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GIRARD -- After serving 16 years on the Girard Board of Education, Mark Zuppo will be leaving at the end of December to become the new mayor of Girard.
Zuppo served on the board from 2002-2005 and again from 2012-2023, and most recently was the board president for the past nine years.
"It has been a pleasure to serve the community on the board of education. I will miss it. I was glad as a board member we were able to work with the administration and move the school district forward," Zuppo said.
Zuppo said as mayor, he will work with school district officials on any projects or issues involving the community and the schools. Zuppo will begin serving as mayor Jan. 1.
Board members Diane Alejars and Vincent Ragozine were reelected in the Nov. 7 election for new terms with Joe Caster Jr. elected to fill the third open seat.
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
In other business, the board will rebid the performing arts center.
Zuppo said bids came in higher than expected and the board wants to look at the project to see where downsizing can be done.
Zuppo said they are looking at reducing seats in the center from 1,000 to 500.
"I had said that if the costs were too high, the board and administration will go back to the drawing board and look at the project again," Zuppo said.
He said bids came in at nearly $17 million. The bids were reviewed by Axiom Architects LLC of Youngstown.
The plan is to construct the center on the northwest corner of the high school building property. The project's future will depend on cost.
Zuppo has said the center would be used for school performing arts events and graduation ceremonies. There also are plans to host local theater and dance groups in the building.
The project would not require any additional levies or taxpayer money thanks to financial planning by the district.
Officials said originally the facility would include a performing arts center with an auditorium and a new parking lot. The project also would include music classrooms, a stage area, changing rooms, storage area and practice rooms.
The building project also will incorporate the construction of the new board of education offices at the Shannon Road site.
Board offices are located on second floor of the Girard city building.
Bill Cook, project architect, said the proposed band room would be 1,800 square feet for more than 65 students, and a choir room will have 1,300 square feet for 45 to 50 students.
School officials have said the high school cafetorium, which has a stage, is limited on seating for events. Graduations and other functions have been moved to the gymnasium.
Zuppo said the current complex doesn't have enough room to house all the students at once in the cafetorium, which prompted them to consider building a new auditorium.
CONTRACTS
The board also decided to postpone to the Dec. 13 meeting acting on new contracts for Superintendent Bryan O'Hara and Treasurer Mark Bello.
Zuppo said the contracts likely will be discussed at the next meeting.
In other business, the board also accepted the retirement resignation of Kimberly Babbaro, an elementary teacher at Prospect School, with 24 years in the district.
Babbaro will retire effective Aug. 1, 2024.