State to help evaluate FCS facilities

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Greene County News Report

FAIRBORN — The Fairborn Board of Education met Monday evening and approved a resolution to apply for an active planning process with the Ohio School Facilities Commission Classroom Facilities Assistance Program.

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) is responsible for guiding capital projects for state agencies, state-supported universities and community colleges, including Ohio’s comprehensive public K-12 school construction and renovation program, and managing the grants process for cultural facilities and school security programs. Many local school districts and communities have worked with OFCC to build new facilities for their school districts. Locally, Mad River, Huber Heights, Xenia and Tecumseh have worked with OFCC to build new school facilities.

The Ohio School Facilities Commission ranks school districts based on average pupil valuation. School districts are ranked from one to 614 each year by the Ohio Department of Education using a formula based on a three-year adjusted valuation per pupil. All OSFC projects are funded through a combination of state and local monies.

According to district officials, for Fairborn City Schools the approximate state share is 40 percent and the approximate local share will be 60 percent. The district share can be raised through a bond issue/tax levy. Detailed information will be provided as the planning process unfolds.

“We are excited to be working with OSFC to look at new buildings for the district,” said BOE President Tess Little. “Many surrounding school districts have taken advantage of this opportunity to have partial state funding support for new buildings. This is truly an exciting time for Fairborn City Schools.”

The district will work with OSFC to look at the condition of existing buildings. Every part of the current buildings will be assessed, including mechanical and electrical systems, educational adequacy (whether or not the infrastructure support 21st century learning and technology) and hazardous material abatement.

The district’s current facilities were built as early as 1930 beginning with the Psychological Services facility followed by the pre-WWII maintenance facility. The district’s transportation facility was built in 1944, followed by Baker Middle School’s East wing in 1953 and the rest of Baker Middle School in 1953, Fairborn Intermediate School South in 1954 and Fairborn Primary School in 1957. Fairborn Intermediate School Palmer and the Board of Education building were built in 1962 followed by Fairborn Digital Academy, former Black Lane, in 1966 and Fairborn High School in 1969.

The district will be working with OSFC to create the communication plan, project information and details as the process unfolds.

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