Rock. Hard Place.
Somewhere in between the two sits the Benjamin Logan Board of Education. And they definitely felt the pressure at their regular monthly board meeting Monday, Dec. 19.
After beginning the evening with a moment of silence to honor long-term high school teacher Brad Jones, who passed away last week, things got off to a good start.
The board passed several resolutions that resulted in moving Scott Frederick from middle school principal when his term ends in July to assistant principal, effective Aug. 1, 2023, after he finishes his current term. And Jeff Fay, high school vice principal, introduced the seniors of the months for September through December.
But when the board opened the floor to audience participation, it quickly became apparent things were about to go downhill. Fast.
The board was about to slam into that rock.
Ruth Tetirick got the ball (rock?) rolling by stating her intention to raise awareness of “the current status of the proposed Fountain Point Solar Project.” She was the first of six attendees to address this issue.
“The first 13 steps are water under the bridge,” Tetirick said. “The application for the project has been completed.”
She then presented the board with the 60-page staff report from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio’s investigation and asked them to read it. “Be open-minded,” she encouraged. “Read the fine print. Educate yourselves.”
The other five messages were similar, with varying levels of emotion expressed, from Phil Morse stating, “I look forward to voting you out of your seats when the time comes,” to Kathleen Davis closing her time by saying, “Thank you for all you do. You are public servants.” Other residents who spoke were Kara Slonecker, Jim Wolever and Joe Hughes.
Several times throughout the presentations, a speaker asked a question. Each time, Jennifer Sudhoff, district treasurer/chief financial officer, reminded them the board doesn’t answer questions during audience participation nor was it their decision.
The concerns stem from a letter the board sent to Superintendent John Scheu, which he passed on to the Ohio Public Utilities Commission Dec. 12. In short, the letter expressed the board’s support of the “Fountain Head [sic] Solar Project” in Logan County, Ohio, stating all five members had given Scheu the go-ahead to forward their letter on “behalf of the hopeful approval for this solar farm project.”
Which leads to the aforementioned “hard place”: The solar project would bring the school district approximately $1.1 million a year for 45 years. That’s more than $45 million over the life of the project. And with costs continuing to rise and inflation hitting everyone, that’s an appealing number to a board fighting to meet the requirements of their students.
“It would delay the need to ask the public to support a levy to fund the schools,” Scheu said after the meeting. “The last levy we proposed failed 65 to 35 in 2019. With the price of everything going up, school levies have to be a significant part of funding school districts.”
But since the public keeps voting levies down, the board is looking for other options.
Scheu concluded, “The entire county would benefit. Even close to a million dollars for us would be significant.”
In the end, though, what happens next is out of the board’s hands when the Ohio Power Siting Board votes to approve or deny the project application. The evidentiary hearing is scheduled to begin on Jan. 23 in Columbus.
During the superintendent’s report, Scheu thanked nearby schools and the community for their support following the untimely death of high school teacher Brad Jones.
Though still waiting for approval from the state for the armed response team curriculum, the district is moving forward. According to Scheu, 22 staff members have agreed to participate. They hope to begin training right after the new year, but final approval to form the team after training is completed has to come from the board.
In closing his report, Scheu read an email from a third-grade teacher in support of the Community Health and Wellness Partners clinic.
In other action, the board:
• adopted the updated 457 Plan document to remain in compliance with state and federal laws. This version includes a 59.5 years of age provision, which permits in-service distributions for participants at 59.5 years and older; it also adds language to provide certain aspects of the CARES Act;
• approved an MOU with BLEA adding Ski Club advisor to the supplemental salary schedule;• Fay recognized the following seniors of the month: Elliott Bailey and Preston Bothel (September); Alanna Gibson and Luke McKenrick (October); Brielle Moorhouse and Isaac Napier (November); and Rhea Harner and Lukas Hemmelgarn (December)
• accepted the resignations of Tiffany Morrow, bus driver, effective Dec. 20; John Forrest, bus driver, effective July 31 (rescinds previous approval date of Jan. 1); and the retirement resignation of James Stoodt, bus driver, effective July 31;
• approved a leave of absence: Justin Shupert, medical, effective Dec. 6;
• approved employment of personnel, detention, Saturday school, Study Tables: Jodie Kavanagh, Lisa Cox, Alyssia Cavallini, Tammy James, Kara Gillman, Lori Weyant, Tina McPherson, Stephenie Jordan, Susan Headings;
• accpeted the supplemental contract resignations of Mark Campbell, freshman boys basketbal, he will continue as a volunteer basketball coach;
• extended the following supplemental contracts: Myles Bowers, pep band director, musical orchestra director; Michael Dove, musical director; Marleen Godsey, musical director; Kelly Gibson, ski club adviser;
• accepted the following grants: $7,900 from Logan County Education Foundation; $3,000 from Mary Rutan Foundation for Growing Gardens, Growing Minds;
• approved revised substitute rates, FY22-FY24;
• approved the following overnight trips: Jazz Band, Feb. 25-26, 2023, Louisville, Ky.; BPA Leadership Conference, March 9-10, 2023, Columbus; BPA National Leadership Conference, April 26-30, 2023, Anaheim, Calif.;
• early graduation Jan. 4, 2023, for Joshua Braden Tipton and Alexis Debrah Ann Key; both will receive their diploma in May 2023; and
• accepted donations/volunteer services to help students in need: $500 from RWE Renewables Americas LLC Hardin Wind, $1,000 from an anonymous donor, $194.20 by American Online Giving Foundation; Larsen Woodworking’s donation of wooden keys for the high school National Honor Society.
Monday’s meeting was led by Karen Dill, board vice president, in the absence of President Chris Larsen. The next board meeting is 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9.