Local News
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Voters topple McComb proposal
Staff Writer
McCOMB — Voters again defeated McComb School District's bond issue that would have paid for renovations and additions to the McComb building in order to relocate Hoytville students there.
Unofficial results from Tuesday's primary showed 537 voting for the issue and 797 against.
In Hancock County, 507 (47 percent) voted for it and 551 (52 percent) against. In Wood County, only 28 (10 percent) voted for it while 246 (90 percent) voted against. Two Putnam County voters were in favor.
The proposal attracted more negative votes this time around. The overall margin of defeat was 687-534 last November, when Hancock County voters favored the bond issue, but not by enough to offset nay votes in Wood County.
The 5.7-mill bond issue would have raised $6.2 million over 28 years to pay for the improvements.
The project would have included the addition of 11 or 12 classrooms, a new science lab, middle school gymnasium, a bus and maintenance garage, and a new air-conditioned community room.
And it would have allowed enough room for the middle school, currently housed in the Hoytville school building in Wood County, to be moved to the expanded McComb building.
Classroom use of the Hoytville building eventually would have been phased out.
Superintendent Michael Lamb said Tuesday night he wasn't surprised at the outcome since the district faced organized opposition in Hoytville.
"Citizens for Better Financial Planning," led by Hoytville Mayor Joe Hagemyer, was well planned and well funded, with plenty of yard signs and a Web site in order to save the school building they love, Lamb said.
"I've got to compliment the opposition," Lamb said.
Lamb said Hagemyer and others ran an excellent campaign, "even if it meant cutting our expenses, our staff, our teachers and so on."
Relocating all students to the McComb building would have saved the district an estimated $200,000 a year in operating and transportation costs.
Lamb said that money must now be saved in other ways. While he's confident the school board will now abandon the bond issue idea, he's not willing to recommend that it go for an additional operating levy.
"I think that would be an even tougher sell because operation expenses go for things like salaries and programming, whereas a bond issue is a bricks and mortar project that people can see the results of," he said.
The district also won't be getting any money from the state soon to renovate or build.
The bond issue failure means cuts are now a certainty, beginning with next school year. Lamb said school board members will most likely look at administrative overhead and transportation costs first, then staffing, programming, supplies and other areas.
"The voters have said they want to keep the Hoytville building over there, so we'll keep it and continue on," Lamb said. "Attrition will be the first step, not replacing folks as they retire. That's a little less painful.
"We'll survive and we'll carry on. This'll just make it a bit more difficult," Lamb said.
Contact staff writer Joy Brown at:
(419) 427-8496
Send an e-mail to Joy Brown
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News Briefs Two area accident victims reported in serious condition
Two people injured in an accident Sunday night in which another person was killed were listed in serious condition Monday night at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo.
Marilyn Emans, 57, of Mount Cory, and Bret Grayson, 35, of Findlay were taken by a Lifeflight helicopter after their vehicles collided at the intersection of Liberty Township 89 and Hancock County 128.
Grayson failed to yield at the intersection, according to the Hancock County Sheriff's Office.
A passenger in Emans' truck, Charles Wells, 66, of Mount Cory, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A passenger in Grayson's car, Chalon Beatty, 35, of Findlay, was transported to Blanchard Valley Hospital. No information was available on his condition.
Street work slated
Harrison Street from Payne Avenue to Foraker Avenue will be closed to through traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Wednesday due to waterline work.
Crash block traffic
WILLIAMSTOWN — A truck rollover accident Monday night blocked both lanes of U.S. 68, south of U.S. 30. The Hancock County Sheriff's Office was called to the scene of the accident, which was reported at about 9:25 p.m.
No other details were available late Monday.
University plans Welcome Week
The University of Findlay alumni and community members are invited to attend several events on campus during Welcome Week, being held from Aug. 25-29.
The Fort Pastor Christian rock band will perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 25 in the Cory Street Mall. The rain site is the union. The event is free.
The band host a U.S. military letter-writing campaign from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday in the Alumni Memorial Union.
Changing the earth's climate will be the topic of discussion at 7 p.m. Aug. 26, in the union. Todd H. Albert, an instructor of geography at Bowling Green State University, will speak.
Albert has done research in the Italian Alps, the Rockies, the Andes of Peru and the Greenland ice sheet. This event is free.
College Corner
Mary Linehan has been named to the dean's list for the spring semester at Morehead State University with a 4.0 grade point average. Linehan is a freshman majoring in theater. A 2007 graduate of Liberty-Benton High School, she is the daughter of Michael Linehan and Helen Jomantas of Findlay.
Sarah Ebright, a 2003 Graduate of St. Wendelin High School, was recently inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success, Sigma Alpha Pi Chapter at Lourdes College. Ebright is pursuing her bachelor of science in nursing and associate of art in fine art.
Hospitals
WYANDOT MEMORIAL
Births
Amber Cooper and Alvin Newsome, Upper Sandusky, a boy.
FOSTORIA COMMUNITY
Admitted
Ronald Henry, Fostoria.
Two people injured in an accident Sunday night in which another person was killed were listed in serious condition Monday night at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo.
Marilyn Emans, 57, of Mount Cory, and Bret Grayson, 35, of Findlay were taken by a Lifeflight helicopter after their vehicles collided at the intersection of Liberty Township 89 and Hancock County 128.
Grayson failed to yield at the intersection, according to the Hancock County Sheriff's Office.
A passenger in Emans' truck, Charles Wells, 66, of Mount Cory, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A passenger in Grayson's car, Chalon Beatty, 35, of Findlay, was transported to Blanchard Valley Hospital. No information was available on his condition.
Street work slated
Harrison Street from Payne Avenue to Foraker Avenue will be closed to through traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Wednesday due to waterline work.
Crash block traffic
WILLIAMSTOWN — A truck rollover accident Monday night blocked both lanes of U.S. 68, south of U.S. 30. The Hancock County Sheriff's Office was called to the scene of the accident, which was reported at about 9:25 p.m.
No other details were available late Monday.
University plans Welcome Week
The University of Findlay alumni and community members are invited to attend several events on campus during Welcome Week, being held from Aug. 25-29.
The Fort Pastor Christian rock band will perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 25 in the Cory Street Mall. The rain site is the union. The event is free.
The band host a U.S. military letter-writing campaign from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday in the Alumni Memorial Union.
Changing the earth's climate will be the topic of discussion at 7 p.m. Aug. 26, in the union. Todd H. Albert, an instructor of geography at Bowling Green State University, will speak.
Albert has done research in the Italian Alps, the Rockies, the Andes of Peru and the Greenland ice sheet. This event is free.
College Corner
Mary Linehan has been named to the dean's list for the spring semester at Morehead State University with a 4.0 grade point average. Linehan is a freshman majoring in theater. A 2007 graduate of Liberty-Benton High School, she is the daughter of Michael Linehan and Helen Jomantas of Findlay.
Sarah Ebright, a 2003 Graduate of St. Wendelin High School, was recently inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success, Sigma Alpha Pi Chapter at Lourdes College. Ebright is pursuing her bachelor of science in nursing and associate of art in fine art.
Hospitals
WYANDOT MEMORIAL
Births
Amber Cooper and Alvin Newsome, Upper Sandusky, a boy.
FOSTORIA COMMUNITY
Admitted
Ronald Henry, Fostoria.