at JCHS was approved by the Jay School Board Monday.
Board members unanimously approved the resolution which states that the corporation will enter into a 22-year bond lease for a maximum bond amount of $18 million.
These bonds will have interest rates between 2.5 and 6 percent with more than $12 million in interest being incurred, according to the resolution. This $18 million will fund renovations of the school’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, swimming pool, vocational area and locker rooms. Funds will also be used to purchase new equipment for the vocational area.
The decrease from the original cap of $26.6 million to $18 million will not decrease the 17-cent tax rate increase per $100 of assessed valuation originally discussed at the December public hearing. But it will decrease the number of years of the loan lease, project consultant Lonnie Therber of Therber & Brock of Indianapolis said Monday.
Now, board members will have to wait 30 days.
If a remonstrance is not filed against the project during that time, architects from Barton, Coe, Vilamaa Architects and Engineers of Fort Wayne will begin writing the specifications for the project. Construction on the project could begin as soon as the spring of 2006, Jay Schools business manager Brad DeRome said after the meeting Monday.
Comments on the project from 13 audience members who spoke Monday were positive. There were approximately 35 people in attendance at the hearing, which was held in the JCHS commons.
Portland Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Vicki Tague and Jay County Development Corporation executive director Bob Quadrozzi both spoke in favor of the project.
“If we don’t do (the project) this year, it is not going to be cheaper next year,” Quadrozzi said adding that construction costs increase between 6 and 10 percent each year.
Board members received several compliments for trimming the cap to $18 million, but the possibility of a remonstrance was mentioned by rural Portland resident Ralph Guingrich.
“If you don’t go about this in a delicate way, from the people I’ve talked to, I’m sure a remonstrance will happen,” Guingrich said, adding that he was not against the project.
Board members each briefly spoke before approving the resolution. Board member Greg Wellman stressed that the project couldn’t go over the $18 million cap. Kari Vilamaa of Barton, Coe, Vilamaa Architects and Engineers of Fort Wayne said the specifications will include alternate bids that will allow the board to stay below $18 million.
“The bottom line is that we can’t go over $18 million,” Wellman said.
Board members Mike Shannon and Frank Vormohr both said that they were in favor of the proposed $18 million project and were also in favor of the previous $26.6 million plan.
“I would like to see (the project total) less. But I think ... I hope it will come in less (than $18 million),” said board member Jay Halstead.
Board member Mike Masters said that he would change his vote and be in favor of the project. He voted against setting the $18 million cap at the May meeting, along with board members Brian Alexander and Halstead.
Also Monday, board members appointed Sommer Barnard Attorneys of Indianapolis as attorneys, Therber & Brock of Indianapolis as the financial advisor and Barton Coe Vilamaa of Fort Wayne as the architect for the renovation project.[[In-content Ad]]Pay rates for support staff, substitute teachers and the corporation superintendent increased Monday, while elementary school textbook fees and insurance premiums went down.
Jay School Board members approved a memo of understanding for support staff assuring that all staff members will receive a pay increase of at least 30 cents an hour. Support staff includes bus drivers, substitute bus drivers and instructional assistants.
Also Monday, a one-year contract was approved for Jay Schools superintendent Barbara Downing. Her yearly salary will increase to $97,000 from $94,000.
Also, pay for substitute teachers will increase by $2 a day to $60 from $58.
Decreases were also approved Monday in textbook rental fees for elementary students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade.
Rental fees for kindergarten students will be $58 down from $60 during the 2005-06 school year. First graders’ book fees went down $15 to $120. Second grade book fees will be $118 — down from $123. Third grade book fees will be $109 — down from $115. In the fourth grade, book fees will be $98 — down from $105. Fifth grade fees for books will be $101 — down from $108.
Also, a $14,225 decrease in the worker’s compensation premium for the school corporation was approved for the 2005-06 school year.
The annual premium will be $43,403 through FCCI Insurance Group.
“We are quite pleased with this renewal,” Jay Schools business manager Brad DeRome said Monday.
