By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
New Bowling Green Superintendent Ted Haselman tackled the big “M” question that comes up repeatedly when he talks about the bond issue for a new high school.
Though money is a big topic – so is building maintenance.
The district has been accused of not taking care of the school buildings over the years, leading to deteriorating conditions.
During Wednesday’s special school board meeting about the proposed new high school, Haselman started out by saying that any new construction that is part of an Ohio Facilities Construction Commission project is required by OFCC to earmark one-half mill for upkeep and maintenance of the building.These funds are collected and are placed in a special fund that can only be used for upkeep and ongoing maintenance of the new building.
Haselman explained that since he has just been in the job two months, he does not have a complete grasp on how the district’s buildings have been maintained over the years.
But he is listening.
“I’ve heard these concerns from community members,” he said. “I recognize that fact myself. There are areas we can do better.”
While Haselman can’t do anything about past maintenance issues, he explained his experience as superintendent at Pike-Delta York School District for eight years. His philosophy is “no short cuts, and no Bandaids.”
“I’ve done it successfully there, and I intend to do it here,” he said.
“They are our assets – all of ours,” he said about public school buildings.
“You’ve got my word. Our district will maintain its buildings the way they should be,” he said.
Haselman shared a few incidents at his new district that troubled him. He was notified recently that an air conditioning unit had broken, and was asked it should be patched or fixed properly.
To him, the answer was clear. Fix it properly, “so we don’t have to address it again,” he said.
After hearing whispers about a “cockroach problem” at the high school, Haselman said he was sure it was just a rumor.
“I thought, ‘No way,’” he said. But he found otherwise. “Yes, there’s a cockroach problem at the high school.”
Haselman asked how it was being handled, and was told the building was being treated monthly. That clearly wasn’t enough, he said. The school is now being treated twice a month, and if that doesn’t work, the next step will be tried.
“We shouldn’t have this problem,” he said.
Haselman promised that he will do better for BG Schools.
He told of a gym ceiling that was falling at one elementary school recently. Instead of just patching one area, “We fixed it and fixed it right,” so other sections won’t collapse as well, he said.
Haselman spoke of the signs outside the schools that were falling apart, and have since been replaced.
“I’m big on curb appeal for our buildings,” he said.
