001We'll call this meeting to order. Um, can you call the role, please? Mrs. Sherwood, yes. Mrs. Clayool, yes. Dr. Beers, here. This meeting is a meeting of the West Local School District, Board of Education, and public for the purpose of conducting the West Local School District's business and is not to be considered a public community meeting. There is no public participation at a special board meeting. We rise for the pledge. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Um Mr. Ansets, you have a presentation for water treatment and our maintenance facility project. Well, it's not necessarily a presentation. It's just kind of talking through the beginning of our stages when it comes
002to our water treatment, our five-year capital plan. Uh Karen and I have been working on with Mark and a whole host of people trying to look at the next five years, next three years, and the money that we need to spend to bring some of these buildings up to date. Part of that is the water treatment maintenance facility that we've been working through uh for a good amount of time, maybe a year into most specifically the last three months. We we've had some very specific information. At this time, what we need to do is we need to go out for an RFQ request for qualifications for a criteria and criteria engineer. And what that's going to do is give us a lot more detail behind some of the estimates and budgetary information that we have.
003And then that'll lead us into another RFQ for a design bill. So we have to RFQ which will probably take about two weeks to get somebody in to re-evaluate all the things that we've talked about, give some more details and specifics towards a smaller version of a water treatment or a little larger scenario. So, we have multiple square footage components that we want to evaluate and uh see how that cost goes. But the first step is just approving if you guys can tonight the RFQ for that criteria engineered so we can start the process officially. Is this a like a new part? Like is I I don't know if I just was not understanding the process. I thought we were ready to go. We're ready to go in getting budgetary numbers, but there's a specific
004process that we have to go through to get people in line to have the details we need to then go into a design build with all the information that we need. And it's kind of a a cross check and a check and balance to what we want to do and making sure that we're getting the most value for the money in in the building that we have. So, the first step is the criteria engineer to look at what we want to have done. We've had some preliminary work but it hasn't been official uh and it hasn't been a part of the process because we really wanted to know where that budgetary number would be. So we had some ideas that we would you know when we look at budgeting you know for that facility. I
005think one of the things Christina because we talked about this in finance is the scope changed a bit when we moved it you know now we have to do more trenching okay more electrical so there's a lot more components so we need somebody to take a hard look at that for us and give us a good I'm not trying to jump in here unnecessarily but I think this this step with the criterion engineer was one that was recommended by legal counsel correct because basically what we have right now are three scenarios um that differ in scope. One of which is for a simple um water treatment plant. The other one combines it with a maintenance building. And what the criterion engineer will do will come in and look at the three scenarios that we have.
006And those have been developed. Scott and Mark have done a great deal of work with this. NY's been involved in it. Karen's been involved in it. I've been involved in it tangentially somewhat, but more in terms of they're informing what's going on. We now have to the board has to decide which of those three scenarios you're going to be looking at. and the criterion engineer is going to be able to help look at those and basically spot check them and see if if they're in line with with current estimates and and and trends in the construction industry. So, it's not a long process, but I think it's a process which protects the board as the board goes into this project because it's not inexpensive, particularly if you're looking at at combining a maintenance building with
007the with the water treatment plant and and they will help put together the bid for the design build. So we'll have that criteria that you have to put to forth to go out to bid for the or the RFQ for the design build and it elongates the process by maybe two weeks. It's not a lengthy addition. Are we okay with the new site for sure now? Like we know like we're good to go there. Yes. This is really just looking at the three options, getting a little more details, flushing that out and having the board decide which it wants. Obviously, there are economies of scale with this, but you'll want to look at the options and determine what's in the best long-term interest of the district and in terms of its expenditures. Okay? And as
008we move forward, I'll continue to update with every amount of detail that I have in that process. So, you'll you'll be well aware of the things that we've been talking about and working through for sure. Okay, cool. So to clarify again tonight you're asking them to approve the an RFQ to go out and get a criteria engineer to start officially start that process so we can move forward. Okay. And you have an estimate of the cost of that? No, we were going to work with legal um on what that looks like at this point in time and I can update you on that. So the steps going forward then is first of all we we'll get this uh criterion engineer in to help develop the scope. Correct. From that we will then have the ability