DeRome also reported that the property casualty insurance premium decreased by $20,473. The annual premium from Indiana Insurance Company was approved at $279,557.
In other business Monday, board members:
•Approved a 3 percent increase in medical and vision insurance premiums for support staff from Principal Life.
•Approved the corporation’s Title I grant application, which is due to the Indiana Department of Education on July 1.
The grant is requesting $624,000 in Title I funds to be used for programs at six of the corporation’s seven elementary schools that qualify for the Title I funds. The funds will be used for Reading Recovery and English as Second Language faculty, professional development and the Youth Service Bureau.
•Approved revisions of the 2005-06 elementary, middle and high school student-parent handbooks.
•Approved non-certified personnel reductions of one secretary at the corporation administration office and two part-time secretaries at East and General Shanks Elementary schools will be moved to other schools.
•Approved a one-year partnership agreement with the John Jay Center for Learning. In the agreement, the corporation will fund a portion of the executive director’s salary and benefits, the administrative assistant’s salary, travel expenses for the executive director and supplies for the adult GED class.
•Approved curriculum revisions for the 2005-06 school year. Revisions were made in industrial technology for middle and high school students, physical education, music and visual arts for students in the entire corporation, in family and consumer science for grades six through 12, theater curriculum for grades nine through 12 and functional life skills.
•Will meet for a special meeting on Friday, July 1, at noon to elect board officers, appoint legal counsel and set the meeting schedule for the 2005-06 school year.
Board members will also vote on several personnel items.
•Agreed to switch programs with Ohio Valley Gas. The corporation spent approximately $309,000 in 2004 on natural gas. The new program could save the corporation as much as $5,800 a month by allowing the company to monitor natural gas prices and purchase gas for the corporation at the best rates.
•Accepted a $8,000 grant from the Differentiated Instruction Institute of Verona, Wis. that will be used to implement reading and writing assessment for up to 200 freshmen through web-based assignments.
The corporation also provided a $3,000 match.
The preliminary determination resolution for the proposed $18 million renovation project at JCHS was approved by the Jay School Board Monday.
Board members unanimously approved the resolution which states that the corporation will enter into a 22-year bond lease for a maximum bond amount of $18 million.
These bonds will have interest rates between 2.5 and 6 percent with more than $12 million in interest being incurred, according to the resolution. This $18 million will fund renovations of the school’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, swimming pool, vocational area and locker rooms. Funds will also be used to purchase new equipment for the vocational area.
The decrease from the original cap of $26.6 million to $18 million will not decrease the 17-cent tax rate increase per $100 of assessed valuation originally discussed at the December public hearing. But it will decrease the number of years of the loan lease, project consultant Lonnie Therber of Therber & Brock of Indianapolis said Monday.
Now, board members will have to wait 30 days.
If a remonstrance is not filed against the project during that time, architects from Barton, Coe, Vilamaa Architects and Engineers of Fort Wayne will begin writing the specifications for the project. Construction on the project could begin as soon as the spring of 2006, Jay Schools business manager Brad DeRome said after the meeting Monday.
Comments on the project from 13 audience members who spoke Monday were positive. There were approximately 35 people in attendance at the hearing, which was held in the JCHS commons.
Portland Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Vicki Tague and Jay County Development Corporation executive director Bob Quadrozzi both spoke in favor of the project.
“If we don’t do (the project) this year, it is not going to be cheaper next year,” Quadrozzi said adding that construction costs increase between 6 and 10 percent each year.
Board members received several compliments for trimming the cap to $18 million, but the possibility of a remonstrance was mentioned by rural Portland resident Ralph Guingrich.
“If you don’t go about this in a delicate way, from the people I’ve talked to, I’m sure a remonstrance will happen,” Guingrich said, adding that he was not against the project.
Board members each briefly spoke before approving the resolution. Board member Greg Wellman stressed that the project couldn’t go over the $18 million cap. Kari Vilamaa of Barton, Coe, Vilamaa Architects and Engineers of Fort Wayne said the specifications will include alternate bids that will allow the board to stay below $18 million.
