FCS may have buyer for old bus garage

FINDLAY — Findlay City Schools Board of Education may have a buyer for the old bus garage in the 800 block of South Blanchard Street. Earlier this month, Findlay Service-Safety Director Rob Martin said city equipment stored at the building was being removed in anticipation of the sale. The sale was brought to the attention of city council at its regular meeting on May 7. Council rushed through legislation authorizing Mayor Christina Muryn to execute a quit claim deed for the garage to the school district. In a letter to council dated April 29, City Law Director Robert Feighner Jr. said the deed for the original transfer of the property from the city to the schools in August 1999 is missing. In 2023, Findlay used city workers and equipment to install asphalt and concrete walkways for the school district's new sports complex. In exchange, the city got the use of storage space in an abandoned garage. The school paid for materials. The city also agreed to demolish the old garage once it is no longer needed, with the schools paying the dump fees. The trade was never approved by council, something the city must account for in its audit from the state, according to Findlay Auditor Jim Staschiak. The school board approved the agreements with the city in June 2023. Council eventually did approve the use of the bus garage for storing equipment after confronting city administrators about the trade. In July 2023, Martin said the labor cost for the work at the school was about $11,000, and labor costs for the demolition of the bus garage will be about $7,000, with the schools keeping the land. At the time, Martin said the agreement was within the bounds of the administration's authority. Martin said he first approached the school district about the use of the old bus garage to store city equipment. Asked if the city will still be responsible for demolishing the buildings, Martin said the new owner's plans for the site were not known at council's meeting. In March, council approved legislation that requires council's approval of future "acts of goodwill" between the city of Findlay and other public entities, including use of labor and equipment. The ordinance also requires reimbursement to the city for the expense. Any donation made by the city, without the intent of seeking reimbursement, would also require council's approval. The city's practice of helping its neighbors came into question in January, after Staschiak introduced legislation seeking a better accounting of city road salt being used by the Findlay Schools. The legislation, which established the use and "monetary accounting" of the road salt, was approved by council at its Feb. 4 regular meeting. The school district had been sourcing its road salt from the city of Findlay for years by taking truckloads of salt from the city's stores until it accumulates a dump truck's worth of salt. The schools would then purchase a dump truckload of salt to be delivered to the city to compensate. The arrangement allowed the city schools to have access to road salt without having to store an entire truckload. Road salt is only delivered by a full load. However, Staschiak said a review of the records shows the school district failed to replace the salt at least a few times. Staschiak also said the school district's use of city road salt was never approved by council. He said it is up to council to decide whether the use of city resources is for a legitimate public purpose. The new agreement requires that each truckload of salt taken by the schools is weighed and invoiced.