009to go out and find the design build person company through another RFQ. would be another RFQ to hire a design build person company which may have multiple options even within that design build and then after that it'll come back to the board and both of those require board action and then it'll come back to the board seeking approval for which of the various options the design build came up with that we actually want to proceed. Correct. Is that correct? Correct. So this is a this is a an ongoing process. It's not that we're deciding tonight what is going to get built. It's just a matter of starting the the official process of going down the path so that we have the information that we need so that we can make an informed decision on uh
010on what it is. And you're looking at doing this as a design build as opposed to just doing it all inhouse because the design build, as I recall when we were talking about other construction, it does give us some protection as far as costs are involved as well as it allows you to be working on other things than focusing your time being a general contractor for building this apparatus. Correct. Correct. And and with the design build, you can kind of sandwich all the things that you want. It could be eventually in a turnkey scenario from the well to the equipment all the way up to the building. So I know like our budget kind of blew up for this well like in the beginning we were at what was like a million, right? A million
011eight n and then it like more than doubled, right? Is that part of the like is that already like is that gonna go up again? No. Well, we don't intend that. No. I mean, we've got some really um specific numbers, current numbers. We had we worked with some folks to kind of get some preliminary information that that that does this type of design build. But, you know, from the movement of um where the well was going to be located and then the the water treatment and then even to the point where the EPA has stepped in, there's been a lot of kind of es and flows of adding specific criteria to this project that has kind of elevated some of the cost. Okay. And just to be clear, when she says more than doubled from
012a million, it's more than that. It's more It's like three times three and a half times. We had an estimate about 1.8. It's Yeah, double that. Yeah. So, I know we're over three now. I I remember because that was part of Yeah. our issue back in February. Correct. But I think I think part of that and I wasn't I wasn't a primary participant in that, but I believe that that some of that was because the first quote that was given was the quote for the building itself and they weren't taking in some of the other associated costs like the trenching and some of the things that had to occur with it. You're like asking to build a house and you got plans for a base model but you don't have anything hooked up to it
013or any of the any of the real the real finishes that was for the preliminary building. Correct. Correct. So that's part of the reason for the for the increase in cost and the other was because as we look at the project we do see um in assessing the current status of our maintenance building the wisdom in at least exploring if not moving ahead with construction of a of a newer maintenance building. Um the building over there, if you haven't seen it, would be worth a trip to see because it's it's it's substandard in terms of what one would expect for a school district of this size. So if you do that obviously and you attach a maintenance building and incorporate into the plans, it's more costly. That's the upper number, but it also has economies
014of scale. If you look at the square footage cost, it's significantly less to build both. Because if down the road in five years the board decides they want to build a maintenance building that's a standalone building, it will cost vastly more than it would be for let's say a million dollars now to add it to the to the m to the water treatment plant. And I think we a lot of that was the well was some of the design did not have the EPA input and that has changed some of the design and the size of tanks and what we're doing. So that's been a major component that's been added to the uh the cost. Okay. project. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks, Scott. Thank you, Mark. Financial resolutions. Yes. Resolution 139 to approve the transfer of
015funds from the general fund to the termination benefits fund. This will be for the um employee severance plan that we the board passed last meeting. So move. Second. Um, how many people did we get? Well, it depends tonight and whether you extend that, but right now we have seven teachers and one administrator that were taking the supervisor that were taking advantage of the plan. Okay, so we definitely hit our threshold. We hit our threshold. Fantastic. Okay, any discussion? Call the RO, please. Dr. Beers, yes. Mrs. Clay, yes. Mrs. Sherwood, yes. Okay. Resolution 140 is to approve an administrative appointment for the 2025 2026 school year. I'm asking Dr. Davis if she will do the honors of introducing our newest member of the team. So, we can have a motion first. So moved. Second. Thank you.
016All right. Okay. You You'd think you'd learn by now. I'm so excited. It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to Erica Casor. Uh Erica comes from to us from Solen High School where she is the assistant principal. Um prior to that she was in the Delaware School District where she was also an assistant principal. She was very very appealing to us because of her extensive knowledge of curriculum and instruction best practices and uh just her collaborative leadership style that's very relational um was also a real high point. So, um it is um with high hopes that we introduce her to you. She lives in Kston with three children and her husband. Um and she has tonight who is a speech pathologist by training that Okay. Uh call the role, please. Dr. Beers. Yes. Mrs.
