Pupils help boost Wapak’s river project

Lima News, 4/21/06

 

Bright blue skies, a slight warm breeze and the sound of gently trickling water greeted a small group of area youths at Harmon Park along the north bank of the Auglaize River on Thursday.

 

Pupils at Wapakoneta Middle School across Harrison Street from the park ventured to the park to play a role assisting the city in the planting a test plot of vegetation for a beautification and river enhancement project. The project was spearheaded by Councilor Rachel Barber and the City Council’s Parks and Recreation Committee, which Barber chairs.

 

View entire article here:

http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=24895

Auglaize County closing in on completion of court facility in St. Marys

Lima News, 7/2/06

 

The process to return the Auglaize County Municipal Court to a permanent location in St. Marys is in the homestretch, the county administrator said last week.

 

Construction and renovation work at the building at 114 N. Main Street, including the installation of furniture, is complete, Administrator Joe Lenhart said.

From the 7/26/06 Lima News:

 

PHOTO: Wooden beams from a former tavern and residence built in Minster in 1836 sit in front of what remains of the structure along North Main Street. Historian Dave Hemmert, of Botkins, is disassembling the historic structure in an effort to preserve the building in hopes it will one day be rebuilt.

 

Demolition under way for historic former tavern that dates to early days in Minster

By BOB BLAKE

07/26/2006

[email protected]

 

MINSTER — A former tavern and residence that was built by German immigrants around the time Minster was founded as Stallostown in the mid-1830s is coming down piece-by-piece along North Main Street.  The structure, known as the Schaffer house for the family that lived in the house from the mid-1860s through the early 1980s, is being carefully deconstructed in the hopes that one day the historic structure will find a new home and rise again, Botkins historian Dave Hemmert, who is working on the project, said.

 

“The house sits on the highest point along the oldest road (state Route 66) in northwest Ohio.  It was an old Indian trail,” Hemmert said.  “This building was built using German fachwerke or compartment technique,” Hemmert said.  Hemmert, who has taken down other similar buildings in the past, said he took on the project because he enjoys history, architecture and wants to preserve the building so it can be reassembled when the time comes.  He is taking meticulous notes and documented each piece and identifying it in case the chance to restore it elsewhere arises.

 

“It’s a shame it had to come down. But the cost to restore it where it stands was just too much,” Hemmert said.  “The bottom line is there’s no foundation. Rather than just destroy it I said I’ll take it down, record everything, store the beams and someday hopefully it’ll go back up.”

 

MORE: http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=27986

The structure’s age isn’t its lone significance, however, Hemmert said.

   

“This building was built using German fachwerke or compartment technique,” Hemmert said. “What’s outstanding about it is not that it’s the first house or tavern in Minster but this medieval construction. It was built during the tail end of the era here and in Europe. It’s made the same way houses were made back in medieval Europe in the 1400s and 1500s. That’s what they knew.”

 

That would be pretty unusual in North America.  I wonder if there are other fachwerke houses in that area, given the heavy German settlment.  Driving round there I didn't see any obvious examples, but there is sort of an unusual rural vernacular of brick cottages in the rural areas and even in Minster itself.

 

In central Germany fachwerke framing is usually filled with a sort of wattle and daub filling, with whitewash/plaster on the outside.  In northern Germany the infill is in brick. There are also regional variations in framing technique, as well as decorative plastering and woodworking examples.

 

A lot of the German fachwerke was plastered over during the 1930s, 40s, & 50s.  With the rise in interest in historic preservation (same as here in the USA) in the 1970s, this stucco finish was taken off and the half-timbering was restored, returing the old medieval/rennaissance appearance to houses, barns, and old inns and commercial buildings.  Some of the before and after pix of villages and towns, after restoration, is pretty suprising.

 

The house sits on the highest point along the oldest road (state Route 66) in northwest Ohio. It was an old Indian trail, Hemmert said. Theres no record of it but this was apparently the first tavern in Ohio.

What a shame, it really should be saved in-place.  I am really tempted to take a trip to see this.  Thanks for posting.

Here's an article about the niece and nephew of the former owner making a final visit to the house and sharing some of their memories of the home.....

http://www.dailystandard.com/date/2006/05/26/news/headline2.htm

From the 9/27/06 Lima News:

 

Taxiway project wraps up busy two-year stretch for Neil Armstrong Airport

BY BOB BLAKE - Sep. 27, 2006

 

NEW KNOXVILLE A multifaceted, multiyear project designed to improve and enhance the Auglaize County Neil Armstrong Airport just outside New Knoxville is drawing to a close with airport and county officials inspecting the progress on Tuesday.   

