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Wednesday, March 5, 2008

CAPTION: Ken Lauhoff, Livingston County east district commissioner (standing at left), spoke to a large crowd of supporters Tuesday at the new Head Start facility in Chillicothe, at 418 Mack Street during an open house. On behalf of the Livingston County Commission, Lauhoff thanked all those who helped make the new school a reality and also appealed to the community to help raise the remainder of funds needed to pay the balance owed on the project.

C-T Photo/Laura Schuler

An open house at the new Head Start facility in Chillicothe attracted a large crowd of supporters Tuesday at 418 Mack Street. And while members of the Livingston County Commission thanked all those who helped make the new school a reality, they also made an appeal to the community to help raise the remainder of funds needed to pay the balance owed on the project. Ken Lauhoff, east district commissioner, explained that a balance of $147,533.92 still exists for the project to be officially completed. “We hope and pray that those of you who already gave will help again,” Lauhoff said. The commissioner gave a brief history of the Head Start project, which dates all the way back to 2002. That's when the Chillicothe Housing Authority requested the Livingston County Commission sponsor a $300,000 Community Development Block Grant to build a new Head Start School in Chillicothe.

In 2003, Livingston County was awarded the grant and plans were drawn for bids on the building. However, Lauhoff said, the low bid received was well over the $300,000 grant and no funds were available to pay the difference. Approximately two years passed and Lauhoff said the commission feared losing the grant and how it might jeopardize future grant awards for the county. So, the commission advertised for bids again for the building. “During these two years, the state made changes in the space needed per student and several other facility requirements,” Lauhoff said. He added that the city also passed an ordinance that required all parking lots to be a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete.

When rebid with these changes, Lauhoff said, the low bid was $578,000. Change orders, architectural fees, and grant administration fees brought the total to $618,333.92. “What a mountain to climb!” Lauhoff said. He noted that even with the state grant, $318,333.92 was still needed to complete the project. “Looking at the situation, knowing how poor the condition of the existing facility was, and considering that Livingston County was the only county in the nine-county area that did not already have an all-day, year round facility to take care of its kids, a fund drive began,” Lauhoff said. He explained that letters were sent to local banks and foundations to obtain funds to make the school possible.

Among those providing funds for the project were: Mervyn Jenkins Foundation, $100,000, North Central Missouri College, $10,800; Citizens Bank & Trust, $10,000; Chillicothe Development Corporation, $10,000; Livingston County, $10,000; City of Chillicothe, $10,000; Gladys McCall Foundation, $10,000; Chillicothe State Bank, $5,000. Others donating funds were: Catholic Charities, $3,000 BTC Bank, $1,000, Bank Midwest, $1,000, the Chillicothe Eagles Aerie No. 2428 and Chillicothe Elks Lodge No. 656.

The commission also made arrangements with a local foundation that if the funds were not totally raised by project completion, the balance needed could be borrowed for a year. With that plan in place, Case Contracting, of Chillicothe, was awarded the contract and construction began on Oct. 1, 2006. The new school was occupied in June 2007.