Tipp City school construction may be sooner, cheaper

Residents give input on the planned upgrades.

TIPP CITY — Tippecanoe Exempted Village Schools will be able to build their new school and update the high school sooner than planned, thanks to a change in status with the state’s school construction fund- ing program.

State money through the Ohio Facilities Construc- tion Commission will come to the district earlier than anticipated and save tax- payers money on a bond issue approved in March, said Superintendent Aaron Moran.

Exactly how much the change from the Expedited Local Partnership Program, or ELPP, to the Classroom Facilities Assistance Pro- gram, or CFAP, could save taxpayers is not yet known.

“The updates to the project are still being worked out with OFCC. The final cost and effect of the tax will not be known until the (construction) bonds are sold,” said Dave Stevens, district treasurer.

The district had planned to first build a PK-8 school on its North Hyatt Street property that today is home to Nevin Coppock Elementary, Tippecanoe Middle School and L.T. Ball

Intermediate School, using money from the voter-ap- proved 8.68-mill, 30-year bond issue. It then planned to update Tippecanoe High School and reprogram/ren- ovate the L.T. Ball building with assistance through the ELPP.

The bond issue was esti- mated to cost $304 for each $100,000 of appraised property value, accord- ing to the Miami County Auditor’s Office pre-elec- tion calculations.

Moran notified the Board of Education of the OFCC change during a recent board meeting.

“This means the dis- trict can proceed with both phases of the project, the new PK-8 school and upgrades to Tippeca- noe High School, rather than completing phase one and waiting for funds to finance phase two. This means phase one and phase two will all happen in three years versus the longer stretch of time we anticipated with ELPP,” Moran said.

“This is a significant shift in the amount of funding collected from taxpayers and the district’s construc- tion cost of school facili- ties,” he said. “With the state funds available, the district can reduce the amount of project financ- ing and the millage to tax- payers,” he said.

Amber Drum, board of education president, said she was “very excited” to hear about the OFCC change. “I am excited for our community as well,” she said.

Final approval of the change in the district OFCC status is expected from the state this summer. In the meantime, the district is continuing efforts to col- lect input on the new build- ing from the community.

The schools held two public input sessions April 30 and May 9 with proj- ect consultants from Gar- mann Miller.

Among topics were safety of students and staff, with priority given to educa- tion focus on academics and life skills/social-emo- tional development.

Among goals in building design are encouraging collaboration and student engagement, Moran said.

Participants in the May 9 input session were divided into groups and given a footprint of 210,000 square feet to create a concept design, with elements included in the existing concept design such as classrooms and art and band spaces.

Discussion among residents included how to possibly divide young students from older students in the building while also maximizing shared spaces.