Project expected to move forward

FORT RECOVERY — A project to construct a new baseball/softball facility is expected to move forward.

Fort Recovery Baseball Diamond Club presented an update to Fort Recovery School Board during its meeting Monday about its plans to construct a new high school baseball field.

While all of the funding is not yet in place for the estimated $1 million project, the club reported that it is ready to move forward. The goal is for construction to begin at the conclusion of the 2020 Fort Recovery High School softball season.

Initial plans first presented in April 2017 called for the new field to be constructed to the south of the existing FRHS softball field on the east side of the elementary/middle school property. They included a new press box, restrooms, concession building, bleachers with canopies and a batting cage for the softball team.

The club originally cited limited facilities, poor local and drainage problems with the current field, located at the west end of Caldwell Street, as reasons for building a new facility.

Board members Greg LeFevre, Nick Wehrkamp, Anne Guggenbiller, Jake Knapke and Don Wendel also discussed parameters for long-range goal setting for the district. While no specific procedures were put in place, they reaffirmed their commitment to creating a new long-term plan that could lay out goals in areas such as academics, facilities and finances. The most recent continuous improvement plan expired in 2018.

In other business, the board:

•Approved the following: Policy updates are recommended by Brown; the hiring of Jackie Bruggeman as assistant softball coach and Jason Barhorst as junior high track coach; the hiring of volunteer coaches Renee Evers, Lauren Day and Carrie Schoen (softball, Mark Hubbard (girls basketball) and Brian Patch (baseball); a one-year contract with Healthy Lawns for maintenance of the football, baseball, softball and practice fields; Kelly Evers and Sondra Smith as substitute teachers; a field trip for eighth graders April 13 through 17 to Washington, D.C.

•Was told by elementary school principal Kelli Thobe that 60 students have already been confirmed for the 2020-21 kindergarten class. The final number is expected to be between 60 and 70.

•Accepted the retirement of Harold Hart as custodian effective June 1 and the resignation of Tammy Overton as an assistant cook.

•Accepted donations totaling $116, including $100 from Meiring Poultry Farm for the school bands.