Hotel tax abatement approved
The Indian Lake Board of Education approved the calendar for the 2023-24 school year and updated the district’s safety plan to include the armed response team during their regular February meeting.
As Superintendent Dr. Rob Underwood explained, the calendar is a bit different than the typical Indian Lake School calendar.
“We’re going to start a couple weeks later in August to allow for the HVAC project at the high school. It’s also going to allow us to try a Friday night graduation and that will be held on May 24, 2024.”
The board also finalized the armed staff plan, after many months of waiting for approval from the state.
The board entered into executive session and approved the specific staff who are permitted to be armed in the school. That information will be submitted to the Ohio School Safety Center, but the list is not a public record, per the Ohio Revised Code.
Back in open session, the board also approved an agreement with the Indian Lake Hotel Management group that is bringing a Cobblestone Inn to Russells Point.
The board extended a 15-year, 75 percent tax abatement as part of a community reinvestment area contract, which is a standard offer according to Ohio Revised Code.
“We are super excited to see the hotel coming to our area and working with that management group has been fantastic,” Underwood said. “They are a great group of folks and we know this is something that will be extraordinary for our community.”
Finally, Indian Lake/Ohio Hi-Point FFA Chapter President Allison Kinney and Adviser Tanner Schoen accepted a $3,000 donation from the Logan County Farm Bureau. The grant will cover various equipment in the new FFA Livestock Building.
In other action, the board:
• accepted the Education Award for the High School Language Arts Department in the amount of $493.50,
• accepted the OAG fiscal year 2023 School Safety Grant in the amount of $7,509.41 and the Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant in the amount of $185,783 and established respective funds;
• extended the following supplemental contracts: Alex Jacobs, assistant high school baseball; Paula Newland, assistant high school softball; Renee Metzger, Don Thompson, Brandon Gamble, assistant high school track;
• approved bus drive trip pay for Don Dalton, mechanic, to receive his negotiated trip rate pay for trips occurring outside of his normal work hours;
• approved the 21st Century Grant student supervisors to be paid at a rate of $40 per hour by grant funds, Alicia Pickering and Kelli Strayer;
• accepted the following donations: $500 from Ignite Student Ministries to the Food Service Department, $247.07 from the Women of the Moose to the Student Needs Fund, and $250 from Mary Royer to the Joshua Keith Memorial Scholarship; and
• approved the Resolution Authorizing 2023-24 Membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association for grades 9-12 and 7-8.
Members changed the start time of the next meeting to 5 p.m. Monday, March 20, so that district representatives can attend the Rotary Honors Night later that evening.