Heath, North Fork issues to build new schools go down in defeat, one for the second time
HEATH – Both issues to build new schools for Heath City Schools and North Fork Local School District went down to defeat during Tuesday's election.
In its first time on the ballot, the Heath combined bond issue and levy to build a new K-6 school was voted down 61-39%, with 1,172 against it and 733 in support.
While disappointed with the result, Superintendent Trevor Thomas said the district is still going to continue to work to improve its schools and prepare for growth.
"Turnout was low, and there were inflationary measures at work," he said Wednesday morning. "Results were pretty dismal around the state. We had to do a bond issue in addition to the levy because the state set a debt limit of approximately $51 million, and the ballot language was hard to understand. So it was complicated. But we'll be back. We'll review our options, and would really like to hear from our community."
In the second time on the ballot, the North Fork bond issue to build a new middle school and auditorium was defeated 64-36%, with 1,843 against and 1,020 for the issue.
Voters turned down a 7.1-mill, 37-year, $58 million issue, after rejecting a 6.8-mill issue 56% to 44% (1,908 against, 1,489 for) in November. Superintendent Scott Hartley said they were seeking passage now, due to construction costs increasing by $1 million per year and the deteriorating condition of 66-year-old Utica Middle School.
"The economy is a big thing right now, obviously a very big thing for our voters," Hartley said Tuesday night. "We'll take it back to the board and see what direction they want to take. Maybe re-vamp some things and talk to the construction company."
The 7.1 mills would have amounted to $249 per year for each $100,000 of the country's appraised value, or $20.75 per month. However, the 2.2-mill, 25-year bond issue passed in 2000, used to build the high school and elementary schools, would drop off in 2025, leaving the additional millage at 5.3 instead of 7.1. With the millage dropping off, it would have been $185 per year, or $15.46 per month.
And homeowners 65 and older would have received an additional break, paying $139 per year or $11.60 monthly according to tables provided by the school district, which listed figures for homes ranging from $70,000 to $270,000.
Rob Krueger said he voted for the levy because the district's middle school desperately needs to be replaced.
"Our kids need something better. It probably needed done 10 years ago, and now here we are," he said.
Jim Shoemaker also voted for the levy. "Somebody supported our kids in years' past, and it's our turn to support these kids," he said.
The levy would have provided money for not only a new middle school and auditorium but also additional facilities. Everything would be on the site of the current high school-middle school campus. The first part of the middle school was built in 1957, a lot of it with asbestos, and the rest was added in 1965.
The old middle school would have been torn down, and the new school, with an auditorium, would have been built in front of the old one. Another facility, with a gymnasium, Industrial Arts, Vo-Ag and workout area, would have been constructed back towards the football field. The new setup would also free up more parking.
In a second phase of construction, the current varsity gym would have been remodeled and converted to the middle school gym. Both that gym and the new varsity one would have had new locker rooms, the latter of which would have opened out to the football field.
In the middle school gym, the ceiling continues to flake paint onto the floor. The antiquated boiler room has seen flooding that reached all the way up to the pipes and covered the electrical circuit board. The FFA and Industrial Arts rooms are small and outdated, according to district officials.
The media center, shared by the high school and middle school, needs its carpet pulled up and replaced. The room powering technology is marked by a conglomeration of wires, the district said. The area around the main office has security issues, and the cramped office of head of maintenance Adam Reynolds is a former kitchen.
Heath was trying to approve a $68 million project with the combined bond issue and levy. It sought passage now due to increasing construction costs, and wanted to be proactive because of all the new construction and development coming to Licking County.
The new K-6 building would have been located on the current Stevenson Elementary property on Cynthia Street. It would have brought the sixth grade from the middle school back to the elementary school, freeing up anticipated needed space in the middle school .
The bond would have replaced a bond for the high school construction (in 2000) that is set to expire soon. The bond would have been 5.30 mills for each $1 of taxable value over 37 years, which amounts to $186 annually for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value.
"We would have paid it off early if this had passed," Thomas said.
The levy would have provided the remainder of the funding needed for the acquisition, construction, enlargement, renovation and financing of permanent improvements. It would have been an additional tax of 4.75 mills for each $1 of taxable value for a continuing period of time, which amounts to $166 a year for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value.
The Heath Board of Education had anticipated that Ohio Facilities Construction Commission would provide some funding to help with the construction of this building, but unfortunately, funding that was once anticipated to be available in 2020 is now not anticipated to be available to the district until 2030 or later.
"Our needs are not going away," Thomas said. "Increased population is coming, whether we like it or not. And we have buildings that are 65 years or older."
Advocate reporter Maria DeVito contributed to this story.
740-704-7973
Instagram: @dfweidig
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Heath, North Fork issues to build new schools go down to defeat