017Clayole. Yes. Mrs. Sherwood. Yes. See, I was I was just giving you two bites at the apple and you didn't you didn't figure it out. Um, I'm just kidding because obviously we interviewed several candidates. My role at this point in time is more advisory because obviously I won't be here. But I will say with unqualified uh enthusiasm that that Erica was head and shoulders above everyone else that we interviewed and you would certainly be my choice. If I were here, I regret that I won't have the opportunity to work with you. Although I am really looking forward to retirement, so I can't I can't say that too. Congratulations. I I appreciate it. I'm really looking forward to it. I thank you for the opportunity and I'm looking forward to just continent. Welcome. Welcome. Congrats. Okay.
018Try to not mess up for the rest of this. Resolution 141 is the sub certified substitute list for the 2024 2025 school year. Second. Any discussion? Call the RO, please. Mrs. Clayool. Yes. Mrs. Sherwood. Yes. Dr. Beers. Yes. Resolution 142 is to approve classified staff appointments for the 2024 2025 school year as listed. So move. Second. Sorry. Any discussion? Call the role, please. Mrs. Sherwood, yes. Dr. Beers, yes. Mrs. Clay, yes. Resolution 143 is to rescend a service contract for the 2024 2025 school year. So moved. Second. Any discussion? Call the role, please. Dr. Beers, yes. Mrs. Clayool, yes. Mrs. Sherwood, yes. Resolution 144 is to approve the first reading of the revised board policies listed. So move. Second. Any discussion? Call the role, please. Mrs. Clayole, yes. Mrs. Sherwood, yes. Dr. Beers, yes. Resolution
019145 is to authorize the superintendent, treasurer, andor the director of instructional technology and operations to request for qualifications to construct a new water well and water treatment maintenance facility. So moved. So this is specifically for the um whatever you were just telling us about the criteria. Yeah, I'm not seeing that in a It's at the very last sentence. Okay, it's the last sentence of the It says beginning with issuing a request for qualifications to obtain. So, it talks about the whole process, but we'll begin with this. Okay. Okay. So, this is just for the last criteria, the criteria architect engineer. Yes. Okay. And we'll come back to you hopefully at the next May 19th we can do the design bill, but I'm not sure timing wise, but Okay. We probably should have specified that in
020the short bulleted version. I'm I missed that. So, okay. All right. We need a second. We have a second. Second. We have a second. We did. Yes. Well, yeah, just now. Whatever. Dr. Bear seconded. Oh, sorry, Bill. I'm just used to ignoring you. Just a tough crowd. I told you I was tired. I'm sorry. You call the role, please. Dr. Beers, yes. Mrs. Clayool, yes. Mrs. Sherwood, yes. Thank you so much. Resolution 146 is to adopt an addendum to the 2024 2025 employee severance plan as discussed earlier. So move. Second. Any discussion? Yes. I think so. We completed the first round or actually the the employee severance plan that ended on April 11th. They had a 7-day revocation period that ended April the 19th. During this time, uh STRS lowered their retirement age from 33
021to 32 years. That has uh allowed some of our staff to seek retirement earlier than what they had expected. So, they have changed, you know, some of the criteria. So that allows them to leave early. So we would like to open it back up for seven days May 7th uh to allow them to seek the same opportunity that our other um employees had at 33 years. So we anticipate three to four um that have shown interest in it so far and we that's kind of what our expectations are. Okay. Any other discussion? Call the sorry I was just thinking so Do we get sort of a um um I'll say a benefit by getting these in this package as opposed to a year from now than coming back with another early retirement program. Yes, the
022early retirement programs we need to have volume for those to to make sense. Uh, so looking at the number in the 32-year category, there's only a small ban of So we would have volume necessary next year. I I would not recommend it. Wouldn't expect it at least. No, I think this was a, you know, a b one bite at the apple. Little nibble, but um we're um we would not I would not recommend that we do this next year. We How How long is the window open now? I mean, we also don't have assurances, do we? How long the window will stay open to reduce the number of years required? We don't know. I mean, I think there was what is it right now? Three years. Is it 20 27 maybe? I think it was
023two and then it was go back up. Two to go back up to 33 and then stair step down and then a stair step back up leaving us right back to full retirement age right when I'm available to retire. That's what's sticking out of my mind right now. But it's it's yes it was one of those who knows you know as the change there are uncertainties with that I think and you know and we again you know it happened like right at the end of this our our opportunity so you know talking with others we decided to in approve this extension call the role please. All right Mrs. Clayool yes Mrs. Sherwood yes Dr. Yes. Thank you. Is it for me? Yes, sir. 148. 147. 147. Let me just I'm not on my game tonight.
