Building Better Dreams Update 
May 2018
Dr. Sanders: “Hello everyone, this is Dr. Sanders, Chief Executive Officer and Superintendent for Sandusky City Schools, and we’re here for our May 2018 Building Better Dreams Facilities Update. As you know, once a month we introduce one of our key partners in the construction program, and prepare this video and post on our various media outlets to let you know what’s going on. Today, we are joined by a veteran construction manager by the name of Fred Rodgers, who works on our construction project. Fred, welcome to our show, glad to have you. Let’s get started by giving us a little background on who you are and how you became involved with the Sandusky Facilities Program.”
Fred Rodgers: “Well, I’m going to go back to, Glenville grad from Cleveland schools, and I’ve been with Ozanne Construction for 33 years. I started dealing with school projects in 2002, with Cleveland Schools and the OFCC, and working with Gilbane and Hammond regency at that time, so I have a relationship with Gilbane Building Company and Ozanne we’ve been working together since that time so, lots of experience with schools. We’ve built over 40 some-odd schools, and I know you were a part of that as well, so a lot of experience with school construction.”
Dr. Sanders: “Well, we’re really excited to have Fred as a part of our program because he’s built dozens of schools and is familiar with the process and helping guide the district through this exciting period of time for us. Mr. Rodgers, you and our architect, and the facilities management team held a community forum last week. Tell us a little bit about what the forum was for and any of your takeaways from it.”
Fred Rodgers: “The forum was basically for highlighting what is going to happen his summer of 2018 and just giving brief information on all of the other projects, so basically we’re in room 300 at the high school and talked about what was going to happen in that particular room, 301, and the science labs, and physics labs, and we’re very, very, excited to also have some drawings on the new Planetarium. I think that’s going to be an outstanding addition, and again, probably the best Planetarium in the region, and we’re very excited to be a part of the project. This is all going to happen this summer.”
Dr. Sanders: “It’s a busy summer for us, and Mr. Rodgers mentioned the Planetarium, we all remember going there as kids in our community and we are going to really be re-emphasizing the importance of science in our academic work going forward and having an amazingly updated Frohman Planetarium going forward is pretty spectacular. Fred, there are a lot of people who are local contractors, and local vendors in our city. They would like to be involved at some level in the building program. What’s the best way for local construction or vendor of some sort, and what’s the best way for them to be a partner and participant in the building program?”
Fred Rodgers: “Well again, reach out to me, Fred Rodgers, I’ll give you my email address, frodgers@ozanne.com, or call me at 216-906-7980. I’ve received several calls thus far, and some emails, and we’ve put them onto our database, and we’re reaching out to the contractors that are bidding now and making sure we have that involvement. By the way, at the forum we did engage some local vendors as well, got their information, and we’re making sure we continue to reach out to make sure they are a part of it. So, reach out to us, let us know, and as we move forward with the bidding elements here we will make sure we get people involved.”
Dr. Sanders: “And, Fred, this is for small vendors as well, so you don’t have to be a big company of 100 or 200 employees necessarily to be a part of the program.”
Fred Rodgers: “That’s correct, we’re also looking for folks for the summer work we have coming up in the high school, so we’re really keenly looking for those folks right now, and also as we move to the other projects we can definitely tee them up with other vendors.”
Dr. Sanders: “I noticed when I was at the high school last week, there are some windows that in 60 years to be installed, which is going to help with the heating and ventilation, things of that nature.”
Fred Rodgers: “Absolutely, things are happening right now at the high school.”
Dr. Sanders: “And finally for our program today, Fred, you’ve built a lot of buildings, over 40, close to 50 buildings in your career, once you turn the key over to us so to speak, what’s been your takeaway from these experiences in terms of quality of the building and what it means to the community.”
Fred Rodgers: “Well the community is a part of it from the beginning. They have the core groups and different groups that gave you the insight, and talked about how they’d like the buildings to look, so now it’s coming full circle, they’re actually seeing it in real life and enjoying it and we have the oohs and ahhs from administration and the children. Also, the maintenance folks really love the fact that they can get in and out and see exactly how to get in and out of the electronics of the heating and ventilating, and from a quality stand point, you’re getting a brand new car, brand new car smell, and everyone likes the bright lights and the bright environment.”
Dr. Sanders: “Well the most important part for us of course is the educational opportunities that our kids and our families will have as a result of these buildings. We are excited about it. This is a significant paradigm shift in our community and we appreciate you being a part of it, and for those of you who are watching we encourage you contact us, any of our building principals, or contact my office directly at 419-984-1000, or email me directly at AskDrSanders@scs-k12.net. Thanks for joining us today for our Facilities Update, and as we always say, Go Blue Streaks!”