Greenville City Schools' Facilities Committee met for the fourth and final time this evening (May 17th). The committee is made up of members of the community, representing all of the different voting precincts in the district. This group has discussed various different configurations of new buildings and toured the existing buildings as well as new constructions in Parkway and Wapakoneta schools.
Tonight, in the last meeting of the group, it was decided that the group would recommend putting an issue on the ballot in November that would raise funds to build a K-8 building on the Ohio Street property.
The numbers for the levy are still not final, but early estimates put the project at a total of $64.4 million. The state would pick up $18.3 million, and the local taxpayers would pay a total of $46.1. This includes $2.5 million to be used to refurbish the high school. Again, the numbers are not final, but this is estimated to be a 6.93 mil levy (including a 0.5 mil levy for operating expenses that is required by the state program). This would break down to approximately $245 per year per $100k of property value (that is, someone who owns property valued at $100k would pay $245 per year for the school).
This project would also close Woodland Heights, the Junior High, as well as South and East Schools. Each of these buildings would then either be sold and/or demolished.
This option takes advantage of the current relatively low costs of construction, as well as low interest rates. The same project in the future could cost significantly more. Further, by constructing one building, the plan allows for efficient use of the facility, being able to share space and resources for arts, special needs, etc.
Representatives from this committee will formally recommend this plan to the board of education next week at their regular meeting.
Just want to point out that is $20.41 a month if your property is valued at $100,000 the community needs to come together on this issue for once and for all. The Greenville school system in the future could suffer greatly if things do not change with the foundations in which we are headed. If you are one voting no, why are you voting no? What can be done to change your mind? There have been numerous things come up to vote and every single time something new is voted down. I mean talk about kicking the can down the street. We are running out of options and time to update these schools before it all costs more than what it will now.
ReplyDeletelet me know what should be done.
keaser@wave96.net
Questions
ReplyDeleteHow many principals will be require for the new school?
How much are principals paid per year?
Would the old schools be sold or torn down including the old Jr. High School?
Great questions. It isn't known specifically how many principals there would be, but it was stated that with a consolidated building, there would definitely be potential for eliminating some positions to avoid redundancies and to achieve efficiencies. Principal salaries are competitive with other districts.
ReplyDeleteAs for sale or demo, they will do whichever is best, essentially. I know the junior high they believe they may be able to sell. There is money in this plan to demo the other buildings.
As long as you keep sticking it to the property owners is as long as I will vote against it. That is where you need to change. School configuration is secondary to me. EVERYONE should help pay! Figure it out.
ReplyDeleteS.S.,
ReplyDeleteDo you know of an alternative funding method? Sure, this way isn't ideal, however, it's the really the only option we have at this point.
More people pay property taxes than you may think, even if it is done indirectly.
Further, as a property owner, I would argue i'm not being stuck with anything. I'm being asked to invest in my community and with a well thought out plan like this one, I'm more than happy to do so.
Kurt,
ReplyDeleteI could not have said it better myself. We are looking for a solid ROI in this town. The older schools that we have are maxed. We are tossing more money to keep those standing then what we are actually getting out of them.
Just think about folks please! This is not about you or me. This community paid for me to go through the system and then go to college. I come back to Greenville and pay into the system just like everyone else. That right there is ROI for the whole community.
The past levies have all been voted down. There must be a reason.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should figure out what that reason is and try to fix it.
Just a thought.
Parent:
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what they're doing with the facilities committee. They invited members of the community who spoke openly and frankly about the problems with past levies to come to a plan that tries to address those issues.
This plan affects/improves every grade level where past plans did not.
This plan achieves efficiencies not met by past plans.
This plan has a solid balance of want versus need in a building. Could they have asked for more money to put into the high school? Sure, but this plan strikes a balance that is more responsible than simply asking for some extortionate amount of money.
Also, this is my obligatory reminder that anonymous comments are not approved. Just pick "Name/URL" from the drop down box below and type in a name (it can be completely fake, like 'Bunny123' or 'Freeze Pop' if you want).