 

The two-year, $2.5 million project included a 500-foot runway extension, runway and taxiway lighting upgrades, drainage improvements and general repaving and strengthening of the runway and taxiways at the airport, said Gene Will, who serves on the Neil Armstrong Airport Authority.   

 

As work has progressed throughout the course of the various projects, financed largely through state and federal grants with some local matching dollars, additional improvements have been made as well, Steve Potoczak, vice president of Whitworth-Borta & Co., the Rocky River engineering firm hired by the airport authority.

 

MORE: http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=30316

Bridge project may be delayed

Wapakoneta Daily News, 9/28/06

 

Both the time line and costs to replace the Harrison Street bridge are changing, a county official says, but perhaps not before he will have to post a load limit on the bridge.  Auglaize County Engineer Doug Reinhart told the county commissioners rising construction cost estimates to replace the Harrison Street bridge and similar projects across the state may delay the acceptance of bids for the project from the middle of 2008 to a later date.

 

Wapakoneta City administrators and engineers are trying to coordinate street reconstruction work to coincide with the county’s bridge replacement project.  County engineer offices throughout Ohio are responsible for all bridges within the county they serve.

 

Reinhart estimates replacing the bridge could cost $1.2 million, approximately $400,000 more than earlier estimates of $800,000. The county engineer attributed the rise in construction costs to increased steel, asphalt and concrete prices. He also projected inflationary rates in construction materials between now and 2008.

 

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School building proposal solidifying

Wapakoneta Daily News, 9/28/06

 

Plans for the new Waynesfield-Goshen Schools building is nearly set in stone.  While estimated construction of $19 million project will commence near the end of March, architects say, Waynesfield-Goshen School Board members are coming down to the final opportunity to make desired changes to the architectural plans for the new school building.

 

It's exciting to see something that will have lasting effects on the students of Waynesfield-Goshen Schools for many, many generations, Superintendent Earnie Jones said. “Right now, things appear to be right on line.”

 

As the developmental phase of the project comes to an end, board members met twice in the past week with representatives from the Garmann-Miller Architects and Engineers firm of Minster to receive updates as details are finalized to answer any remaining questions.  The next phase begins in December, when plans become more finite and the construction designs are actually in board members’ hands after that, changes require change orders and will cost more money, Jones said.

 

From the 10/4/06 Lima News:

 

Multimillion-dollar expansion project remains despite fire at AAP St. Marys Corp.

BY BOB BLAKE - Oct. 4, 2006

 

ST. MARYS A fire sparked by aluminum dust at AAP St. Marys Corp. on Saturday morning will have no impact on a two-phase, $23 million expansion project at the aluminum wheel production facility in St. Marys, a company official said.

 

In fact, plans remain on track for the expansion, with Auglaize County commissioners on Tuesday signing off on a 75 percent, 10-year tax abatement for the project. Members of St. Marys City Council approved the abatement last week.

 

"Fortunately, were up and running. The plant is back to normal operations," said Dan Hosek, manager of associate relations at the company.  Hosek said damage was contained to less than 10 percent of the structure and because two of the three power supply lines that serve the plant remained intact some operations resumed on Saturday after the fire had been extinguished.

 

MORE: http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=30564

From the 10/6/06 Lima News:

 

Down with the old, in with the new

BY BOB BLAKE - Oct. 6, 2006

 

ST. MARYS — Brick by brick, pieces of the city’s history have steadily been coming down during the last couple of weeks.  Where the eastern and central sections of the Cotton Mill buildings once stood along High Street and the Glass Block building stood along Spring Street there now exists a void, piles of debris being systematically hauled away.

 

St. Marys City Council approved the measure earlier this summer after the Cotton Mill buildings stood vacant for more than a dozen years.  The Glass Block building had stood vacant since a November 2004 fire gutted the roof and third floor of the structure.

 

"That’s been something that’s been coming for quite some time. We’ve wanted to clean that up for some time," Mayor Greg Freewalt said. "We have heard there is some interest in trying to put a nice building in there shortly. We’ve heard different people express interest. We’d like to see our community improvement corporation market it to see if we can make something happen."

 

MORE: http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=30736

 

Schools dream of housing

Wapakoneta Daily News, 10/14/06

 

Construction of a new school may be a couple years into the future for Wapakoneta City Schools, but district administrations are starting to piece together a more definitive plan now.  Superintendent Keith Horner said the district is moving closer to being funded by the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission (OSFC) for new school construction.  In late September, OSFC members called an outreach meeting with the district. 

