By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
There was a little good news and a note of caution in Treasurer Ryan Cook’s financial report to the Bucyrus School District’s Board of Education Tuesday night.
Cook started off his report by noting that the month of February ended in the black for the school after $249,000 in delinquent taxes had been paid to the district. Cook then spoke of the Maintenance Fund, which presently has $23,000. Cook noted that the fund typically has $30,000 in order to pay for the upkeep of the school’s buildings
Cook told the board that he would like to take $50,000 out of the General Fund to cover repair work that is needed on the school.
“I think where we stand we are facing an aging infrastructure obviously we have nice newer buildings, but the needs to maintain these aren’t going away,” Cook said. “Things continue to age, costs continue to rise, and so we are in that situation we need to take a look at the capital planning of our facilities.”
While Cook mentioned a possible maintenance and permanent improvement levy in the future, the treasurer said that he wanted to research other possibilities before asking for new money from the community.
“I think at this phase in the ball game Mr. Kimmel, Mr. Grau – our head of maintenance – and myself need to sit down, and begin the process of planning so we can adequately allocate dollars towards those needs,” Cook continued.
Cook explained to the board that he doesn’t want the school to get to the point of having deferred maintenance.
Cook said he had spoken to the director of operations of the Olentangy Local School District, Jeff Gordon, about how the budget is maintained in that school system.
Cook also noted that in the school’s search for an electric supplier that everything is looking like a penny increase per kilowatt hour.
“While this may seem like a small number it could cost the school an extra $20,000 to $25,000,” Cook said.
In Superintendent Kevin Kimmel’s report to the Bucyrus Board of Education, Kimmel noted that he was in the process of submitting the paperwork for the Community Connectors Grant.
Kimmel noted that in order to be eligible for the Community Connector’s Grant it has to be partnered with eight business partners that can be a business, or faith-based organization, as well as implementation in the Leader in Me program.
The state will match the grant 3-to-1 upwards of $850,000. Kimmel said that hopefully the school will hear more news soon on the grant.
Kimmel also noted that the school was working with grant writer Kathy Watters in applying for the Twenty-First Century Grant which could potentially earn the school $400,000.
The Bucyrus Board of Education approved all items on the personnel and certified staff portion of its agenda. Included in the approval were the resignations of educational aides Mariann Zimmerman and Angie Kohler.
The board also approved all business items on their agenda, which included adding $125,000 from the General Fund to the Lunchroom Fund in order to balance the books with Sodexo.
Board members also approved waiving pay-to-play fees, as well as classroom fees, but kept all other athletic fees the same.
Prior to beginning the meeting the board recognized students for positive growth and artwork being displayed at the Central Office. The board also recognized Cindy Wallis of Community Counseling Services for her work in aiding the school with providing more counselors to help students and the U.S. Army Field and Soldiers Chorus for their performance at the Bucyrus High School on Feb. 28.