Project to proceed (05/22/07)

Plans to construct a multipurpose facility/auxiliary gym at Jay County High School - with a cost cap of $4 million - are moving forward.

Members of the Jay School Board voted to proceed with the project following a public hearing Monday.

It was standing room only at Monday's public hearing, with more than 50 people filling the meeting room at the administrative office.

Following more than an hour of public comments, board members voted 6-1, with Larry Paxson casting the opposing vote.

"Philosophically, I am not opposed to the project," Paxson said. "I just can't support additional debt."

Board members Bryan Alexander, Jay Halstead, Mike Shannon, Greg Wellman, Frank Vormohr and Mike Masters voted in favor of moving forward with construction of the estimated 27,000-square foot facility.

The estimated $4 million in costs includes $3.8 million in construction costs and an estimated $118,550 in nonconstruction costs.

Jay School Corporation superintendent Tim Long explained that the project would be tax neutral, which means no new tax burden for Jay County property owners.

He explained that the corporation currently collects approximately $3 million a year from property taxes which goes into the capital improvement fund. From this fund, $300,000 will be taken out of the capital projects fund each year and put into the corporation's debt service fund. This $300,000 will be used to pay the maximum yearly lease toward the $3.5 million in bonds that will be issued by City Securities Corporation of Indianapolis for the project.

The board also saved a total of $500,000 from the capital project fund for the last two years.

These funds will be put toward the project reducing the amount of bonds needed to fund the project, Jay School Corporation business manager Brad DeRome said this morning.

Board members also approved that the term of the bond lease shall not exceed 22 years with a maximum total lease not to exceed $5.96 million with an average interest rate of 5.5 percent.

Long spoke to the audience, saying that the proposed project is an attempt by the board to build the largest facility that the corporation can fund.

Following brief reports by architect Kari Vilamaa of Barton, Coe, Vilamaa Architects and Engineers of Fort Wayne and financial consultant Sid Baker of City Securities Corporation, eight Jay County property owners came before the board to speak on the project.

Rural Bryant resident Paul Copeland told the board that he is concerned about the rising property taxes and the debt has put a burden on property owners. He added that he owns several rental properties in Portland.

"I think the facility is a great idea," Copeland said. "But I feel we don't need it. We have to stop spending."

Copeland later asked DeRome how much debt the corporation currently holds. DeRome reported that the corporation's debt equals $50 million over the past seven years including $18 million for the current construction project at JCHS, $23 million for the reconstruction project at East Jay Middle School and $9 million in pension bonds.

Greene Township resident Sue Ann McLaughlin was also concerned about increased taxes and encouraged board members to put the funds towards improving the current sports facilities and schools.

Alexander also added that the new facility is needed for physical education at JCHS.

Rural Portland residents Dr. Scott Frankenfield and Rob Moser spoke in favor of the project.

Frankenfield told board members that this facility would help bring former graduates and others to the area.

Moser said this facility would give more kids opportunities to participate in athletics which teaches good work ethic and will make them good employees in the future.

JCHS teacher and assistant football coach Tim Millspaugh also spoke in favor of the new construction. He told the board that in the county's football sectional of eight schools Jay County and one other school are the only schools without a second gym.

Rural Redkey resident Emily Swartz told the board that it was really hard to speak against something that is pretty much a done deal.

"In my opinion you are building a multipurpose facility on a thin back (of Jay County farmers)," Swartz said. "If education is truly what this school corporation was about then we would be talking about (using these funds for education)."

Rural Portland resident Ken Daniels was in favor of the facility telling the board that his daughter was a former band member. He said the band had nowhere to practice inside.

Rural Portland resident Ralph Guingrich told the board that his taxes went up $600 a year.

"Taxes are soaring out of sight. We have to try to eliminate debt and don't take on any additional debt," Guingrich told the board.

Following the public hearing, board members took turns speaking.

Vormohr said this facility has been talked about since he has been on the board and said sometimes "debt is a good thing."

Wellman said that renovations at the elementary schools have been put on hold for several years and that he couldn't vote for the new construction without blacking out Wednesday nights in the school corporation. Despite that statement, Wellman did vote to proceed with construction.

Masters said that he was concerned about the amount to be financed with bonds.

"I want to know that in six months we're not going to be having another 10-28 hearing," Master said adding that he needed assurance that this would not occur.

Halstead said that he would like to see the facility built smaller than the proposed 27,000-square feet. He said that the Jay County Community Center is 15,000-square feet.

