Marietta schools applying for bonds
Money would go toward construction project; issue will be on ballotBy Kate York, kyork@mariettatimes.com
Fact Box
Next meeting
5:30 p.m. Oct. 26, Administration building
The Marietta City Schools Board of Education on Monday approved applying for $3.6 million in bonds that could be used for school renovation this school year, if a bond issue is passed in November.
The resolution allows the district's administration to apply to the Ohio School Facilities Commission for the bonds, which would be available before the majority of money would be for a school construction project.
The board has a bond issue on the Nov. 3 ballot that would fund the $48 million local share of a $78 million school construction project, to be overseen by the OSFC. If voters pass the issue, a new high school and kindergarten-through-fourth-grade building will be constructed, and the current high school would be renovated into a fifth-through-eighth-grade building.
Monday's resolution would mean certain parts of the project could happen more quickly, said Superintendent Herb Young.
"We could use the bond issue money to do work ahead of time," he said. "These are more zero-interest bonds that would put in the HVAC in the auditorium, gym and all the high school classrooms, and we could put the roof on the high school or the auditorium/gym."
The plans call for solar panels - to be provided for free for the project - to be put in to reduce energy costs.
Young said the work could start over the district's winter break if the bond application is approved.
If the bond passes in the election, the bulk of the project would not begin until sometime in the spring.
Also at Monday's meeting:
The board heard from a parent concerned about an overcrowded bus transporting students from Harmar Hill to Marietta Middle School and Marietta High School.
"There's only one bus picking up the entire hill... they're sitting three or four kids to a seat," said Denise Cavitt, who lives on Sharon Street and has a daughter in sixth grade at the middle school. "I've seen a couple kids sitting on the lap of another child because there's no room. My concern is the safety of all the kids on that bus."
Board member Greg Gault said he has been approached about a similar situation with a bus bringing students from Devola to the middle school.
The problem has been brought to Young and a solution is being worked on, said Board President Jack Moberg.
The board approved the retirement of district treasurer David Combs, effective Jan. 1.
Combs has worked for the district for seven years and before that served as the treasurer for the Frontier Local, Belpre City and Fort Frye Local districts.
In his letter of resignation, Combs said his job gave him "great anguish" when the district's financial situation brought about staff and program reductions but that he will miss being a part of the educational process.
"Even though I had no direct contact with the education of students, I was always anxious to see the annual (state) report card," he says in the letter. "As our scores continued to rise these past few years, I took great pride in the fact that I was a small part of the effort."
The board members said they will all be sorry to see him go.
"As a new board member, he was probably more willing than anyone to sit down and explain things to me," said Gault.
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washcoresident
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09-30-09 9:11 AM
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I agree with Armybrat - the fees for two kids at MHS, almost $200. not including the supplies we had to provide, also a $20 transportation fee for kids in sports.
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rocker
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09-29-09 6:16 PM
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From Ohio Lottery... Since 1974, the Lottery has provided more than $16 billion to public education. Annually, we provide about 4.5 percent of the funding needed for public education -- an effort shared by local, state and federal governments.
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rocker
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09-29-09 6:11 PM
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Gustave, " For a typical district in Ohio, the legislature asserts that the lottery pays between 6% and 8% of their expenses".
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armybrat
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09-29-09 12:38 PM
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I have had children in the Marietta school system from 1975 up to 2007 and it has always been the same thing. Vote a levy in and the schools will improve for your children. It just never happened. I would also pay the fee for school supplies and then furnish the paper, pens, pencils, erasers, tissues, lunches and alot of other school supplies. Then there was the school wanting the children to go door to door selling things to help earn money for the classrooms. I stopped voting for these levies years ago after figuring out that I couldn't see any of the money benefiting the schools.
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Gustave
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09-29-09 12:20 PM
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What percent of the Ohio state lottery goes to our school system? I would love to know how much the OH Lotto does per year.. Are we seeing that money here? If the Lotto only averaged 10 million a week.. Were talking $520 Billion a year. If the OH lottery gives 10% toward the OH public schools, we're only talking $52 million for schools, cut between the 640 public schools in OH. According to this page ***********osba-ohio****/schools.htm .. Which only works out to about $84,000 for each school a year.. I believe the Lottery does more than $10 million a week. I also believe that once a school is upgraded.. It doesn't need new construction every 10 years.. If my odds to win are so bad.. Than I sure hope the percent that goes to our highest priority (Our public schools) is higher than 10%..
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Lizard
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09-29-09 11:19 AM
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They admitted to that in the weekend article when they said they were not spending the money from the last levy because they think they are getting this levy passed and they don't want to spend anything to fix the schools that exist now. How irresponsible! The last levy needs to be revoked since it is not helping our kids at all and the school board is just "banking" it! Check out the website killmcslevy dot blogspot dot com.
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armybrat
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09-29-09 11:04 AM
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DeputyDawg, I agree with you, but the school system has a reputation that once a levy is passed, very little of it goes into what the schools promised the public that it would do with the levy money. I am voting no on this levy because I don't trust the school system to fulfill its promises.
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Lizard
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09-29-09 10:11 AM
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Having local people build the schools is not a reason to vote for the levy. It is, unfortunately, a selfish reason to vote for a bad project at a bad time! Just because some people may benefit from the project is not a reason to approve it.
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DeputyDawg
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09-29-09 9:38 AM
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You know I would consider voting for this levy if they would guarantee they would hire a local contractor,and local labor to build and renovate the schools
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