024I'll tell you. Resolution 147 is to approve the memor memorandum of understanding between the West Jo local school district, the Ohio Association of Public School Employees. That's Oaksy and it's affiliate and this is for the uniforms and the distribution of uniforms, the laundering of uniforms. So moved. Second. So is is this new? Is this something new or just something that we had talked about in negotiations? Correct Karen? And then it was left out from what I understand. There are two components of this memorandum of understanding. One is the clarification on the sending out and laundering the the maintenance. We talked about mechanics and we didn't have maintenance. So we want to clarify that because that is what's happening and we agreed to it in negotiations. Then the other component is in the food services area
025and in the contract um the food services there we have full-time staff and we have part-time staff and all the staff and and until this year we used a lot of part-time staff. So what had happened is in the contract you had to work two years before you moved up on the steps. And so but our van drivers who work part-time were moving up on the step and our proctors who work part-time were moving up on the steps. So this was kind of a creating an equal playing field for all of them. So and we have a number so what was happening is some of the people that were now full-time at six hours were also having to wait two years. So this is cleaning that up where no one is really being penalized. But
026this doesn't include bus drivers. No. No. That's because we had talked. It's interesting that you raised the topic because right now what we're in the process of doing is giving the bus drivers um some options with regard to WestG attire. All of them who have were hired a few years ago have a coat that can be translated into a vest. You know, they can take out the liner. We also want them to have some shirts. So, we're in the process now of giving them some samples of shirts. Um, I've already talked to the president of OPC about it. I've talked to their field rep. They're all for it. Um, and we're going to have some input from the bus drivers into the types of shirts they'd like. The bus drivers will all be getting five
027shirts and shirts that can be, you know, worn throughout the year. What we're trying to do is give them something that's identifiable so that when people see them on the bus, they know it's a WestG driver. If you go to a if they go to a field trip and they're at a basketball game at another district, people know it's a WestG driver. That's a really great So, it's a safety issue as much as as anything else. And uh we're in the process of putting that together now. So, I was I was going to advise you once we once we act have you act on this would be this there's going to be another similar one coming that relates to the bus drivers. Although, this one harks back to negotiations. This is just trying to make
028our basically make the contract consistent with what we discussed in negotiations. Whereas the other one is new and the bus drivers have not voiced any opposition to it. I think as long as they have a say in what we give them and we don't give them something that they don't like, I think they'll be fine. So they're in the process of uh they'll be in the process of selecting that in the next few weeks, but that would be their own personal that we wouldn't be laundering it. And no, you don't launder those. No. And the coats, the coats are ones that a lot of them already have the coats, but the newer ones don't have them. And they already expressed a a strong preference to retain the coats. They like the coats because they can
029take out the outer coat and have a vest. And so why reinvent the wheel? If they're happy with it, that's fine. But we want them to have some sort of shirt so that in warm weather when they're not wearing a winter coat or a vest is they they are identifiable. Okay. Call the role, please. Mrs. Sherwood. Yes. Dr. Mr. Beers. Yes. Mrs. Clay. Yes. Okay. Um we are going to um adjourn into executive sessions. Be it resolved that the board of education of the West Local School District hereby adjourns to executive session at 5:23 p.m. to consider compensation of public employees. No action will be taken, excuse me, after executive session. We would like to invite uh Dr. Markard, Karen Pendler, and Dr. Bennon Kasa. Can you call the RO please? I need a move.
030Sorry. So move. Second. Call the RO please. Dr. Beers. Yes. Mrs. Clayool. Yes. Mrs. Sherwood. Yes. Thank you. Okay. So, the board is reconvening into regular session at 5:54 p.m. Um, our next board meeting is a regular board meeting Monday, May 19th, 2025 at 7 p.m. here in the board office community room. Do we have a resolution to adjurnn? So move. Second. Okay. Call the role, please. Dr. Beers. Yes. Mrs. Clayool? Yes. Mrs. Sherwood? Yes. Thank you. Thank you so much.