 

Created in 1997, the OSFC provides funding, management oversight and technical assistance to Ohio school districts for construction and renovation of school facilities to “create an appropriate learning environment for Ohio’s school children,” according to its Web site.

 

Each year, schools are ranked by the commission to determine where they fall in line to get funding.  The rankings fluctuate year to year, but the Wapakoneta school district has progressively been moving up the list.  This year, district administrators are set to begin initial meetings with state officials since the district moved to No. 231 on the list of 600 schools in Ohio.

 

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Wapak council approves rezoning for new medical office

Lima News, 10/17/06

 

A new medical office at the corner of state Route 198 and Redskin Trail was given the go-ahead to proceed Monday after Wapakoneta City Council approved the rezoning of the parcel. 

 

The new Wapakoneta Medical Center, which will be a relocation of an existing medical office operated by Grand Lake Health System in the city, will provide residents greater accessibility to health care and provide the medical center with enhanced visibility, Art Swain, vice president for support services, said.  "We just want to update, upgrade and continue our services in the community," Swain said.  "Initially, it’ll be about 10,000 square feet. It’ll be very attractive to the surrounding community. I think it’ll be very well received."

 

Council voted unanimously to accept a city planning commission recommendation and rezone the 8.35 acre parcel from single-family residential to general business.

 

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Zone sparks debate

Wapakoneta Daily News, 10/18/06

 

An area health care provider received the necessary rezoning to build a medical office in Wapakoneta, while a resident of nearby Lincoln Park Estates voiced objections about the rezoning process itself. 

 

Grand Lake Health Systems, the parent company of Joint Township District Memorial Hospital (JTDMH) of St. Marys, can begin building a 10,000-square-foot facility today near the intersection of Ohio 198 and Redskin Trail after Wapakoneta City Council members Monday held a public hearing and later approved rezoning of 8.35 acres of land to general business from single-family residential.

 

“We are excited about the opportunity to continue to provide health care services to the community,” Art Swain, vice president of human resources and support services for JTDMH, said after Monday’s Wapakoneta City Council meeting. “This will give us a chance for more visibility and more presence in the community as we work to give top quality health care services to the community.”

 

During the meeting, Swink thanked councilors for approving the rezoning and passing the rezoning as an emergency so work on constructing the facility could begin immediately.  He said Grand Lake Health Systems officials would like to see the facility open in the spring or early summer of 2007.

St. Marys mulls new school building

Lima News, 11/1/06

 

Eighty-one percent of respondents at a series of community sessions earlier this month said they believed the Memorial High School building would be able to function less than five years as an effective school, survey results presented to the St. Marys school board showed.

 

Another 75 percent said McBroom Junior High School would last less than 10 years.  School board members involved in a process to determine whether to participate in an Ohio School Facilities Commission building project in 2007 if funds are available gathered Tuesday to assess the survey results.

 

School officials have said the district could be called as early as March or May of next year about participating in an OSFC project to either renovate facilities or build new structures.  The community sessions the board hosted earlier this month as well as Tuesday’s board work session are designed to seek, gather and analyze community desires for how the board should proceed.

From the 11/14/06 Lima News:

 

Council approves CIC to handle sale of land at former Glass Block property in St. Marys

BY BOB BLAKE - Nov. 14, 2006

 

ST. MARYS — The bricks of the former Glass Block building are slowly disappearing from its former site along Spring Street and with cleanup entering its final weeks, St. Marys City Council on Monday approved a plan to market the site.

 

Councilors approved legislation to have the city’s Community Improvement Corp. serve as the city’s real estate agent for the sale of the city-owned property.  Monday’s approval represents the latest in a series of developments this year for the property.

 

Legislation to demolish the Glass Block building along Spring Street and the eastern and central sections of the Cotton Mill buildings along High Street was passed earlier this summer.  The Cotton Mill buildings stood vacant for more than a dozen years and the Glass Block building was vacant since a November 2004 fire damaged the roof and third floor of the structure.

 

MORE: http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=32163

 

From the 11/17/06 Lima News:

 

Commissioners OK abatement for Safeway move

BY BOB BLAKE - Nov. 17, 2006

 

WAPAKONETA — Construction of a 260,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in New Bremen’s Bunker Hill Industrial Park could begin before the end of the month after Auglaize County commissioners approved an incentive package.

 

Safeway Packaging Inc., which has been in Minster since 1986, is bursting at the seams in its current 70,000-square-foot facility, New Bremen village Administrator Wayne York said.  Commissioners’ approval was the final hurdle for the company in receiving the 90 percent abatement on personal and real property taxes for 10 years.  Village Council and the New Bremen school board previously signed off on the project.

