NEW BOSTON SCHOOLS PREP SHOULD GO TO BID IN OCTOBER

According to reports from the New Boston School District, bids for the early site preparation work should go out in October for the new K-12 school building. The district expects to award the bid contract on November 12.

This project has been met with one frustration after another since 2008 when residents of New Boston voted to accept a tax levy to build the $21 million K-12 school building on Lakeview Avenue.

The Ohio School Facilities Commission has been putting obstacles in front of the district almost since the inception of the project involving site location, costs, and redesign of the building. It has caused what was hoped to be a opening for the 2011-12 school year to a projected opening in 2012-2013.

Early site preparation will prepare the land for construction. Jobs to initially be needed include tearing out the old Sun and Funland Pool, cutting down trees and removing a gas line from the property.

Before actual construction can begin, the architects first have to complete recent changes to the building plans which cut $2.9 million from the project and move the placement of the building. After that, building plans will need to be approved by the Ohio School Facilities Commission, the New Boston School District and the Village of New Boston.

Mike Payton
09-17-2010

ABANDONED HOUSES CONCERN NEW BOSTON VILLAGE

New Boston is having a major issue with abandoned houses. As of now there are six abandoned properties on Stanton Avenue and others throughout the village. Most of these houses are easily entered as windows are broken, doors are either unlocked or dont have locks and grass and various varments are throughout the properties. Additionally, children are getting in and can easily be injured. We also have had situations where vagrants have been living in some of these dwellings.

Because of the condition of these houses, the New Boston Service Department is forced to cut grass and provide safety precautions at each. Not only does this create additional work for the service employees but these houses bring down the property values for surrounding properties.

Another major concern this coming winter is if vagrants get into these houses and try to build fires they could not only burn the houses up but other homes in the area as well.

The village has tried continuously to contact owners of these houses but many are out of state and just don't respond. There are bank mortgages on some and back taxes owed as well.

We are trying hard to work out a mechanism whereby some of these properties can be purchased by developers but that is taking some time. If you know of anyone interested in acquiring any of these properties, please contact me or Village Administrator Steve Hamilton at the New Boston Community Center.

Mike Payton
9-12-2010

NEW BOSTON'S KAYLA MCDANIEL CROWNED 2010 MISS RIVER DAYS QUEEN

With great pleasure I want to congratulate Glenwood High School's Kayla McDaniel on being crowned the 2010 Miss River Days Queen at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts on the campus of Shawnee State University.

At the September 7 meeting, New Boston Village Council unanimously voted a resolution of congratulations to Miss McDaniel on her accomplishment.

The entire New Boston community is extremely proud of Kayla. She represented her school, community and parents with pride and dignity.

I wish Kaya the best throughout her high school and college career.

Mike Payton
09-08-2010