Crestview reorganizes; hears bond plan

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

CONVOY — The Crestview Local Board of Education organized during its first regularly scheduled meeting of the year on Wednesday.

John Auld was re-elected board president, while Lori Bittner was chosen as board vice president during the organizational meeting. Meetings will be held on the fourth Monday of the month, starting at 6 p.m., in the district boardroom. Because of scheduling conflict, though, the February meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, February 12.

Also during the meeting, the board appointed former board member Lonnie Nedderman as the board’s representative on the Vantage Career Center Board of Education. A recent change in state law allows a non-board member who has the required experience to serve on a vocational school board.

The board also heard a presentation from financial consultant Michael Burns of Robert W. Baird & Company on a bond refunding program for the district’s 2008 facility project bonds. Burns, who had made a similar presentation in 2015, said refunding is especially attractive now with a significant upgrade in Crestview’s bond rating, which he said has improved significantly since the bonds were originally issued. The upgrade would allow the district to obtain a better interest rate on the bonds.

“This is really impressive; your school district has come a really far way since 2008,” Burns said, noting that the district’s bond rating is now AA3, an improvement of three notches from what it was in 2008. “That’s kind of unheard of.”

Burns urged the board to consider refunding the bond issue, noting that waiting could cost the board, since interest rates are projected to increase in the near future.

Also Wednesday, the board approved the purchase of a new 84-passenger school bus from Cardinal Bus Sales and Service, at a cost of $85,200 with a trade-in, as well as approved Woolace Electric Corporation as the electrical contractor for the district’s lighting retrofit.

Elementary Principal Kathy Mollenkopf talked briefly about the off-site Bible classes offered by the district, noting that 91 percent of elementary students attend the classes.

“That’s a huge percentage, I think,” she added.

Middle School Principal Dave Bowen talked about school spelling bee winners, who will go on to compete in the county spelling bee on February 5. Overall winner was sixth-grader Kayla Myers.

In his role as athletic director, Bowen also talked about preliminary discussion on the possible addition of an athletic training facility in the district. Bowen said the idea came from former NFL player Kory Lichtensteiger, who recently moved back to the district after retiring from the Washington Redskins.

High School Principal Mike Biro talked about future changes in the state graduation requirements, as well as the College Credit Plus program and a district Alumni Day where recent graduates returned to talk about college and after-school careers.

Superintendent Mike Estes noted that two new boilers have been installed at the school and also provided an update on school calamity days, noting that the district has 25 hours remaining for weather-related cancellations or delays.

Estes also gave a brief update on changes to the upcoming facility improvement project.

In other action, the board:

• Approved membership in the Ohio School Boards Association.
• Approved the first reading of a number of district policies, bylaws, and administrative guidelines as presented.
• Accepted, with thanks, the following donations: $11,068 from the Mary E. Marxen Scholarship Fund for the music curriculum, and $11,253 from the Norman L. Marxen Scholarship Fund for the district science curriculum. Dr. Marxen was a local surgeon who died in an airplane crash in the 1980s, while Mrs. Marxen was very much involved in local music and theatre groups.
• Authorized the following overnight trips: FFA members to a State Leadership Day in Zanesfield with advisor Ericka Priest on January 11; FFA members for leadership training at the Ohio State University Ag Camps with Priest on February 9; FFA members to attend a State Spring Career Development event in Columbus on March 24; FFA members to the State Convention in Columbus on May 3-4; Ragen Harting to the Eastern Relays track meet with Coach Randy Grandstaff on April 21.
• Approved an agreement with Western Buckeye Educational Service Center in connection with the creation of a regional Business Advisory Council.
• Approved the issuance of $4.405 million in school improvement refunding bonds.