Another step

A major capital improvement project for Jay County Junior-Senior High School took another step forward Monday.

Jay School Board held its preliminary determination hearing on a proposed $17.44 million renovation project for the junior-senior high that has been in discussion for months.

A second public hearing and decision is planned for the board’s regular meeting on June 16.

Monday’s hearing passed without comment from the public.

Brian Bohlender of engineering and architecture firm Barton Coe Vilamma provided an update on the scope of the project following changes made through discussions with the project committee and feedback from a community survey. Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley noted that the board received 146 comments from the public on the project.

Most of the big-ticket items for the project remain the same, including upgrading the heating, ventilation and cooling system controls; replacing pool treatment equipment, the dehumidification unit and the roof; updating food service equipment, utilities and flooring; rehabilitating the grandstand at Harold E. Schutz Memorial Stadium; and replacing the building’s main electrical service panel.

The most significant change to the project discussed Monday involves a change in location of the tennis courts. Rather than rehabilitating them or reconstructing them in place, as had previously been discussed, plans are now to construct new courts at the northwest corner of the driving range parking lot. Bohlender explained that constructing new courts, whether in place or a different location, provides the longest life. Board members had also previously indicated that it would be beneficial to move the courts away from the softball field to improve safety.

Also part of the proposed project are the following items:

•Reconstructing the track at Harold E. Schutz Memorial Stadium

•Modernizing the band and choir areas

•Replacing water mains, making sidewalk repairs and paving parking lots (as funding allows)

•Painting exterior steel, repair cracks and replacing exterior wall panels

•Repairing the greenhouse roof

•Expanding the wrestling practice area

•Replacing stage curtains in auditorium and installing Americans with Disabilities Act compliant handrails in adjacent hallways

•Converting the TV studio into instructional space

•Making security and technology updates

•Replacing baseball dugouts

The updated overall cost of the project of $17.44 million breaks down to $5.3 million in mechanical upgrades, $3.47 million for outdoor athletics, $2.44 million in functional improvements, $2.12 million for electrical service and $1.8 million for architectural changes.

Gulley pointed to previous projects while also saying the corporation’s buildings need some attention to keep them viable for the long term.

“We’ve done the best we can,” he said. “But they have needs. There is a need here.”

Lindsay Simonetto of accounting and consulting firm Baker Tilly again reviewed details regarding bonding, noting that debt service payments from previous projects step down in 2027 and ’28. The remaining existing debt service would be fully repaid in 2032.

“That creates an opportunity to address future projects that you may need while … eliminating an increase to the debt service tax levy to fund those annual debt service payments, which is the case for this project we’re talking about tonight,” she said, noting a capacity of $18.285 million.

Following the hearing at the June 16 meeting, a public hearing on an amendment to lease would be held on July 21.

“If it gets through all of that, then you get into the design phase of this and it becomes a synchronization of the project to make it as least disruptive as we can,” said Gulley.

The timeline calls for eight months to design the project, with completion planned for March 30, 2026. Bid opening would be held a month later, with the board to potentially award the project to a contractor at the board’s May 2026 meeting.

In other business, the board:

•Approved the hiring of Nadia Hardman as a fifth grade teacher at Bloomfield Elementary School, Angela Clevenger as a fourth grade teacher at Redkey Elementary School and Megan Huntsman as a music teacher and technology instructor at West Jay and Redkey elementary schools.

•Approved retirements for instructional assistant Betty Harris and reading recovery teacher Tracy Christman.

•Accepted several resignations, including from junior high English teacher Kimberly Andrews, high school physical education teacher Grant Zgunda and Redkey third grade teacher Katrina Gibson.