ReplyDeleteGreat plan!!! I am glad to see all the thought put into it!!!!!!!!!! I am impressed!!!!!!!!!! VOTE YES
ReplyDeletewhy should i as a property owner pay for a school that i get no benifit from while renters with kids and others on goverment housing pay nothing...i am tired of getting my taxes raised over schools..first its a new building then it will be operation levy..it never stops...i say every individual that has kids going to school should have to pay something per child....will still get a NO NO NO from me
ReplyDeleteSorry the truth is too much for you to print DJ!
ReplyDeleteYour comment was slanderous and violated the terms of the visitor agreement, JJ Kitty.
ReplyDeleteTruth has nothing to do with it.
Pauline,
ReplyDeleteTheir rent will go up. you think the landlord of those properties don't pay property taxes! I am tired of hearing the argument of renters v.s. owners there is no difference somebody of that property will pay. I confused how that is being tossed and turned as an argument against building a new school.
For some reason a percent of this city has lost the community aspect it once did. I am not saying it is gone. I am just saying something is missing. You keep kicking the can down the street and will pay severely when the state demands us to build new schools.
I know this Arguement is going to on and on and on. So, I'm going to put my .02 in just this one time.
ReplyDeleteI am voting FOR this proposal. I made the personal effort to become educated about it all before making a decision and writing on this board. I have visited Woodland, East, South and JH (and have been in the HS in recent years). I have talked with school board members and administrators personally.
While I may not always agree with policies, decisions and the way Ohio funds their public schools, I do agree with what the needs of the Greenville City Schools is at this current time. Yes, it is an economic tough time now - I won't dispute that. However, a new building of grades K-8 would be a smart investment and a renovation of the HS would also be beneficial.
I suggest that everyone make an effort to visit the buildings and make appointments to talk with any school official or board member. you may not like every answer you get, but I think that you will walk away with more of an understanding of schools (every where, not just here) are trying to accomplish.
Try this again, I'm for the new school, but I have reservations about the way money is spent by the District. If building a new school is going to take a 6.9 mil levy, fine. Tell me how this will be offset by other savings. Will the new school reduce administrative staff? Will it be cheaper to operate? Will bussing be more efficient and save operating costs? Where are the savings?? I would also like to see as part of the advertising campaign, what current levies could be reduced or eliminated with these savings. Voters like me see an additional levy and think, no way. If I knew it would cost 6.9mils now with 3mils being retired in the near future, you got my attention.
ReplyDeleteI just wish the school board would come clean with the citizens of the Greenville district and tell us what the whole picture for the next 10 years looks like. I doubt very much if they have any idea. The current board probably don't envision themselves being involved at that time and can't immagine what the future should be.
ReplyDeletei see nothing but more issues if the levy passes for new schools..it cost more money to operate these new top of the line schools and where will that come from....taxpayers agian...will these new schools make our kids any better...nope...will these new schools attract new business...nope..just look at the surrounding areas...dont see any big new businesses in thier towns.....if this passes i will move out of greenville and sell my place...there isnt any jobs around here anyways..but whats another lost greenville residents to the school board....we have said no no no and they still want yes yes yes...and wont stop till they get it....
ReplyDeleteArk, Bob and Pauline..... why don't take GST's advice and do some self educating before making yourself like a fool by your writings? Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is probably the best solution to the building problem. But, please do not insult us all by forming a community group (just like they did for the athletic director) to front the decision that was already made by the board/administration. I'm sure these people have better things to do than waste their time at meetings.
ReplyDeletei wont be the fool if the levy passes...all the hard working citizens who vote yes will be the fools...i barely make ends meet with a low paying job and my wages wont go up $21 a month...but you say budget...how can one budget when he or she has no extra money.....i work 2 jobs now just to get by...oh i guess i should work weekends to pay for the precious schools, and if landlords raise the rent and people cant afford it ...well they will move as well...so dont preach to me about how its all fair to the landowners of greenville city school systems....