 

Talks have been ongoing since March when the company inquired about land at the industrial park.  The $10.5 million project will include consolidating the Minster manufacturing facility and a Sidney warehouse under one roof, the new building as well as machinery, new inventory and fixtures.

 

Commissioners said they were glad to be able to keep the company in Auglaize County.  "It’s good to see expansion in the county," Chairman Hugh Core said.  "There is room for new people to have a job here. It looks like 25 new jobs are being created, and that’s always good."

 

MORE: http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=32250

School officials weigh new buildings

Lima News, 11/29/06

 

Public perceptions are shifting about what direction officials with the St. Marys schools should take if the school board opts to participate in a cost-sharing facilities project with the state, results of a poll indicate.  School officials have attempted to gauge public sentiment on the district’s possible involvement in an Ohio School Facilities Commission project during a series of community input sessions this fall.  During a series of sessions in September and October, 71 percent of respondents said they favored separate junior and senior high school buildings.

 

Presented with additional information about the increased costs associated with building separate buildings, 80 percent of the more than 80 people in attendance at a community forum on Tuesday supported a combined facility.  "I was really surprised when given the additional information they favored a combined facility. That really switched over," Superintendent Ken Baker said.  "I think when people saw how much money it could save and the increased prevalence of other buildings around us that are either kindergarten through 12th grade or sixth- through 12th grades they felt more comfortable with it."

 

School officials have been moving forward with the sessions with assistance from district-hired consultants Fanning/Howey in order to be prepared if the state tells school leaders in March or May that funds are available to help finance school facilities projects in the district.  Baker said the school board has made no decision to move forward with any project and proceeding with no project even if state funds are available remains an option for board members.

 

MORE: http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=32621

From the 12/27/06 Celina Daily Standard:

 

PHOTO

 

Lock 13 secrets uncovered

Structure in St. Marys is unique in the Miami & Erie Canal system

 

ST. MARYS - Uncovering Canal Lock 13 recently in downtown St. Marys answered questions about this unique old lock within the 245-mile Miami & Erie Canal system.

 

Steve Dorsten, canal operations manager with Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water, told The Daily Standard this morning the lock had been buried under a section of the former St. Marys Woolen Mill (more recently the Cotton Mill) for more than 60 years.  "Back then (woolen mill officials) simply built over the canal and used the water as a cistern to wash blankets and mix dyes," Dorsten said.

 

The adjacent Glass Block building was demolished and the site excavated when the city of St. Marys acquired the fire-damaged building, which had been condemned by the state fire marshal.  "Reopening Lock 13 during the demolition and excavation was a tremendous feat.  You can see where the original structure was timbered and then replaced with concrete," Dorsten said, adding he wasn't tremendously surprised that the old lock is in such good condition because he had been down in the lock's main chamber several years ago.

 

MORE: http://www.dailystandard.com/archive/story_single.php?rec_id=1734

 

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Board updated on school plan

St. Mary's Evening Leader, 12/14/06

 

It was a double whammy for the St. Marys Board of Education Wednesday night.  In addition to their regular board meeting, members also heard from their architectural firm, Fanning and Howey, regarding the school's potential building project.  Fanning and Howey updated board members on the community forums. 

 

The board has been presented with an overview of community responses but Steve Wilczynski from the firm promised a more detailed analysis of the demographics involved.  And while there were no answers, Wilczynski gave board members a list of questions that were asked during the forums. 

 

The background for all this of course, is that the district's number is almost up with the Ohio School Facilities Commission, meaning there may be funding from the state in the works to possibly build a new school or renovate.

 

St. Marys School Superintendent Ken baker said a facility planning committee (FPC) of 45 community members is in place to make suggestions and offer preferences to the board about the building projects.  He also noted the FPC is composed of community members that have a broad spectrum of experience and will bring a lot to the FPC in the decision making process.

 

School building moving forward

Wapakoneta Daily News, 2/22/07

 

After opening bids for construction on the planned school building Wednesday afternoon, the district’s superintendent says the Waynesfield-Goshen Local School District project should come within the estimated $19.3 million budgeted for the project.  “I think things went real well. There were very little surprises,” Superintendent Earnie Jones said in a telephone interview Wednesday. “We’re within the dollars allotted.”  All the bids came in at $15.11 million total, 1 percent over the $14.97 million construction budget.

 

Of the seven categories, Jones said the only surprise came in the preliminary bids for the geothermal wells. “That surprised everyone who was in the room, to be honest,” Jones said. “That was higher than expected but the turnaround in savings — it’s going to take about seven or eight years — they’ll have paid for themselves.”

