Benjamin Logan Board of Education members began the new year with updates on the district’s track project and elected new leadership at their meeting Monday evening, Jan. 9, and also continued to hear from citizens about the proposed Fountain Point Solar project.
Relating to the track project, Activities Director Beau Harmon reported that the scope of this effort includes a new track, a new multi-purpose football field, and a scoreboard for football and soccer. If funds remain, the district also will replace the baseball and softball scoreboards.
Harmon said Ben Logan has received four estimates for the resurfacing and replacement of certain parts of the track and turf, which will be put out to bid for local companies.
Construction is set to begin in late April or early May and expected to be ready by Aug. 25 for the first home football game. Sponsorship opportunities also are available for the project to help support the local athletes.
Funding for this project will be paid out of the general fund via a lease purchase. For future maintenance of the track, the district will be allocating money each year into a PI fund.
The athletic director noted that benefits of this project include being more Title IX compliant, the option to host tournaments for football and soccer, safer facilities for athletes and avoiding potential athletics injuries.
The next step is to finalize the design and to open the bids.
Also related to athletics, the board approved a purchase of new wrestling mats in the amount of $29,120 from Dollamur, with general funds utilized, along with a donation from the Athletic Boosters.
During the organizational meeting that proceeded the regular meeting, members elected Mark Himmeger as the new board president and Scott Spriggs as the new board vice president. Fellow board members include Karen Dill, Deb Johnson and Chris Larsen.
Ohio Association of School Business Officials’ Jim Rowan attended the meeting to present Treasurer/CFO Jennifer Sudhoff with the OASBO Board of Director’s Leadership Scholarship Award.
Sudhoff sits on the OASBO board of directors. Each year while she serves on the OASBO, a $1,000 scholarship will be presented to a graduating senior at Benjamin Logan High School, with further details about the scholarship to be announced.
Honoring National School Board Recognition Month, Superintendent John Scheu also presented certificates to board members recognizing their work. Benjamin Logan Elementary School students compiled a video, with the youngsters detailing what they thought the board of education’s job duties included and to say “thank you.” The middle school gave the board members 3-D plaques created by the art department, and High School Principal Brian Powderly presented the members with homemade treats.
During the audience participation portion of the evening, eight speakers addressed the board regarding the Fountain Point Solar Project, with two individuals opposed to the project and the other six speakers urging the board to support the industrial solar farm as a financial benefit to the district.
At last month’s meeting, the board faced opposition on this issue, with six speakers detailing their concerns about the board’s apparent support of the project. The speakers referenced a letter sent Dec. 12 to the Ohio Power Siting Board from Superintendent Scheu expressing that the board had directed him to send the letter of support on their behalf, as previously detailed in the Examiner.
Following the board’s December meeting, Scheu posted a clarification about the letter on the district’s website: “This was not an official resolution approved by the board nor was this discussed at a board meeting. The support was solely based on the financial benefit to the students and district, by potentially delaying the need for passage of a school levy.
“The estimated amount of annual revenue to the school district is $1.1 million for 45 years. This was simply a letter of support and is non-binding since there was no official action from the school board.”
Speakers Jim Wolever and Joe Hughes urged the board to consider rescinding their letter to the OPSB.
“This action, entered in evidence, does seem to be very definite and binding to this case,” Wolever said.
“Your greatest asset as a board of education is public trust. The events and actions have seriously jeopardized that public trust,” Hughes said, noting the 16 of the 17 townships in the county have previously voted to restrict future large wind and solar development in their townships.
Other speakers encouraged the board to continue their support of Fountain Point, looking at the “significant revenues from the project,” Ed Parmer said.
Susan Seeley said with the $1.1 million per year that the district could receive, it could provide a strong backing for future building and student needs.
Sarah Seeley, currently a pharmacy student finishing up her degree who plans to move back into the district after her college graduation, said she hopes that the board “looks to the future when they make their decision to support this project.”
Before the session began, Himmeger said the board would not address any comments made during the audience participation, as advised by their legal counsel.
In other action during the organizational meeting and regular meeting, the board:
• accepted the retirement resignation of 35-year district employee Susan Ridge, elementary guidance counselor, effective July 31;
• approved one-year contracts for new hires Erin Woodward, educational assistant, effective Jan. 9; and Mark Long, bus driver, effective Jan. 4;
• extended supplemental contracts to: Amanda Davis, head softball; and Charles Stevens, Tracy Gregg, assistant softball;
• approved volunteer coaches Tracy Flora and John Horsely;
• approved the 2024-25 school year calendar, with a similar schedule to recent years, starting the school year after Labor Day and concluding before Memorial Day;
• accepted the following donations: $300 from Honda/Capitol Square Foundation for the purpose of the Elementary Statehouse Tour for the 2022-2023 school year; $400 from Harper Community Church and $20 from Bob & Teresa Beebe, both for the purpose of school lunches; $50 from Bellefontaine High School Athletic Department in memory of Brad Jones;
• set board member pay at $125 per meeting for a max of 24 meetings per year;
• established a service fund the amount of $5,000;
• approved a list of standing authorizations to allow for efficient financial management and full execution of duties by the treasurer, president and superintendent;
• approved a motion to retain the law firm of Scott Scriven LLP of Columbus; and approved a motion to appoint Attorney John Podgurski as the Board’s designee; and
• designated the Bellefontaine Examiner as the district’s official newspaper and WPKO Radio also as an official media outlet.
Members established the time for regular board meetings during 2023 as 6 p.m. on the third Monday of each month in the Benjamin Logan Central Office, with the following exceptions noted: the next meeting Feb. 27, along with June 26 and Nov. 27.