ReplyDeleteegg, what is foolish about expecting the new building to have increased efficiencies? Shouldn't these savings be promoted by the BOE? Shouldn't the BOE want to offer these savings back to the tax payers even if they wont be realized until sometime in the future? Maybe there wont be a reduction in staff because they are all needed. Maybe there wont any savings in running the new building but their own web site shows about a $1/sf operating cost savings. That money doesn't belong to the school, it belongs to the tax payers. Even if that only results in a 0.5 mil reduction in the future, promote that in the campaign. It shows that the BOE is spending the money wisely and not just asking for more, IMHO.
ReplyDeleteAs for self educating and sounding like a fool, no sense in starting a flame war...
I will support the building of a new school for my community, but understand those who choose not to. Many people are tired of the poor test scores, kids leaving the district, violence, drug use, etc. that not only are not being handled but will not even be acknowledged as a problem. Maybe if an attempt was made to fix the inside, people would be more willing to contribute to fixing the building. Just my honest opinion.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think it would've been much smarter to build a new high school, renovate the old high school k-8, this way our high schoolers won't be taking a step back before graduating and entering the work force. With a new high school you can build it state of the art help our students acclimate to the technoligy in the work force. With an old school, you can only do so much with.
ReplyDeletePauline, that would be a very wise decision on your part. If the levy passes, move away. Oh, before you do I suggest you do a little bit of research about where your going to move and how much the school taxes are there. I think you will find that what people pay here towards GHS is pretty low compared with almost any other district in Miami,Shelby,Montgomery,Preble, and Darke counties.
ReplyDeleteUntil they choose to look at the new building being a high school or 7-12 building, I will be voting no.
ReplyDeleteBuilding a new K-6 building makes little sense to me, and I have yet to hear why that is the direction the committee has decided to steer us in.
A new high school impacts so many aspects of the community in ways that a new K-6 building doesn't. Unless I hear a logical explanation for this choice, I will be voting against any future levy.
If you wont to save tax payers money for every one that has kids, the way of the future is to have your kids take online schooling. This would eliminate administrative costs, building costs and change the way our system operates.
ReplyDeleteGordo,
ReplyDeleteK-8 ?!?!?!?! thanks!
yah sting you are probably right online school is probably a great way to lower cost and change our system.
ReplyDeleteI just have one problem with it. The student loses the 1 on 1, face to face aspect of living in this social world. I would not want my kid to sit behind a computer screen and not have human interaction. Then it is time for college and you have to be in a class room setting... Online schooling is not yet reality or ready for reality for that matter.
Gordo,
ReplyDeleteBuilding a new high school was definitely looked at very seriously. Many on the committee thought that was the way to go until we looked at the cost. In order to build a new high school or 7 - 12 building or buildings, the state facilities commission would have required us to completely upgrade the current high school and retrofit it for use as an elementary school. The cost for this plan would have been exhorbitant, much, much more than the projected cost of the current plan. After looking at the possible configurations, building a new K-8 building just made the most sense in many ways.
I believe also the public needs to be aware that this plan includes doing some upgrades to the current high school. Already, the gym is scheduled to have a complete overhaul this summer, including new bleachers and floor.
Keep the questions coming. I think the public needs to know how much thought and planning was put into this plan.
Folks, please take a step back and think of everyone who is impacted by our foolishness - the children of Darke County, the future of the area, state, country, and world. Think of who they are competing for jobs with. Is this how we want them to handle themselves?
ReplyDeleteI think that if every other school district can afford it, why not Greenville. Greenville has more residents (tax payers) and more businesses (tax payers) so why is this so complicated? If rent went out of control and property taxes went out of control, why don't other communities have a max exodus of people out of the area? Probably because there is nowhere to move without school taxes. The assumption that property taxes and future budgets will sky rocket out of control need actual evidence in order for it to be an argument. Is there any evidence of that? Also, usually great school districts make properties worth more money, I'm pretty sure homeowners benefit from that and renters do not.
Also, a school should be a cornerstone of the community (places like Wal-Mart are not neccessarily great investments into the community but that is an entirely different conversation). A great school district is something that everyone can hang their hat on and be proud of. It is truly an investment into the community where everyone can participate in by going to athletic events, concerts, drama presentations, and many other events that take place during the year. Many schools have pools, walking trails, and other creative ways of making it a place everyone can go and get use out of.
