Painesville City and the Painesville City School District are partnering to give local students a new place to learn and practice construction skills. City Council recently agreed to lease a city-owned industrial property to the district to use in its construction program. The lease will last for a maximum of two years. The lease agreement comes as an increasing number of students have joined the program, which numbered four students when it started two years ago and has grown to 23 students this school year, according to a school district information sheet that was attached to a city report. “This growth reflects the increasing demand and value of hands-on learning experiences,” the information sheet stated. “Students engage in practical projects such as building mock houses with working plumbing and electrical systems, and last year, they successfully completed a remodel of the PCLS board office bathroom.” The program teaches basic construction skills and workplace safety rules, added Painesville City Schools Director of Federal and State Programs and Technology Heidi Fyffe. Students can also earn a 12-point credential that can contribute to their graduation requirements. Owing to the growth in enrollment and the size of the program’s current space, Fyffe said in an email that the construction course this year has been “limited to a safety program.” Students have learned about small tools and worked on a set for the fall play, an irrigation system at a community garden and picnic tables. She described the new arrangement with the city as a “win-win,” stating that it will allow the district to double the program size and make it available for more students. “The building they had available needed some remodeling and updating which is exactly what our classes needed,” Fyffe said. “We will be using it as a workspace as well as for storage of tools and supplies,” she added later. “Additionally, the site itself will be refurbished as part of the course.” Fyffe added that the district planned to start classes there during the week of Nov. 4. City Manager Doug Lewis said that students are learning skills that are needed locally. “In talking with our local developers, one of the things that they tell us is they can’t find people,” Lewis said. “They would love to do a program like this or work with the schools to do a construction management program.” “It is a partnership and will benefit both the city and PCLS,” he added in a later email. “There are many benefits, but the most important is providing a space for students to learn a trade and enter the workforce.” Fyffe said that some of the students who graduated last year became electrical union apprentices, while others are trying to join the plumbing union. Students in the Painesville City School District construction class complete the stairs for a spring musical during the 2023-24 school year. (Courtesy of Heidi Fyffe) The lease agreement lasts until Sept. 17, 2025, though it will automatically renew for a second year if neither side pulls out. After the second year, the two sides would need to approve a new agreement. The district will owe the city $1 for each year that it uses the space. The district will also be responsible for the costs of utilities and for the modifications and improvements that it makes to the building. The building is part of a property that Painesville voted to purchase from Concord Road Equipment two years ago. Lewis said that the city purchased the site to use two of the buildings for a new water distribution facility. He added that the city was also looking to sell two of the buildings on the property, including the building that the school district will use, but the other party did not purchase them. The city has since used those buildings for storage, and is currently conducting a feasibility study on moving its electric distribution operations to the building that is not being leased. Lewis said the city will evaluate future needs when the lease comes close to ending. Fyffe added that the district is not sure about what it will do once the lease ends, though it will continue to offer the construction program. It could potentially look for a similar space or see if it is in a position to buy a space. Councilwoman Lori DiNallo brought up the future of the property during council discussions on Oct. 7 and 21. She expressed appreciation for the school district and for its partnership with the city, but shared concerns about the proposal. Those concerns included the property’s industrial zoning, the lack of income or property tax that it would generate and the mixing of students and city equipment in the parking area. “I realize this is a short-term contract, but, if we say suddenly that we have somebody that is interested that is going to generate for us income tax dollars and/or you property tax dollars, it’s going to be a hard – not to pass on that for us,” DiNallo said. “And then I think that could cause tension down the road.” Fyffe said that the school district does not expect to stay in the building long-term. “It’s really more about the experience of updating the facility and making it – like, working on the plumbing, working on, learning how to fix the garage doors, learning how to do all of that,” she said. Council approved the lease agreement in a 5-1 vote at its Oct. 21 meeting, with DiNallo voting against and Councilman Paul Hach excused on leave. All six council members present supported waiving council’s three-reading requirement to pass the agreement at its second meeting. The Painesville City School Board approved the lease agreement on Oct. 14. Besides the construction program, Fyffe said that Painesville City Schools also offers career-technical programs for state-tested nursing assistant, phlebotomy, HVAC and social media marketing. The district’s career-tech programs are grant-funded. She added that the school district is planning to hold an open house on Dec. 3 for local builders, construction companies and roofing companies, to introduce them to the program and request support.