 

Jones said school officials and representatives from Garmann/Miller Architects & Engineers of Minster, who designed the planned building, were surprised at the turnout of contractors who wished to bid for the geothermal wells.

 

MORE: http://www.wapakdailynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2911&Itemid=27

Shedding new light on an old structure

Wapakoneta Daily News, 3/1/07

 

A Columbus architect says he is encouraged by the condition of the Wapakoneta Fire House, and he is excited by the efforts of a local group working to restore the gazebo and clock structure to the top of the tower.

 

Restoring the gazebo and clock to the top of the tower at the Wapakoneta Fire House, built in 1885, is a project toward which members of the city’s 175th Anniversary Commission are working.  The group contacted several architectural firms including Clyde Henry of Triad of Columbus to provide an analysis and estimates to replace the gazebo.

 

Henry spent approximately an hour evaluating the structure on the inside and from the outside. He said he will discuss his formal recommendation with commission members at a future meeting.  “From my evaluation, it is in good shape, but if they plan to proceed they should have a structural engineer do calculations on the building.  “I don’t see anything that would indicate it is not in really good shape,” he added.  “This is a beautiful building.”

 

Wapakoneta 4th Ward Councilor Rachel Barber assembled the group as advised by members of the city council’s Communications and Rules Committee.  An engineer’s estimate for the project is $50,000.

St. Marys considers new schools plans

Lima News, 3/1/07

 

The timeline for making a decision about a potential cost-sharing facilities project has changed for St. Marys schools, the superintendent said Wednesday.  Community and school leaders have been meeting for several months with architects from Fanning/Howey to determine whether the district will participate in a school facilities project if funded this year.  The Ohio School Facilities Commission, which helps direct state dollars toward local school building initiatives, had been expected to make two announcements of schools receiving funds this year — sometime this month and in May.

 

“The Ohio School Facilities Commission has been notifying schools in March. However, they have notified us that they will be doing no March notification,” Superintendent Ken Baker said.  “Any school that is going to be funded will be told in May and will have two weeks to accept, decline or defer the program.”

 

School leaders initiated the strategy sessions and sought public input early in order to be ready to have all the information the school board would need to make a decision about whether the district would participate.  A community panel is studying options for building a new junior high and high school facility if that is the course the school board opts to take.

 

Funding in flight

Wapakoneta Daily News, 3/14/07

 

The cost of a proposed new administration building at the Neil Armstrong Airport at New Knoxville could approach $750,000, however, a consultant says much of the project could be funded using federal money.

 

Steve Doseck, a consultant hired by members of the Auglaize County Airport Authority, estimated the project to cost $750,000. Despite a price tag approaching $1 million, Doseck said he expects the project to begin next year. “It’s not an inexpensive project,” Doseck said. “But we are projecting you to use $600,000 in federal entitlement funds over a four-year period.”

 

In addition to the federal funds, Doseck said members of the Auglaize County Airport Authority would be required to provide a local match of approximately $150,000 over the same four-year period. Doseck said given the prudent planning in the past, authority members should have no trouble obtaining the funding.

 

Doseck also praised Airport Authority members for the recent upgrades to the airport’s runway and taxiway. Such projects illustrate the dedication of everyone involved in the airport, Doseck said.

 

Hospital breaks ground on new home for medical office

Lima News, 3/17/07

 

An empty field today, a new medical office tomorrow.  That’s the vision health and community officials had Friday for a patch of ground at the corner of state Route 198 and Redskin Trail in Wapakoneta.  By the end of the summer, officials with Grand Lake Health System said they hope to have Wapakoneta Medical Center into its new home.

 

The new location which officials broke ground on Friday represents a $1.5 million investment and will result in a new 10,000-square-foot medical office that will be primarily used for the internal medicine and geriatric practice of V.K. Chalasani with the potential to add new services and practices in the future, officials said.

 

Included in the new facility will be two medical suites — one with five exam rooms; the other with four — along with radiology and imaging areas and a laboratory space.  The location also makes the facility more visible than its current location at 711 Gibbs Ave.

Four school plans outlined

Wapakoneta Daily News, 3/27/07

 

Members of the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission (OSFC) recommended three plans for construction and renovation of Wapakoneta City Schools.  Superintendent Keith Horner said administrators are considering at least one additional plan, one they hope is approved by the commission established in 1997 to administer state funding for construction and renovation of Ohio schools.

 

To receive state funding, any plan the district adopts must first be approved by OSFC members.  The district could be up for funding this spring, but most likely would fall in line for funding next spring.  Three plans already approved by OSFC members for the Wapakoneta City Schools District are plans titled red, white and blue.       

