By JOHN BADEN
Record Herald Writer
Courtesy of the Record Herald; Printed 10.21.12
WEST MILTON — Milton-Union’s Board of Education unanimously approved a lease agreement Monday night that will allow the municipality of West Milton to use some of the school’s facilities to promote recreational activities.
The leased properties include the parking lot at 112 Spring St. and five tennis courts on Jay Road.
The tennis courts will stay and be used by the community, and the parking lot is planned to be used alongside a public recreational activity park, which may be built there in the next few years, according to municipal manager Matt Kline.
The agreement will only cost the city $1 annually, which treasurer Chuck Klein said is a sign of how the city and school district is helping each other out.
“They’re really saving us money by maintaining the tennis courts and the parking lot, and we’re retaining ownership of the land,” Klein said. “It’s basically a minor compensation to make a legal contract essentially.”
Fund transfers and forecast
The board also approved money transfers out of the general fund and the permanent improvement fund, which includes income tax deposits.
An amount of $200,000 was transferred from the general fund to the termination benefits fund, which gives money toward severance benefits for retiring teachers.
An additional $260,000 was moved from the general fund into the athletic fund, which includes coach’s salaries and benefits.
An amount of $1,680,385 from the permanent improvement fund was placed in the debt service fund, which goes toward making bond interest and principal payments for the new school building.
The Ohio School Facilities Commission paid for 56 percent of the building’s construction cost based on its agreement with the school. On its end of the deal, Milton-Union promised to establish a maintenance fund equivalent to one-half of a mill each year, which amounts to the $92,350 being transferred from the permanent improvement fund to the maintenance fund.
Based on its assumptions, the school district’s financial forecast will show a positive balance of $40,000 on June 30, 2016.
Brick House Café
A resolution was passed to support the expansion of the Brick House Café, which comes a week after the city council passed another resolution of support for the restaurant.
“It’s nice to help somebody in the community that helps us,” vice president Sam Huffman said.
This resolution is another sign that shows the level of cooperation between the district and the city.
“I think it’s great when you have the village and the township working together to grow our community,” Superintendent Dr. Ginny Rammel said.
Area residents will have an opportunity to voice their say in the matter on Nov. 6 when a liquor license for the Brick House will be on the ballot.
Preventative maintenance
The school also will be contracting with Waibel, a preventative maintenance program that will help Milton-Union keep its equipment running.
The program also will provide training for all the school’s staff on how to maintain their equipment and heating.
Costs will include filters and belts, which will add up to about $11,000 a year, according to Klein.
Through Waibel, Milton-Union will have an opportunity to get an energy savings program with an annual baseline cost of about $180,000, and possibly lower.
“If we do that, that would be very good for us and our school budget,” Klein said.
Klein said he expects to sign the contract this week and figures the program will start immediately.
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