Eggerss Stadium information coming soon

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

Van Wert residents and businesses will soon learn more about proposed renovations to Eggerss Stadium and a possible new baseball/softball complex at Van Wert High School.

During Wednesday night’s Board of Education meeting, board member and Athletic Council representative Anthony Adams said a letter and press release with more information will be sent out in the coming days.

“We have current renderings, we have the costs for each of these projects and we are now days away from sending out information to people who have shown the ability and desire to support community projects in the past,” Adams said. “Mr. (Howard) Benson will then follow up and sit down face-to-face with those individuals to ascertain their level of interest in each of these projects.”

“Mr. Benson will then provide the district the best path forward to achieve positive results,” Adams continued. “It is imperative that the path forward for each of these projects be clearly defined prior to the solicitation of any private donations.”

Adams added that stadium renovations and the potential addition of a baseball/softball complex are two independent projects.

“While we’re out speaking to people it just makes sense to talk to them about both of those projects,” Adams said. “Timing in those projects depends on the public’s interest in funding them. It all just depends on the results of these interviews and the feasibility study.”

Board members approved the five-year forecast, which projects deficit spending in 2021 and a negative cash balance by 2024.

“We definitely need to come up with solutions to see if there’s any way we can cut expenses and so forth,” Treasurer Michelle Mawer said.

She also noted that projecting five years out is difficult, because the state will need to pass two biennium budgets before then, which affects money given to the school system.

In other business, the board heard a brief presentation about the Van Wert High School PAWS program from Dean of Students Ben Collins, and board members approved an agreement to use the pool at the YMCA of Van Wert. The board also approved a supplemental contract for Tiffany Werts, middle school basketball cheerleading coach and Selena Witten, high school volunteer assistant basketball cheerleading coach.

A number of donations were accepted with thanks by the board, including $750 from the Van Wert Elementary PTO for the Early Childhood Center; $1,500 from Van Wert Health for the elementary wellness program; $1,000 from Jerry Hoffman for the middle school’s Washington D.C. trip; donations of 176.16 from Pel Industries and $69.48 from Ohiopyle Prints for the high school principal’s account; $550 from Dalton Heppeard for the CEO Program and $1,500 from the Cooper Family Foundation for the Renaissance Program.

The Robotics Club received several donations, including $200 from Christopher Moynihan; $250 from Miller Precision Manufacturing Industries; $500 each from Van Rue Properties, VanCrest Management and Citizens National Bank; $1,000 from First Federal of Van Wert, $2,500 from Alliance Automation and $1,875 from the United Way of Van Wert county for Family and Children First.

Athletic donations included $980 from the Girls’ Soccer Parents; $100 each from Van Wert Federal Savings Bank and HCF for cross country; $25 from Joseph and Nancy Elston for cross country; $3,500 from Van Wert Federal and $3000 from Coca-Cola for the athletic department; $3,500 from The Recking Crew for football and $250 from Schrader Realty for football cheerleading.

The board set the time and date of the 2020 organizational meeting: 5 p.m. Wednesday, January 8.

The next regular meeting of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, December 18, in the First Federal Lecture Hall of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.