 

The red plan includes four buildings, with eighth- through 12th-grade students at the high school, fifth- through seventh-grade at the middle school, and two kindergarten through fourth-grade elementary school buildings — one school with 800 students and the other with a minimum of 350 students.

From the 3/21/07 St. Mary's Evening Leader:

 

St. Mary's Evening Leader: City eyes next target (2/12/07)

 

Big plans for cotton mill site     

By KAY LOUTH

Staff Writer

 

ST. MARYS From old and abandoned to new and shining, the old Cotton Mill building on High Street may become a major piece of the new heart of downtown.  Under the auspices of the Community Improvement Corporation, the city of St. Marys released its proposal for the building and surroundings Tuesday at the organizations annual meeting at the Eagles.  There are obvious changes in the landscape around the building.

 

Half or more of the original building has been demolished, Lock 13, a significant piece of canal history, has been uncovered and the old parking garage at the tax office is gone.  Already a bank has announced it is building a bright, shining new building next to lock and the city has plans to turn the lock into a sweet little park a retreat in the heart of the city.  Its creation will eventually complete a connection that starts at K.C. Geiger Park to Memorial Park to north side of the city.  In addition, the High Street bridge will be replaced in 2010 or 2011 and the old cotton mill power plant is tapped for demolition making room for a parking lot.

 

MORE: http://www.theeveningleader.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4021

 

plans to turn the lock into a sweet little park

 

Since when do we use the word 'sweet' in the newspaper?

^ I'm guessing the writer is paraphrasing someone she heard in the meeting (though she doesn't mention anyone), but, yeah, it looks weird in there.

 

Fourth school plan approved

Wapakoneta Daily News, 4/16/07

 

The Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) approved a fourth possible plan for future building projects for Wapakoneta City Schools.  The "green" plan calls for renovating and adding on to the high school, which would accommodate about 1,310 students in seventh- through 12th-grades, including a special junior high section.  Also included in the plan would be the renovation and expansion of an intermediate school with about 750 students in fourth- through sixth-grade, and two new elementaries - one with 550 students and another with 350 students - for kindergarten through fourth-grades.

 

"The plan limits the size of the elementary building and provides room for growth," Wapakoneta City Schools

Superintendent Keith Horner said, "yet still reduces by one the number of buildings we have now, and it still provides for a building in Cridersville." Horner said there is potential growth in the district's second largest community, and he does not want to economically depress one of the district's communities, which in turn could impact the district's bottom line as well.

 

"My goal is to get through this process without splitting the district apart," Horner said.  "There are advantages and disadvantages to all the plans.  "This just provides another option for people to discuss," he added. "We don't want to get so many plans that it gets confusing, but we don't want to be limited either. This is just an option for a different scenario."

 

No decision yet on new schools for St. Marys

Lima News, 4/24/07

 

The call from the state could come at any time. School and community leaders want to be ready.  A community committee is closing in on a recommendation on whether St. Marys schools should pursue a school facilities project if state funds are available this year.

 

On Monday, the group charged with making that recommendation presented one possible scenario — close Memorial High School and McBroom Junior High and build a new combined junior and senior high school.  Bill Kellermeyer, co-chair of the facilities planning committee, urged continued feedback on the plan saying no final recommendation has been made.  The school board also has made no decision about whether to participate even if funds are available. 

 

The committee’s preferred plan would cost nearly $46 million with the state’s 61 percent contribution topping $28 million.  The total project cost with locally funded add-on’s could run as high as $54 million with the St. Marys community responsible for as much as $26 million.

 

MORE: http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=37710

 

Board readies plan for bid

St. Mary's Evening Leader, 4/30/07

 

New Knoxville Schools has moved into the bidding phase of the construction project as the board of education met in special session Monday, approving a resolution that approves the construction specifications that will be advertised for bidders.  The construction documents include an updated estimate of construction costs for the project as required by the Ohio School Facilities Commission.  It also contains a separate analysis of locally funded initiative items included in the project.

 

Bids will be opened on May 30. Construction is scheduled to begin on June 22.  In related business, on April 26, the school received two bids for the removal of asbestos and other hazardous material. 

 

Two bidders, Quality Environment Services of Fowlerville, Mich. bid a base bid of $28,430.  Midwest Environmental Control, Inc., of Toledo submitted a base bid of $18,800.  The school's abatement consultant, Brumbaugh-Herrick, Inc. of Toledo, reviewed the bids and after determining all the specifications were met, recommended Midwest Environment Controls for the abatement project.

