18-04-2025
Ashtabula schools bring in insurance adjustor, construction manager for Lakeside
ASHTABULA — The Ashtabula Area City School Board approved an agreement between the district and Alex N. Sill Company at a Wednesday meeting.
The firm will provide public adjustor services for the district's insurance claim surrounding reconstructing Lakeside High School.
The district is bringing in Greenspace Construction Services, LLC as a construction manager for the high school.
Treasurer Mark Astorino said the district is looking to meet with the insurance company soon for possible updates on the building's future.
'We were looking to meet with the insurance company to get an answer May 7 or 8, and I think now it's been moved to May 11,' he said.
The high school's roof collapsed during the Thanksgiving weekend snowstorm.
Astorino talked about how the Ohio House's proposed budget could affect the district, saying the district would be provided with an additional $50,000 in year one and $25,000 in year two.
'When you read the articles that say no school was cut, that's true, but if you think a $75,000 increase on a $40 million budget is anything to write home about, that's not really all that good,' he said.
The district received an additional $1 million from the state over the duration of the last state budget, he said.
Astorino had a hard time learning about aspects of the house budget's effect on school districts.
'There was a cap on administrative costs, where your total district administrative costs wouldn't be worth more than 15% of your total expenses, but nobody knew what that meant,' he said.
Astorino is waiting to see what the Ohio Senate's proposed budget will be, he said.
'I don't think it's getting much better, to be honest with you,' he said. 'I think it might even get worse.'
The district is sending a 1.25-mill renewal levy to fund textbooks, educational technology and instructional equipment to the Ashtabula County Auditor, in preparation for it being placed on the ballot.
The board ratified an agreement with Saint John School to allow them to play varsity and junior varsity football at high school's stadium, Astorino said.
The board approved a replacement of the district's telephone system. Astorino said the district's telephones have reached their end of life.
Astorino said there will be payments for the upgrade over the next three to four years.
'For teachers, you really need a hard phone in class,' he said.
The new phones will be moved into the high school, when it is ready.
The board heard a presentation from Camille Licate, founder of Kids for Positive Change, an organization that gets students into environmental activities like gardening and recycling.
Licate said she recently worked with sixth graders to raise $600 for World Central Kitchen and make Valentine's cards for victims of the January fires in Los Angeles.