"This gives you an idea ... it will be almost twice the size," Halstead said.

Paxson and Vormohr disagreed with Halstead's suggestion to downsize the facility.

Shannon said he talked to a lot of people and he leaned towards building the full-sized facility. Alexander also spoke in favor of the project.[[In-content Ad]]Full-day kindergarten will be offered to all incoming Jay County students for the 2007-08 school year.

Jay School Board members unanimously approved full-day kindergarten during Monday's meeting following a recommendation by Jay School Corporation superintendent Tim Long.

According to information provided to the board, two classes of full-day kindergarten will be offered at General Shanks, Westlawn, and Bloomfield elementary schools. One class will be held at Pennville and Judge Haynes elementary schools. Students from Redkey Elementary will be transported to one of the classes at Westlawn and any overflow students from Judge Haynes or General Shanks elementaries will be transported to East Elementary, he explained.

Long said that the majority of the funds needed for this transition will come from Title I funds, and not from the corporation's general fund. Six of the seven elementaries, excluding Bloomfield Elementary, receive these funds. Bloomfield receives funds from Title V.

The current half day kindergarten is funded by money from the general fund. The remaining half day of kindergarten will be funded by an expected full-day kindergarten grant from the state and Title I or V funds.

Students are not required to sign up for full-day kindergarten.

Long said corporation officials are still working on issues surrounding extra furniture needed for the students and transportation for students that will not be attending class at their school. DeRome said this morning that the corporation should not have to purchase additional furniture to accommodate the full-day program.

Currently, 252 students have registered for kindergarten for the 2007-08 school year and it is estimated that three more staff members will have to be added for full-day kindergarten.

Also Monday, board members approved a 2 percent pay increase for support staff and administration.

Support staff will receive a 2 percent raise or a minimum of 25 cents for all support staff which includes bus drivers and mechanics, secretaries, crossing guards, custodial staff, food service, health clerks and nurses and occupational therapists.

The board also voted to increase corporate contribution by $500 for support staff medical insurance premiums. The health insurance provider for support staff will also be changed to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Board members also approved a 2 percent raise for administrative salary. This includes increases to the salaries of assistant superintendent, corporation business manager, director of special education, principals, and administration support staff including the coordinators of facilities and transportation.

Long is not included in this new contract because of his hire date.

Also, board members heard a presentation on Reading Recovery which is offered to first graders at six of seven elementary schools that receive funds for Title I (excluding Bloomfield).

Jane Ferguson, mother of Redkey Elementary first grader Mitchel Ferguson, became emotional when she spoke to the board about how this program has helped her son learn and love to read and renew his interest in school.

Mitchel Ferguson displayed this renewed love of reading by sharing part of a book with the board. He received applause as he finished the book with a smile.

In other business, board members:

•Approved changes made to the handbooks for Jay County High School and East and West Jay Middle Schools. The handbook for the elementary schools was approved with no changes.

Policy changes were made to the cell phone policy and dress code in both handbooks.

•Heard a presentation on work training programs offered to special education students at JCHS. There are currently 27 students from grades 9 to 12 involved in the program. There are 22 local business which offer students job opportunities.

•Heard Jay Schools coordinator of facilities Ron Krieg give a construction update at JCHS and WJMS.

Krieg reported that construction is going smooth and is on schedule if not ahead of schedule at JCHS. He told the board that the roof replacement project has been completed at WJMS.

He also reported that a water bypass from the city of Portland to the high school was completed this past weekend. This will allow the school to remain open this summer while the water lines at JCHS are being worked on for approximately two weeks to a month.

•Approved the purchase of a new book for AP Spanish at JCHS.

•Voted to not change the prices of school lunches, Latch Key services, preschool fees, after school tutor fees, substitute teacher payment and substitute bus driver pay for the 2007-08 school year.

•Approved the purchase of various Microsoft licenses for all computers in the school corporation totaling $30,555.

•Reappointed Roy Sneed to the Dunkirk City Public Library Board. He has been serving for four consecutive terms.

•Approved the hire of Dave Wall as a half-time industrial technology teacher at Jay County High School.

•Accepted the resignations for Sharon Davis as a fifth grade teacher at East Elementary and Paul George as an English teacher at EJMS.

•Approved extracurricular resignations including Sheryl Buckmaster at WJMS, Ben Dues and Kari Anderson at JCHS and Bart Brandenburg at Judge Haynes Elementary.

•Approved bus requests for the Jay County Summer Swim Team, Jay Community Center, and Bright Beginnings for activities this summer.