Lucas building bond issue, school board races on Nov. 7 ballot

LUCAS — Supporters of a new building bond issue for Lucas Local Schools hope the third time’s the charm.

School district residents will vote on a 10-mill, 37-year bond issue Nov. 7.

If approved, the issue will raise approximately $29.6 million to construct a new K-12 facility for the district’s 406 students.

The bond issue would cost property owners $350 per $100,000 of appraised value. Collection would begin in 2024.

Levy proponents said a new building would improve student safety and cost taxpayers less in the long run than continuing to maintain the district’s current facilities.

Lucas had facility bond issues on the ballot in May and November 2022. Both were voted down.

While designs haven’t been finalized, the proposed new building would likely include 23 academic classrooms, a 10,000 square-foot competition gym, a life skills lab, an agricultural education lab, two art rooms, an industrial tech classroom, a music room and a computer lab. The total building size is estimated to be around 91,083 square feet.

Monica Brauw of the architectural firm Garmann Miller, hired by both the district and levy committee, said the new building would likely include more spaces designed for small group work.

“With a new building, there is functional and flexible design,” Braus said. “There’s a lot of ability to move, put desks together, maybe work in small groups. Students are learning in a different way now.”

Brauw also said a new facility would have an improved layout and traffic flow for student pick up and drop off.

Keeping the old versus building new in Lucas

According to Supt. Brad Herman, Lucas High School was built in 1918, with additions in 1938 and 1958. The elementary school was built in 1956 and renovated in 1963. The middle school was constructed in 1979.

Garmann Miller projected it will cost about $37.5 million to bring all three of Lucas’ current buildings up-to-code.

While not all of those upgrades are urgent, the firm recommended about $9.8 million in upgrades in the next five years and another $13.7 million in the five years after that. Those costs don’t take into account potential inflation.

“Whatever we do long term with our facilities, there is a cost,” Herman said.

“It’s important to understand that regardless of whether we keep our current facilities or build new ones, we’re committed to providing our students with meaningful learning experiences. Education in the 21st century is different than in the 20th century,” the superintendent said.

The projected cost to build a new K-12 facility would be $40.5 million. However, the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission has committed $8.5 million towards the project costs if the November levy passes.

Herman said the school board will contribute a little over $3 million from funds set aside in the district’s capital projects account.

The $40.5 million price tag was calculated by the OFCC and takes into account projected inflation over the next three years, as well as associated costs like building insurance, permits and architectural fees.

If the levy passes, the new facility would likely open its doors in about three years, following a yearlong design process and two years of construction.

School board president Tim Cooper said he believes Lucas students deserve to feel pride in their school and take advantage of the modern learning opportunities a new building would offer.

“We do a great job here. We have some very successful alumni,” he said. “But I just think for 21st century education, the kids deserve more.”

With Lucas’ existing facilities, students at the middle and high school building walk up the street to the elementary school every day for lunch. Levy supporters say this is a safety issue.

The middle and high school building doesn’t have air conditioning and some classrooms lack windows.

According to Herman, all three school buildings lack working elevators, which means educators have to come up with “creative solutions” to make classes accessible for students in wheelchairs.

Two Lucas school board seats up for re-election.

School board members Amity Arnold and Roger Maglott are both up for re-election Nov. 7. Arnold and Maglott are both running to retain their seats, but the incumbents face two challengers, Rick Foss and Amanda Francis.

School board members serve a four-year term and are paid $125 per meeting, according to district treasurer Eric Pickering.

Amity Arnold

Amity Arnold, 50, lives at 3485 Mt. Zion Road in Mansfield. She’s wrapping up her first term on the school board.

“I feel like there’s still work to be done,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed my time on the board.”

Arnold has spent the last 26 years working as a physician assistant. She holds bachelor’s degrees in athletic training and physician assistant studies from the University of Mount Union and King’s College, respectively.

She also holds a master of science in physician assistant studies from the Arizona School of Health Sciences. She’s currently teaching physician assistant courses at Ashland University.

Arnold said she she’s proud of the academic strides Lucas has made during the last four years.

“I think we’re making progress in terms of our academic goals. “Our new report card has come out and we’ve had a good report,” she said.

“We’ve added some faculty in the right areas, in terms of assisting with reading development, changing our reading program, adapting to the new science of reading programming that’s coming out,” she added.

In addition to continued growth in education, Arnold said one of the biggest responsibilities the board faces in the years to come is addressing Lucas’ aging school facilities.

“My primary goal to give a good, solid education to the students and also to remain fiscally responsible and solvent as a school,” she said.

“We are still working towards new facilities. Regardless of what happens in November with the facilities issue we have on the ballot, there’s still going to be more work to do.”

Rick Foss

Rick Foss, 69, resides at 2715 Stout Road in Lucas. He previously served on the school board from 2002 to 2006.

Foss said he’s running because he believes some school board members are beginning to lean towards “woke” principles.

“I want to bring back old-fashioned values to our school,” he said. “I’m not into any of this woke stuff. I’m kind of running on the MAGA agenda.”

Foss said the district is doing well on its state report card, but he’d still like to work with teachers to come up with goals and strategies for further improving education in Lucas.

He also hopes to boost the district’s music program.

“We have like six members in our band,” he said. “I’d like to expand that.”

Foss retired from General Motors after 33 years. He currently works for the district, driving a van to transport a student with special needs to a school in Columbus. He also works part time for his son’s landscaping business, Good View Lawn Care.

Foss is a 1972 Lucas High School graduate. He has an associate’s degree in risk and safety management from North Central Technical College, now known as North Central State College.

Amanda Francis

Amanda Francis, 36, resides at 1894 Lucas North Road in Lucas.

Francis is president of the Lucas Youth Soccer Club, an organization she’s been involved with for five years. She works as a personal account specialist for Buren Insurance Group.

Francis said she’s running for school board because she wants to be more involved with the schools and community.

“I really care about our community and about our kids and ultimately that’s what this is about,” she said. “I want to be not only their voice, but the voice for the teachers — making sure everyone is treated fairly and given all the opportunities to succeed that they need.”

Roger Maglott

Roger Maglott, 79, lives at 3664 Kaylor Road in Lucas. He’s currently serving his 16th year on the Lucas school board.

Maggot said he’s running for a fifth term because he wants to bring credibility back to the board and reunite the community amid division over whether or not to pass a levy for new schools.

He also wants to continue promoting a better education for students.

“A new building doesn’t make the education,” he said. “I was just talking to some young people last night, fifth or sixth grade, and they don’t know how to read cursive. All of our old history and all of that stuff was (written) in cursive. How are they going to read that stuff?”

Maglott said fiscal responsibility is another priority for his next term. He’s been outspoken about his opposition to building new facilities, citing concerns about the cost for local landowners.

“We’ve been a frugal board up until these last four years,” he said. “We kept money back for our improvement funds, we put a new library at the high school and the middle school, we’ve put new windows at the high school.

Maglott said the tax revenue needed to construct new facilities will put a financial on farmers like himself. He also said modern workmanship won’t stand the test of time.

“We’ve put a lot of money into these old buildings and they’re saying they’re no good,” he said. “There’s improvements we could do that aren’t going to cost that much.”