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Ohio County Board of Education Considers Future of Former RESA 6 Building in Wheeling

WHEELING — The former Regional Educational Services Agency 6 building in Wheeling has been closed for more than a year, and now Ohio County Schools officials are considering options on what to with the unused property.

Superintendent Kim Miller told board of education members during their meeting Monday night she has asked Maintenance and Transportation Director Brian Harto to have the building appraised.

“As of right now, it is a building that is holding stuff that we are not using,” she said. “As a board, I want to get a feel for what your direction is for this building.”

“If there is no use for it, eventually it is going to need work and money. If we’re not going to use it, I don’t see why we’re throwing money at the building,” she said.

The building, at 30 GC&P Road in Wheeling, is no longer used for RESA offices as the state began transitioning away from RESA services in 2017. It consists of about 7,000 square feet of space.

Last month, Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones suggested to the bond committee overseeing property improvements to Ohio County’s public school facilities a use for the former RESA 6 building. He said it could be renovated into a centralized “maker-space” facility to be used by the district’s middle schools as a place to collaborate, build and create projects.

Smaller maker-spaces are planned for each individual school building, with a very large makerspace area planned for the 13,500 square foot media center at Wheeling Park High School.

“I would like to come back and have you guys tell us what you would like to see it used for,” Board President Zach Abraham said. “I would like to see what we could do with this building that could be of benefit to our students.

“It could be a space that generates revenue — something that we could fix up and lease out as entrepreneurial space in conjunction with the high school. As we look at the broad picture, I would hate for us to be shortsighted about this.”

Member Sarah Koegler wanted to know what costs were involved with keeping the building for “another year or two” while the board takes time to consider options.

Board member David Croft suggested the school district talk with other local government entities, such as the Ohio County Commission, Oglebay Institute or Regional Economic Development, to see if they might want to swap properties or had a use for the RESA 6 building.”

“Maybe we could find something with a smaller footprint that is more useful to us,” he said. “If there is a use in the community, shouldn’t we seek that?”

According to Miller, many of the items contained in the former RESA 6 building were claimed by the county school districts belonging to the district. The district included Ohio, Brooke, Hancock, Marshall and Wetzel county school district. Ohio County Schools owns the building.

But there are still many items left unwanted inside, Miller said. She suggested the school district hold an auction.

At Monday’s meeting, the board members lamented losing a lot of experienced teachers at the end of this school year as a number have asked for their retirement.

The board approved retirements for the following personnel: WPHS art teacher Beth Durkin, 37 years; WPHS science teacher Peter Chacalos, 34 years; Madison Elementary School speech/language pathologist Ellen Schuetz, 25 years; WPHS adult education teacher Marilynn Schnupp, 22 years; and WPHS math teacher James Blaney, seven years. Also approved were retirements for service personnel: cook/server Martha Sayer, 23.5 years; bus driver William Johns, 22 years; and custodian Gerald Hercules, 12.5 years.

The board next meets at 6 p.m. Jan. 28 at the board office, 2203 National Road, Wheeling.

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