Fort Recovery moves up bus purchase

FORT RECOVERY — The purchase of a new bus was moved up as a cost-saving measure.
Fort Recovery School Board on Tuesday transferred $88,000 to the permanent improvement fund from the general fund to buy a new bus.
It also discussed increases in assessed valuation in the county that will impact property tax collection and updates to the school system’s continuous improvement plan.
Superintendent Shelly Vaughn told the board plans had called for purchasing a new bus during fiscal year 2016, which begins in July, but that the school system could save money by purchasing one this year.
Board members Jose Faller, Ginny Fortkamp, Aaron Guggenbiller, Amy Bihn and Dave Hull transferred funds for the bus at a cost of $87,897.00. Fort Recovery will also trade in two buses, both of which are about a decade old, in order to bring down that cost.
Treasurer Lori Koch reported that the assessed value of property in Fort Recovery’s district went up by more than $22 million (nearly 24 percent) in tax year 2014. The increase came because of a change in the way the state calculates “Current Agricultural Use Value”.
The result will be an increase funding for schools through local property taxes — about $500,000 next year — but board members expressed concern that Ohio then might cut state funding. Koch also noted that total money from the state is already expected to drop because of a decline in enrollment.
“Where we gain here, which was quite a bit … in property taxes, we may lose just as much in state funding,” Koch said.
Vaughn talked about plans for Friday’s professional development day, saying that it will start with discussions about the continuous improvement plan. She noted that the school system has 38 new staff members since the last update to the plan during the 2011-12 school year and she looks forward to getting a mix of ideas from the new staff.
She emphasized the need for specific, measurable goals.
“The best professional development has follow through and it carries over and its measured, because if there’s not accountability … it sometimes doesn’t happen,” she said.
Vaughn noted that Fort Recovery has used its five calamity days and is now eligible to use E-Days, with a few changes planned after implementing them for the first time last year. One of those is that all three E-days will not be used consecutively.
She also said using a three-hour delay on foggy days will be an option in the spring if it could result in preventing the extension of the school year in May.
In other business, the board:
•Elected Jose Faller president and Aaron Guggenbiller vice president for 2015. It also voted to bond the president at $50,000 through Fort Recovery Insurance Agency.
•Scheduled meetings for the year for 6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month with the exception of the next meeting, which will be 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10.
•Appointed Aaron Guggenbiller as legislative liaison to Ohio School Board Association and Ginny Fortkamp as the alternate. It also appointed Amy Bihn as student achievement liaison and Dave Hull as the alternate.
•Named treasurer Lori Koch as Fort Recovery Schools’ representative for the Mercer/Auglaize Benefit Trust.
•Accepted donations of more than $9,000, including $1,800 to the activity fund from Fort Recovery Industries and $1,500 for classroom needs for several teachers from Fort Recovery Foundations.