SPARTA — The Highland Board of Education on Thursday voted 4-1 to place a bond issue on the Aug. 6 special election ballot.
Superintendent Tim Hilborn said there was extensive dialogue between the community members in attendance at the meeting and the board, “and the consensus,” Hilborn reported, “was that substantial repairs and renovations are needed to both the North and West buildings. To do all the necessary repairs to all of the buildings, we would still have to pass a levy, and we would still have old buildings and a lack of space.”
In fact, the district has had to spend $150,000 to purchase and install four modular classroom units to house classes for the 2008-09 school year. Two units will be placed at the high school and two at the middle school. Hilborn said all the sixth-graders will be in modular units or the Slack building.
Because there is already a 2.2-mill issue on the books, Treasurer Jon Mason said the 4.4-mill property tax on the ballot is only a 2.2-mill increase for property owners in the district. He said the funds will be used to build a new high school, renovate the existing high school into a middle school and renovate the middle school/Central Elementary complex to house all of the district’s elementary students. August is the last chance for district residents to approve an initiative in which the Ohio School Facilities Commission would pay 75 percent of the construction and renovation costs.
Should the levy fail, Mason said the cost to bring the buildings into compliance with current code requirements would be over $8 million. If the levy passes, the repair costs would be about $200,000.
Mason said that if the district waits longer to pass a levy, the millage rates for the project would have to be higher due to increased construction costs and less funds from the OSFC: The district would have to ask for 6.6 mills in 2009; in 2010 the amount rises to 7.2 mills.
One community member said, “Highland exists for the kids and if this is what’s best for the kids, let’s go.” Another said that school boards have a responsibility to represent the best interests of the students, and to provide a future vision for the district. He didn’t think passing up a chance to have new educational facilities would be a good vision for the future.
Board member Bob Sears said, “We need this and this is what’s best for the kids.”
Ken Stuff voted against the resolution.
Regarding personnel, the board granted the retirement request of elementary teacher Jo Ellen Reese Elfrink, who has been with the district 30 years. Also retiring are Betty Storer, 20 years as a cafeteria worker and 10 as a bus driver, and Connie Ballard, elementary teacher, with 40 years of service to the district.
The board also accepted resignations of junior varsity volleyball coach Karla Brokaw and educational assistant Kristie Thompson. The board added to the 2007-08 substitute teacher and substitute bus driver lists and employed Faith Laughlin as director of curriculum, instruction and professional development for the 2008-09 school year. Marci Emmond was hired as a bus aide.
In other action, the board approved school fees and lunch prices for 2008-09. Mason said all lunch prices reflect a 25 cent increase. It also renewed membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association, granted supplemental contracts for a number of activities, approved the five-year financial forecast and accepted a $100,000 Seniors to Sophomores grant from the Ohio Board of Regents.
The next meeting of the Highland Board of Education will be June 12 at 7 p.m. in the high school library.
