The Cambridge City School District Board of Education met in special session on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, to approve an oil and gas lease agreement between the School District and EAP Ohio LLC. 

The five-year lease agreement will begin on Feb. 28, 2024, and expire on Feb. 28, 2029, and is specific to 182 acres of property located along Wills Creek Valley Drive, often referred to as the main campus. 

In the same resolution, the board approved the superintendent and treasurer to execute the lease. 

“This is the start of an exploration process that may lead to oil and gas extraction from school district property,” Superintendent Dan Coffman said. “Many school districts in our region have benefited from oil and gas production but we have not had that same opportunity. Now, we can begin to explore the possibility of how oil and gas production may benefit our district.” 

The lease agreement, once executed, is a non-surface agreement meaning production pads will not be built on district property. 

In other business, the board approved an unpaid leave of absence for Cindy Lucas. 

The March meeting of the Board of Education will be Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 5 p.m. at the Cambridge Intermediate School.