Project resolution OK'd

The Jay County Junior-Senior High School renovation project took another step forward.

Immediate repairs were also approved for Harold E. Schutz Memorial Stadium.

Jay School Board approved a lease resolution Monday as part of the process toward bonding for the planned $17.44 million project at the junior-senior high school and also OK’d $125,000 in repairs to the stadium.

The resolution is the next step in the junior-senior high renovation project that will include upgrading the heating, ventilation and cooling system controls, replacing the pool dehumidification unit, replacing the building’s main electrical service and rehabilitating the grandstand at the stadium.

Monday’s meeting included a public hearing on the leasing agreement, though no members of the public commented. Board members Ron Laux, Donna Geesaman, Chip Phillips, Marcie Vormohr, Chad Towell, Jon Eads and Aaron Clark approved the resolution, which:

•Assigns the construction contracts related to the project to the Building Corporation of Jay Schools

•Authorizes the board president and secretary to sign and initial documents related to the lease

•Approves the building corporation to issue bonds to finance the project

The maximum bonding amount for the project is $18.285 million.

The project now moves to the design process. Bidding will follow next spring, with plans to award it to a contractor in May.

The board also approved Mid-States Construction of Redkey to handle the $125,000 in work on the stadium after “a section of concrete on the front (field side) of the stadium … separated from the plate.” In a document presented to board members, Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley said he has been told that the concrete is not load bearing but needs to be repaired. He passed on a recommendation that new concrete columns be installed “to eliminate the possibility of future failures.”

The work — it will include removing the aluminum stairs and handicapped ramp, demolition as needed, construction of reinforcing concrete columns, disposal of concrete and reassembly of the stairs and bleachers — is expected to take two to three weeks and be completed ahead of the start of the soccer and football seasons in mid-August.

Gulley noted that the work can be paid for from the school corporation’s operation fund, or the board could choose to utilize its rainy day fund.

Geesaman asked about the status of repairs to the junior high wing of the junior-senior high that was damaged in the September tornado. Gulley said construction is on track for substantial completion by the end of September and full completion by mid-October. Mobile classrooms will remain in use until the junior high wing of the building is ready to occupy students.

Business manager Shannon Current also updated the board of employee health insurance, noting that the board's insurance committee met with the school corporation’s consultant last week. Jay Schools received two quotes, one from current provider Physicians Health Plan of Northeast Indiana and another from United Healthcare. The Physicians Health Plan offer had premiums ranging from some that would decrease by 34% to others that would increase by 58% (depending on the plan) whereas the United Healthcare proposal would result in increases ranging from 68.6% to 180.2%. (A document shared with the board indicates that the corporation has 14 users with claims of $50,000 or more this year, which has resulted in payouts slightly outpacing premiums.)

The insurance committee is looking at making changes to plan options through PHP in order to reduce the overall increase to 5.4%.

Current said a survey detailing the options has been sent to employees, with plans for the board to take action on Aug. 4.

In other business, the board:

•Was reminded that the Aug. 4 board meeting will be focused on the proposed 2026 Jay Schools budget.

•Accepted the resignations of West Jay Elementary School third grade teacher Elizabeth Ulrey, junior-senior high Lifeskills teacher Jeani Shrack and English Language Learner teacher Susan DeRome, bus driver Kelly Johnson and girls tennis coach Andrea Garringer.

•Was updated on the back-to-school calendar, which included the opening on online registration July 7, in-person registration Monday, elementary school principals and secretaries returning to work today, distribution of class rosters and bus assignments July 31 and the first day of school for students on Thursday, Aug. 7.

•Received a proposed schedule for its meetings through 2026, with plans generally to continue meeting at 5 p.m. on the third Monday of each month.

•Approved the following: the hiring of teachers Emily Huffman (East Jay Elementary School third grade), Lexie Austin (East Jay third grade), Kelly Strausburg (junior-senior high language arts) and Chelsea Aker (junior high business), by a 5-0 vote with Vormohr and Phillips abstaining; the hiring of West Jay Lifeskills instructional assistant Holly Hurst, junior-senior high custodian Augusta Alvarado and East Jay resource instructional assistant Kaelee Mills; various extracurricular assignments, including assistant coaches Luke Goetz (boys basketball), Kailee Osterholt (volleyball) and Marvin Buckner ( girls golf.); an update to the school resource officer agreement with Jay County with no significant changes other than an increase in wages; and an eighth grade field trip to Washington, D.C., for March.

•Received the financial report from business manager Shannon Current. She currently projects negative cash flows of $25,531 in the education fund and $25,485 in the operation fund, which would leave year-end cash balances of $8.21 million and $6.41 million, respectively.

•Accepted a $1.02 million Title I planning grant for salaries and benefits for staff, Jay County Christian Academy, Youth Service Bureau and other items.