LISBON - Few people showed up to hear about the "opportunity of a lifetime" for Beaver Local students Thursday night, but district officials were not discouraged and rescheduled a town hall meeting to discuss a proposed bond issue.
Yesterday's afternoon snowstorm was being blamed for keeping residents away from the second in a series of meetings to offer information and answer questions about the bond issue that will be on the March ballot.
Only members of the district's BEST levy committee and their family members were in the audience at the high school, but Superintendent Kent Polen and Treasurer Bob Barrett distributed printed material, a conceptual drawing of a hoped-for K-12 complex and also answered those questions that were posed.
The meeting was rescheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 22, with other meetings also set for the same time on Jan. 31 at West Point Elementary and Feb. 2 at Calcutta Elementary.
In addition to the proposed bond issue, officials were posed to address the probable closing of Rogers Elementary School, whether or not the issue passes in the spring.
Due to concerns with the building's condition and its sanitary facilities, a recommendation to close it will be made at the March school board meeting, if the bond issue fails to pass.
If it does pass, the school will remain open while new facilities are constructed, which is estimated to take about three years, but then the building will be closed along with all other existing buildings.
It was emphasized that bond issue revenue cannot be used to operate or maintain Rogers during the construction period. Its operation costs are already included in the district's five-year forecast.
In fact, district officials stressed, bond issue money cannot be used for anything other than construction of new buildings and not for existing buildings or personnel costs.
Closing the Rogers building could result in a reduction in force of up to seven teachers, "if not more," as well as other personnel such as secretaries, custodians and cooks, according to Polen, who said the savings would be about $450,000.
Students from Rogers will be divided between Calcutta and West Point elementary buildings, which officials said have "more than enough room" for the additional students.
If, however, the bond issue passes and all buildings are consolidated into one building, it is hoped all reductions can be done through retirements and attrition, Polen explained.
The elimination of one elementary principal would save additional money if the new complex is built, with the administrative staff to consist of elementary, middle and high school principals, two assistant principals and the special programs supervisor, all housed in an administrative suite at the complex's center.
Transportation issues and savings in regard to the Rogers closing and/or a new complex have not yet been finalized.
The total cost of the proposed Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) project is $56 million, with the district responsible for 38 percent of that cost, or $21.5 million, and the OSFC paying the remainder.
In addition to the 5.223-mill bond issue, the OSFC requires school districts to pass a .5-mill levy to pay for maintenance of the new facilities, for a total of 5.723 mills.
The combined issue would cost the owner of a $40,000 home an additional $70.11 annually; an $80,000 home an additional $140.21; a $120,000 home, $210.32; and a $250,000 home, $438.17 annually for its 23-year life.
Concerns about housing younger students and high schoolers and traffic flow, as well as other matters officials have heard from taxpayers, parents and others, are addressed in a hand-out available at the town hall meetings.
The district is currently in fiscal emergency but has asked the state to be released, which is expected to occur by March.
According to information provided at the meeting, the district has not asked for any additional tax monies for the past 15 years and has striven to bring expenses and revenues in line.
Negotiations with both unions have resulted in savings as well as reduction in staff, with savings also found in utilities by joining consortiums and the food service fund through reductions and cooperative purchasing.
Beaver Local is one of only three in the county that has not seen new buildings or renovations through the OSFC, along with Salem and United Local. Of the 600 school districts in Ohio, just 45 have not had an OSFC project, officials said.
The district has not been successful in convincing voters to approve a bond issue, but Barrett said this proposal is "the deal of a lifetime" for the district and its students, saying, "We're the right size for a K-12."
A conceptual drawing being distributed shows a complex with three separate two-story academic cores for K-4, 5-8 and 9-12, the administrative suite, a media center, a high school gym and elementary/middle school gym, dining area and art-music-lab area.
It was emphasized this is just a concept at this point, and the final plan would include input from district personnel, students and the community.
The complex would be built on what was once the Old Timers Baseball Complex and would include baseball and softball fields, football/soccer field and a practice field.
While the existing buildings would be razed and elementary properties sold, the existing football stadium and track would be retained.
