BELLVILLE, Ohio — The Clear Fork board of education learned new buildings can be constructed without a tax increase. Rockmill Financial Consulting president David Conley said after reviewing the district’s financial condition he believes Clear Fork can “build any of the three options under consideration without raising taxes.”
However, it would require voters to “extend existing taxes.”
With a one percent income tax due to expire after 2017, renewing the income tax levy for 20 years could provide the capital needed to build, Conley said. Another option might be renewing an existing bond for 25 years. The bond issue in question expires in 2024.
In either case, Rockmill’s consultants say the district could raise $14 million from both taxes and other sources.
“Your communities are extremely well managed,” Conley said. “You have been frugal and made sacrifices over the years,” he added, “not all school districts can say that.”
Response to an initial survey indicated that 80 percent favor replacing the existing elementary schools and 60 percent favor one new building, according to Superintendent Janice Wyckoff. The first survey asked people what their opinions were.
The district is taking steps to inform voters about building options and projected costs. A survey letter for registered voters is scheduled to be sent out with a mail-in response card. The board noted that any building option would require voter approval.
Board members urged the public to attend meetings at Butler elementary school on Oct 19, Bellville elementary on Oct 20, and Clear Fork high school on Oct 21. The meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.
The public can learn more about the building options at the meetings, and consultants will be present to answer questions.
Joshua Predovich, project manager from the architectural firm SHP Leading Design, outlined three building options for the district.
Predovich said the district could construct an elementary building in both Bellville and Butler for a likely cost of $25.6 million. Because the state is expected to pick up 61 percent, the district would be responsible for $9.9 million.
One combined elementary school is expected to cost $22 million, the local share being $8.6 million. It is “less expensive to build a bigger building,” Predovich said. In two buildings, he explained, duplicated square footage for areas like dining and media rooms adds to construction costs.
A less likely option, says Predovich, is building a new high school and renovating the existing high school building for use as an elementary. The cost would be $39.5 million overall and the local share would be $15.4 million.
All site improvement, roads, sewer and water lines, or athletic facilities would be paid by the district.
Predovich gave the board a breakdown of anticipated utility costs. Current utilities for all four of the district’s buildings cost $233,304. Two new buildings could drop the cost to $227,000 while switching to one elementary school might lower utility costs to $220,000. The third option might bring the utility costs down to $193,000.
Jim Jackson vowed to keep the public informed throughout the process. He said that no concrete plans have been decided on but hopes to hear more from the public. “All our meetings on this are open to the public,” he said.
Jackson said he has been asked about property owned by the district in Hamiliton Hills. He said, “Until we have a master building plan we will not do anything with that property.”
“Your communities are extremely well managed,” David Conley said. “You have been frugal and made sacrifices over the years,” he added, “not all school districts can say that.”
