State agency helping Dover schools assess facility needs
DOVER (WJER) (July 15, 2024)- As city property owners continue paying the bond issue that built the new high school, discussions are beginning about the future of the other buildings in the school system.
The district has been working with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission to assess the cost of renovating or replacing its K-8 schools. Superintendent Karie McCrate says the agency has already conducted an environmental study and is sending another team this week to walk through the buildings.
“Some of the things that they know they need to see in the buildings are things like… the age and condition of the roofs… double checking fixture counts.
“They’re gonna look at security systems. They’re gonna look at vestibule areas. They’re gonna look at emergency lighting. They’re gonna look at budget allocations for loose furnishings. There’s all kinds of those things they look at. If we were going to renovate or do work or use a space differently, what are some of those high-cost items.”
Once the assessment is complete, the school board will review the information and decide whether to hire a pre-bond architect.
“A pre-bond architect is like before you go out and put any plans out there. Before asking for anything from the community, you just get somebody who can architecturally come in and engage your community and say, ‘What is it you want? What are we trying to do here? What are our goals? Where do we want to get to, and what are some of our options?’”
Like New Phila, Dover is eligible for financial assistance through the OFCC’s Expedited Local Partnership Program.
“That was the one that your number is not necessarily up yet… Basically, you take your local share and say, ‘We’re gonna do what we can do locally,’ and they’re guaranteeing you the state money is coming when your number is up, so you split your project into phases. There’s different ways to do it.”
McCrate expects the board to decide by the end of the summer whether to take the next step.