Roof work continues at the Martins Ferry City School buildings, and is expected to pick up significantly during summer.

MARTINS FERRY — The Martins Ferry City School Board of Education dealt with finances and ongoing infrastructure projects Thursday.

The board approved the district’s five-year forecast, revised since last December to reflect the most recent estimates on revenue and expenditures. Reappraisal has resulted in an increase in the general property tax for 2019, as well as mineral value increase. The increase may be used for capital improvement or be allowed to accumulate for future need.

A full board of Nick Stankovich, Dorothy Powell, Brian McFarland, Scott Ballint and Bill Suto heard the news.

According to information provided by Interim Treasurer Dana Garrison, the general fund balance for 2019 will be $5,580,816, with $5,630,223 in 2020 and $5,367,783, $4,537,791 and $3,138,416 the years following.

Health insurance for employees is expected to increase 3.8 percent next school year.

“That’s probably the lowest that I’ve ever seen,” Suto said of the insurance increase.

“It fluctuates, but normally it’s a lot more than that. A lot higher,” Superintendent Jim Fogle said.

Stankovich said this might be the result of a recent turnover and younger staff.

After 2020, the insurance is forecasted at a possible increase of eight percent.

Fogle also reported initial drilling was completed on slips behind the elementary school.

“They will be here for the next two weeks coming up, drilling doing core samples over behind the bus garage and next to those two fields going toward the elementary,” Fogle said.

He added that work was continuing on the $7 million project to replace the roofs, with current activity on the roof of the high school gym and middle school wing. Brick layers have completed the back side of the middle and high schools, and will continue along the high school.

“It’s going along extremely smooth. I think we’re working around each other really well,” Fogle said. “Hopefully Mother Nature lets us continue to work at this pace.”

Fogle said the work should pick up pace during the summer months, with possible completion in December. The roofs being replaced are original to the buildings, which were constructed about 11 years ago. Leaks started occurring soon after they were built. The district has had to patch areas, but the leaks have continued to worsen.

Afterward, Fogle noted the district has recently completed a refinancing of outstanding debt to save on the repayment of the bonds.

In 2005, the district issues bonds for the construction of the middle school, renovations and site improvements. In 2012 the district refinanced the 2005 bonds for $409,789.33 in gross debt service savings, and in 2019 the district refinanced the bond for a projected savings of $328,267.29.

Garrison said the debt is $6,910,000, and due in 2032.

Garrison said the district has issued $11 million of Series 2019 Certificates of Participation to finance roof repairs, replacements, and site improvements. The certificates have a final maturity of Dec. 1, 2048 and were issued with an all-inclusive interest cost of 3.90 percent to the district.

She said the $11 million total cost should cover the roof project, the slip repairs, and repairs to the high school and middle school floors, which Fogle said have become uneven.

In other matters, as a result of union negotiations, the board approved a four percent increase on base salary of employees, administration and at-will employees. Fogle added that members of the teacher’s union also received a $1,100 one-time stipend.

Also, in order to alleviate crowded classrooms in the elementary school, the board approved an additional teacher to cover second through fourth grade classes as needed. Fogle said one of those grade levels is typically larger than the others during a given year, with class sizes at about 30 when the state recommends a class size of 25.

“We have five teachers in kindergarten, five teachers in first grade, and then it goes to four for second, third and fourth,” Fogle said.

He added that the position will be bid out.

Suto motioned for the hiring of a full-time athletic director for a salary yet to be determined. The motion was not seconded.

“It’s needed,” Suto said afterward.

“We’re not prepared to do that at this time,” Fogle said.

Graduation for Martins Ferry Schools is May 26.

Fogle added that the June meeting will likely be rescheduled. The date has not yet been determined.