Shaker Heights School Board Approves Food Contract, Wheelchair Lift

There is no way for a wheelchair-bound student to get to the stage of Shaker Heights High School's auditorium, but that will soon change.

on Tuesday passed a resolution to fund the construction of a wheelchair lift for the auditorium. The board issued purchase orders to three vendors at its regular meeting totaling $95,000 for materials needed for its construction.

The bulk of the orders, $70,000, will go to Wojcik Builders Inc. of Bedford, while Gable Elevator Lift and Co. will receive $15,000 and Integrated Precision Systems will get $10,000. Both of those companies are located in Twinsburg.

"If a child or adult is participating in a play or giving a speech, it was not the best situation," Superintendent Mark Freeman. "This provides a lift to get to the stage."

Freeman said the district hopes it will be constructed by the time school starts.

The board also approved a one-year renewal contract with AVI Foodsystems Inc., the Warren-based firm that provides food services for all grades in the district. Treasurer Bryan Christman said the district will pay AVI about $130,000 for a management fee. AVI also uses the district's payments for personnel salaries and supplies. In Fiscal Year 2011, the district paid more than $1.9 million for food service.

In other news:

• Since the district's fiscal year just ended, the only standout item in the treasurer's July report was that the district has received $8.6 million less in real estate tax collections than the same month last year. However, Christman said it was a timing issue because the county issued one advance payment in July compared to two last year.

• The board approved the list of school bus stops in the district. It contains 210 routes throughout the city. Parents should have already received correspondence if their stop has changed. A complete list is available at the Administration Building.

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