The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Bond issue passage sought
Fairport Harbor School District seeks voter approval to build new school
Fairport Harbor School District leaders are hoping that voters will approve a Nov. 2 bond issue that would generate money for a major construction project.
District voters will decide the fate of a $5 million bond issue and a 0.5-mill permanent improvement levy, which are contained in a single ballot question.
The bond issue, estimated at 3.9 mills, and permanent improvement levy are funding mechanisms in the district’s proposal to construct and maintain a new pre-K through 12thgrade school.
That school would be built on the current property of Harding Middle and High School on Vine Street. Plans call for the new school to be constructed on green space that is adjacent to Harding — along New Fourth Street, near the intersection of Vine — rather than within the footprint of the current building.
Fairport Harding students would continue to attend classes in their current building until the new school is constructed. The current Harding Middle and High School and McKinley Elementary both would be demolished once the new pre-K through grade-12 building takes in all of the district’s students.
The existing football field, located adjacent to the middle/high school at Vine and Third streets, will remain in place.
Voter passage of the bond issue is necessary to secure $38.5 million from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission to co-fund the $43.5 million project. Based on those financial contributions, taxpayers in the Fairport Harbor School District would cover 7 percent of the project cost, while the state commission is committed to paying for 93 percent of the endeavor.
The bond issue would cost taxpayers $136.50 annually per $100,000 in property valuation. The additional property tax revenue would be used to repay the bond — which is similar to a loan — on an annual basis over a maximum of 36 years, according to the ballot question.
The continuous permanent improvement levy would cost $17.50 per $100,000 in property valuation on a yearly basis. At 0.5 mills, the issue would bring the district about $30,000 a year in revenue for maintenance of the new school.
So combined, the bond issue and levy would cost district taxpayers about $154 annually per $100,000 in property valuation.
The district’s two existing school buildings — McKinley Elementary at 602 Plum St. and Harding Middle and High School at 329 Vine St. — are 110 and 100 years old, respectively.
Schools Superintendent Domenic Paolo said the buildings are becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain, and operating costs at both buildings are escalating.
“(McKinley and Harding) are historic and beautiful, but they are inefficient and they’re not easily accessible to all of our stakeholders,” he said.
Both schools are in need of expensive energy-efficiency improvements, he said. In the future, the district also is facing government mandates to install elevators and ramps to make McKinley and Harding fully accessible to people with disabilities.
“With a new building, we will have these things all taken care of,” Paolo said. “So all of our stakeholders — our students, parents and people who want to be in the school, can have complete access to it.”
In addition, the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission recently evaluated McKinley and Harding and recommended construction of a single, new school as a more cost-effective solution than renovating two outdated buildings.
Paolo said the new prekindergarten through grade-12 school also will provide better safety and security, and help regulate vehicle traffic better, with additional parking so that people aren’t backed up on the roads.
If voters reject the Nov. 2 bond issue and permanent improvement levy, the School Board will commit the resources required to continue operating Harding and McKinley, said board President Tom Fazekas.
He said the district also would make another attempt to pass the bond issue and permanent improvement levy.
“We will make any repairs necessary, modify for (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance as practical, and return to the ballot at a lower matching rate from Columbus,” Fazekas said.
There are currently 2,174 registered voters in the school district who are eligible to vote on the bond issue and permanent improvement levy, according to Lake County Elections Board records.