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Edison looking to renew its levy

RICHMOND — Officials in the Edison Local School District will be going to the voters this fall in an attempt to to renew an operational levy.

The district took the initial steps to place the issue on the Nov. 6 ballot, as board members approved a resolution of necessity Thursday during the board’s monthly meeting.

The 5.9-mill measure, which was last passed in 2014, would provide $1.2 million annually during a five-year period.

Superintendent Bill Beattie said the funding would assist the district with general operations and would fill that financial gap from the loss of revenue from FirstEnergy Corp.

“The renewal of this levy is key for the district because of the reduction in property taxes from FirstEnergy which cost the district $1.2 million,” Beattie said.

He said Edison already lost $600,000 during the March tax collection and another loss is anticipated in August.

“This renewal levy would replace it,” he added.

Beattie said a levy campaign will get under way in August.

Also on Thursday, the board approved a contract with Brewer-Garrett Co. of Cleveland to replace most of the windows in the high school gymnasium as well as the school addition. Beattie noted this was part of the updates not done during the previous phase of renovations.

Brewer-Garrett is the same design-and-build firm that upgraded the high school last summer.

Beattie said the renovation plan for this summer is to expand to other parts of the building, including the Vo-Ag and band room areas and to make a new band room. In addition, there will be remodeling to the Vo-Ag shop and building an addition for classroom space and a shop area.

Other upgrades include switching the assistant principal’s office on the lower level with the guidance counselor’s office on the second floor and creating a new main entrance with a vestibule for added security. The chemistry lab will undergo remodeling, and a separate project will update the auditorium and additional wing with LED lighting.

Beattie said improvements should be complete around Aug. 17. Financing will come from general funding from the current 5.9-mill operational levy and a 2.1-mill emergency measure passed in 2015.

“Once we are done with this phase, the high school will be totally renovated, and with the passage of the renewal levy in November, our goal is to start renovations at the elementary schools in 2020,” Beattie concluded.

Board members also agreed to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Seamless Summer Option this year. The district received a grant through the Children’s Hunger Alliance of Ohio to provide free meals for those 18 and younger.

The program, which will run from June 4 through Aug. 17, will take place at the high school and provide a hot meal, salad and fruit so kids can stay “full and energized while school is not in session.”

In addition, Edison will provide food to Urban Mission Ministries Inc. in Steubenville for its program sites throughout Jefferson County. During Thursday’s meeting, board members approved a contract with the local organization.

In other matters, the board:

¯ Approved supplemental contracts for Marc Sansone as junior high and high school band director; Bev Sansone and David Schultz, assistant band directors; Dani Carroll, junior high and high school choral director and EHS musical director; Jamie Evans, yearbook, senior class, academic competition adviser, district website coordinator and social media coordinator; Sara Cunningham, Beta Club adviser; Caitlin Schultz Jr. Beta Club adviser; Jessica McCallister, high school student council and freshman and sophomore class adviser; Christina Haught, junior high musical director and fall and winter varsity cheering adviser; Charles Cline, Vo-Ag advisor; JoAnn Stagani, athletic director; Todd Smith, assistant athletic director and varsity track coach; Mark Smyth and Spencer Bendle, assistant football coaches; Jacob Hudson and Melissa Hudson, assistant football, track and weight room volunteers; Kodi Peterson, varsity golf and junior high boys basketball coach; Jordan Tice, varsity girls soccer coach; Kim Judy, assistant girls soccer coach; Andy Lesnansky, varsity boys soccer coach; Mycaela Ensell, varsity volleyball coach; Sara Evans and Renee Silvidi, junior high volleyball coaches; Lynsey Morrison, assistant girls basketball coach; Nate Moses, varsity boys basketball coach; Jeff Stone, varsity girls basketball coach; Jeremy Matics, assistant boys basketball and softball coach; Gretchen Yanssens, varsity swimming coach; Jim Benson, varsity wrestling coach; Melissa Hudson, assistant track coach; Spencer Bendle, varsity softball coach; Michael Collopy, varsity baseball coach; Jim Benson, assistant track coach; Fatima Smuck, preschool director; Miguel Brun, early literacy coordinator; Debbie Bickar, head teacher at Stanton; Tally Pasiuk, head teacher at John Gregg; Wendy Howell, Destination Imagination coordinator; Leah Eft and Samanda Pepperling, guidance counselors; Debbie Bickar, Jennifer Bahen, Monica Potenzini and Jamie Evans, Virtual Learning Academy; and Debbie Bickar, Nicole Fidak, Jennifer Bahen, Monica Potenzini and Jamie Evans, ECAT.

¯ Approved Miguel Brun, Amber Crawford, Nicole Fidak, Emily Henry, Stephanie Stevens, Jordan Tice and Mikayla Tice as summer school teachers.

¯ Approved teacher Donna Tomer as an addition to the certificated substitute list.

¯ Employed Jeremy Matics, Lynsey Morrison, Devyn Carpenter, Cheyenne Matta, Charli McConnell, Tommi McConnell, Savana Marsh and Parry Kryder as summer maintenance/painting help.

¯ Accepted the resignation of teacher Diane Sokol, who will retire June 1.

¯ Approved a one-year contract for Sherry Duggan as a computer teacher at EHS.

¯ Accepted the resignation of teacher Lucas Ramsey.

¯ Agreed to employ teacher Derek Gulling under a one-year contract.

¯ Agreed to employee Megan Evans under a one year contract.

¯ Approved a resolution to continue membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association for the 2018-19 school year.

¯ Entered into an agreement with the Columbiana County ESC to perform occupational therapy services.

¯ Approved a contract with 300m to redesign and develop the district’s website while more pacts were approved with Rock Solid Media to develop the website content for the new design and for communication and marketing services. All three contracts are retroactive to May 1.

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