“The bottom line is that we can’t go over $18 million,” Wellman said.
Board members Mike Shannon and Frank Vormohr both said that they were in favor of the proposed $18 million project and were also in favor of the previous $26.6 million plan.
“I would like to see (the project total) less. But I think ... I hope it will come in less (than $18 million),” said board member Jay Halstead.
Board member Mike Masters said that he would change his vote and be in favor of the project. He voted against setting the $18 million cap at the May meeting, along with board members Brian Alexander and Halstead.
Also Monday, board members appointed Sommer Barnard Attorneys of Indianapolis as attorneys, Therber & Brock of Indianapolis as the financial advisor and Barton Coe Vilamaa of Fort Wayne as the architect for the renovation project.[[In-content Ad]]Pay rates for support staff, substitute teachers and the corporation superintendent increased Monday, while elementary school textbook fees and insurance premiums went down.
Jay School Board members approved a memo of understanding for support staff assuring that all staff members will receive a pay increase of at least 30 cents an hour. Support staff includes bus drivers, substitute bus drivers and instructional assistants.
Also Monday, a one-year contract was approved for Jay Schools superintendent Barbara Downing. Her yearly salary will increase to $97,000 from $94,000.
Also, pay for substitute teachers will increase by $2 a day to $60 from $58.
Decreases were also approved Monday in textbook rental fees for elementary students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade.
Rental fees for kindergarten students will be $58 down from $60 during the 2005-06 school year. First graders’ book fees went down $15 to $120. Second grade book fees will be $118 — down from $123. Third grade book fees will be $109 — down from $115. In the fourth grade, book fees will be $98 — down from $105. Fifth grade fees for books will be $101 — down from $108.
Also, a $14,225 decrease in the worker’s compensation premium for the school corporation was approved for the 2005-06 school year.
The annual premium will be $43,403 through FCCI Insurance Group.
“We are quite pleased with this renewal,” Jay Schools business manager Brad DeRome said Monday.
DeRome also reported that the property casualty insurance premium decreased by $20,473. The annual premium from Indiana Insurance Company was approved at $279,557.
In other business Monday, board members:
•Approved a 3 percent increase in medical and vision insurance premiums for support staff from Principal Life.
•Approved the corporation’s Title I grant application, which is due to the Indiana Department of Education on July 1.
The grant is requesting $624,000 in Title I funds to be used for programs at six of the corporation’s seven elementary schools that qualify for the Title I funds. The funds will be used for Reading Recovery and English as Second Language faculty, professional development and the Youth Service Bureau.
•Approved revisions of the 2005-06 elementary, middle and high school student-parent handbooks.
•Approved non-certified personnel reductions of one secretary at the corporation administration office and two part-time secretaries at East and General Shanks Elementary schools will be moved to other schools.
•Approved a one-year partnership agreement with the John Jay Center for Learning. In the agreement, the corporation will fund a portion of the executive director’s salary and benefits, the administrative assistant’s salary, travel expenses for the executive director and supplies for the adult GED class.
•Approved curriculum revisions for the 2005-06 school year. Revisions were made in industrial technology for middle and high school students, physical education, music and visual arts for students in the entire corporation, in family and consumer science for grades six through 12, theater curriculum for grades nine through 12 and functional life skills.
•Will meet for a special meeting on Friday, July 1, at noon to elect board officers, appoint legal counsel and set the meeting schedule for the 2005-06 school year.
Board members will also vote on several personnel items.
•Agreed to switch programs with Ohio Valley Gas. The corporation spent approximately $309,000 in 2004 on natural gas. The new program could save the corporation as much as $5,800 a month by allowing the company to monitor natural gas prices and purchase gas for the corporation at the best rates.
•Accepted a $8,000 grant from the Differentiated Instruction Institute of Verona, Wis. that will be used to implement reading and writing assessment for up to 200 freshmen through web-based assignments.
The corporation also provided a $3,000 match.
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