 

St. Marys schools get funding

St. Mary's Evening Leader, 5/4/07

 

It’s no longer a waiting game for St. Marys School District on the question of school funding.  Thursday, the Ohio School Facilities Commission released the names of 39 school districts in line for funding this year and St. Marys Schools made the list.  Wapakoneta City Schools was also notified that it received funding as well.

 

Being very excited about the news, Superintendent Ken Baker’s first act when he got back to the office Thursday evening was to notify the board, the facilities planning committee and the staff via email that the OSFC had extended an invitation to accept funding.  And while he can’t speak for any board member, he says he thinks the board is leaning toward saying yes to OSFC’s invitation, which requires the board to accept, reject or defer their offer by June 15.

 

It is Baker’s understanding that Wapakoneta is planning on deferring, but Baker hopes St. Marys doesn’t defer because there’s been a lot of time invested in the process already and a lot of community opinion solicited to help the board make an informed decision.  After receiving local approval, the OSFC will formally review the facility plans and projected budget in July, and the State Controlling Board will be asked for approval during August.

 

MORE: http://www.theeveningleader.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5781&Itemid=27

St. Mary's Schools: No land deals in sight

St. Mary's Evening Leader, 5/8/07

 

No one at the St. Marys School District has looked at any land or put an option on any land, but the facilities planning committee does have a solid plan  and a list of locally funded initiatives to recommend to the board of education Wednesday night.  Last Thursday, the school got word from the Ohio School Facilities Commission that they would receive state money for a new school.

 

Monday night the FPC met for the last time to work out the final details of their recommendations to the board on Wednesday.  The school has one fiscal year, starting in July, to garner local support, which requires the community to fund 39 percent of the building project while the OSFC funds 61 percent.  The issue will be put before the public via a levy on the ballot in November.

 

The building plan that the FPC adopted includes the decommission of both McBroom and Memorial, renovation of East, renovation of and addition to West and renovation to and addition to Dennings and build a new high/middle school complex for grades 6 to 12. Basic cost: state share: $28.02 million; local share: $17.91 million; total $45.93 million, which includes demolition costs for the old buildings. But there’s more to building a new complex than the basic box, there are also items that will have to be funded with local dollars—the local funding initiatives.

School officials mulling whether to pursue building project in Wapakoneta

Lima News, 5/12/07

 

They got the call that state monies will be available this year.  Now all school officials in Wapakoneta need to determine is what to do about that.  School leaders took the first step Thursday night.  A week after learning the district is on the Ohio School Facilities Commission list for 2007, the Wapakoneta school board took the initial step at deciding how to proceed.

 

“My initial plan is to have some more community meetings and get more feedback about what direction we should head in,” Superintendent Keith Horner said. “My inclination is that we will participate. The deferral question is one that we’re wrestling with.”

 

Officials thought it would be at least 2008 before Wapakoneta was offered state funds. The district has held discussions and community meetings on the subject, but those talks were geared toward making a decision a year from now.  “We’re approved to participate. If we should choose to do so the state will pay for 63 percent of the project, without the locally funded initiatives,” Horner said. “We are locked in at that rate. We could choose to defer until next year. The problem with deferring is we would incur some inflationary costs.”

 

Schanz sues city, attorney

St. Mary's Evening Leader, 5/22/07

 

Local real estate developer Kalvin Schanz is suing the city and St. Marys attorney William Huber over the former Glass Block Building.  A copy of the summons on complaint obtained by The Evening Leader states the parties have 28 days to respond. St. Marys Law Director Kraig Noble said Monday that the city will respond well before those 28 days are up.

 

The suit alleges that the city filed suit against Schanz in May, 2006, in order to acquire a court order for the demolition of the former Glass Block Building at 130-134 E. Spring St.  In the course of negotiations between Schanz and the city, the city offered to dismiss the case in exchange for the transfer of the property to the city.  Schanz claims he did not agree to any such transfer or any other agreement resolving the litigation.

 

Schanz claims in the current suit that, although his attorney at the time, William Huber, prepared a deed to transfer the property to the city in contemplation of a possible settlement, he gave specific instructions to Huber not to deliver that deed until Schanz authorized him to do so.  Schanz further claims that Huber delivered the deed to Noble, who recorded the deed on May 16, 2006.  Schanz claims he did not learn of the transfer of the deed until May 17, 2006.

 

Schanz is requesting the court to determine ownership of the property and is seeking not less than $300,000 in damages from Huber.

Midwest Electric breaks new ground

St. Mary's Evening Leader, 5/25/07

 

Midwest Electric is getting a new look, as the cooperative broke ground for a $1.86 million office, garage and warehouse expansion at its headquarters on County Road 33A.  According to Manager/CEO Rick Gerdeman, the focal point of the expansion is the addition of 28,000 square feet of garage and warehouse space.

 

The addition is going onto the garage end of the structure and the current garage will be renovated for additional office space.  The current buildings at Midwest haven't been touched since 1963.  "We've simply outgrown the space," Gerdeman said.  "We have no extra space to house new employees and inadequate space for equipment."

 

He explained that today's line construction and maintenance trucks are much larger and heavier than the equipment the co-op used in the 1960s and 70s.

 

MORE: http://www.theeveningleader.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6611&Itemid=27

From the 5/31/07 St. Mary's Evening Leader:

 

Canal View Estates opens     

By KAY LOUTH

Staff Writer

 

ST. MARYS — Snuggling up to the former Miami and Erie Canal just around the corner from Kroger's on Miami Erie Circle, a new subdivision opened its doors for business Tuesday with a ribbon cutting at the site.

 

According to Cisco Realty's Linda Youmans, the listing agent for the home sites, Canal View Estates is named because it backs up to the canal.  Tuesday's ceremony marked the opening of Phase 1 with 32 home sites available.  Phase 2, with 19 additional home sites, will open when most of the 32 lots in Phase 1 are sold.

 

Carl Youmans of Youmans' Construction and one of the principals in the development, thinks those 32 home sites will move fast.  In fact, he’s counting on it, because he’s planning on building his own home in the subdivision once Phase 1 is concluded.

 

“I don't think the lots are going to last long, he said, explaining there’s only a few lots left in Rolling Hills but he doesn’t know how many are left in West Oaks.

 

MORE: http://www.theeveningleader.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6771&Itemid=27

 

St. Marys pursues school building project

Lima News, 6/14/07

 

The question is no longer if St. Marys schools will pursue a new building project.  Now, it is a question of when.  On Wednesday, the school board accepted the state’s offer to fund more than half the project.

 

School leaders learned last month that funding through the Ohio School Facilities Commission would be available for the district next year.  Wednesday’s decision means the district will pursue a bond issue to fund renovations to East Elementary, renovations and an addition to West Elementary, construction of a new combined junior and senior high school as well as renovations to the Dennings vocational building.

 

“We will now be in communication with our consultants, Fanning/Howey, about the next step of the process," Superintendent Ken Baker said.  “The bottom line is the state money is there if the St. Marys community approves their portion of the project. We will continue to interact and engage with our community throughout this process as we move forward.”

 

The state will pay 61 percent of the nearly $46 million estimated cost of the project.  Locally funded additions to the project could swell the cost as high as $54 million, with the local share as much as $26 million.  The school board has made no decision on locally funded initiatives, so the cost estimates could vary.

 

MORE: http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=39559

Officials moving forward with new building project for Wapakoneta schools

Lima News, June 27, 2007

 

The state money is available.  The school board is a willing recipient.  Now, the work really begins to determine where to build two new elementary schools and when to ask voters to support the project. 

 

The Wapakoneta school board formally accepted the offer from the Ohio School Facilities Commission on Tuesday.  The resolution commits the district to pursuing a plan to build two new elementary buildings, renovate and expand the middle school as well as renovate the high school.

 

As part of the plan, the district will decommission its three existing elementary buildings — Centennial, Cridersville and Northridge.  Where the two new buildings will be located, however, has yet to be decided.  “This board has made no decision on where to put the buildings,” board member Ron Mertz said. 

 

Treasurer Susan Rinehart told the board that when the district put together a master facilities plan in 2001 a building in Cridersville was part of that plan.  Since the master plan was updated last month, however, there has been no decision or discussion on location.

 

MORE: http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=40030

City officials aiming to redevelop former Cotton Mill, Glass Block area in St. Marys

Lima News, July 10, 2007

 

There was silence during a public hearing on rezoning the Cotton Mill area in downtown St. Marys.  City officials are hoping that means everyone is on board with plans to redevelop the area and return the historic canal lock there to prominence.

 

Mayor Greg Freewalt said the request before City Council is to change the zoning from industrial to commercial.  It’s all part of an ongoing redevelopment effort that began with the demolition of the Glass Block building and part of the former Cotton Mill last fall. 

 

“It sat there empty for a number of years. We felt if we cleaned it up it would be more available for people to use,” Freewalt said.  “The building we left is in pretty good shape. We think that can be renovated and put to good use.”

 

First Financial Bank is moving forward with plans to construct a new bank across from its location at the former Glass Block site, Freewalt said.  The rest of the space, if the rezoning is approved by the council, would be opened for office, retail or restaurant space.  The city is pursuing options to develop the area.

 

MORE: http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=40431