It's going to take a community effort. So please do your part in educating yourself on the issue and get involved with this issue that truly effects everyone!
Just a quick FYI, not that it makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteBut there is a school district nearby that does NOT have school tax....Tipp City.
Their facilities are beautiful and the education is great.
Just the facts:
ReplyDeleteThat is not true. From Tipp Cities' school financial page:
"...Revenue that was generated by the passage of the levies in May, 2009, is reflected in the forecast. Voters approved a renewal of the existing $2.7 million operating levy (no increase in taxes), and a new emergency operating levy for 2.61 mills, which generates $990,000 per year. Beginning this year, 2010, the additional millage increased taxes on a $100,000 home by about $79 per year. Both levies are scheduled to expire at the end of 2012..."
You can read it here:
http://www.tippcityschools.com/16901062416177180/site/default.asp
The school district was recently ranked the 20th lowest taxing district out of 35 in the Miami Valley region. Most districts with such low property tax profiles benefit from school district income taxes, but the Tipp City district does not use income tax as a funding source. The school district is providing an excellent product at a very efficient cost. The district was recently reevaluated by Moody's Investors Service and was upgraded to Aa2.
ReplyDeleteThis comment taken directly from the Tipp City schools website (Finance Page).
I'm not saying it's right or wrong to use tax payer dollars for a school. I am simply showing there IS a school around that does NOT have school tax as stated by Darke Co Resident.
I didn't say there was no increase in property tax.
ReplyDeleteThe statement was made by Darke Co Resident that where can you go with no SCHOOL tax.
Last I checked, Tipp City does not have SCHOOL tax.
As I said before I'm not saying it's right or wrong.
But I do know that in Greenville I pay property tax and school tax.
If the levy passes, I suppose I will be paying more taxes.
Not much I can do about that.
nobody is thinking about what lies down the road,our great goverment could raise taxes and cut more of our benifits,the rising cost of fuel not only gas but heating as well...the cost of food has went up and will only get higher becasue there will be a huge corn shortage this fall...but our wages stay the same or even get cut...somebody explain to me how to make it when everyone thinks a new school building is needed....funny how greenville said once building was in horriable shape and closed it and sold it but it has been a school for awhile now for a private school...geez..good enough for them but not good enough for us........i dont beleive these buildings are as bad as they claim...
ReplyDeleteyah keyword "PRIVATE" not mandated by the government for routine inspections and other regulations... don't bark up a tree that has nothing in it.
ReplyDeletePauline,
ReplyDeleteYou say you don't believe the schools are as bad as they say? Have you toured the schools? Do you know if the people who bought North school have renovated? (I bet they have) I suggest you do a little more research of the facts so you can be an informed citizen. Yes, we are all in a crunch right now but that doesn't mean we should forget about our future.
Pauline,
ReplyDeleteLike Wave said, there are many more requirements / mandates for public school buildings than for private schools. And Concerned Citizen is right. Please tour the schools. We have received our money's worth from these buildings. It's time to retire them.
if north school was renovated by the private school then why couldnt greenville have done that...the school board bought the land off 121 and people out there dont want a school built there..this was done in secretcy per say...but thats seems to be how this board opperates...if it can pull one over on the citizens and get by with it then they do and sooner or later we get tired of hearing them whine about things and say its ok.......we have said no no no many times why must they keep continue to cram this new school issue down our throats.....
ReplyDeleteNorth School was NOT renovated.... last I checked I saw plywood over some windows and such... North school was small and could only fit ONE grade. talk about tossing money out the door.
ReplyDeletePauline,
ReplyDeleteDid you see the renovation vs. building new schools cost report? It would answer many of your questions. Only the high school was found to be worth renovating (barely) rather than replacing based on the requirements of PUBLIC schools. Again public schools must follow different regulations than private schools so we can't really compare the two.
North School has NOT been renovated, not even close. They painted and fixed up a few classrooms, far from renovation. My class was the first class to use it when it was opened up 20+ years ago for sixth-graders. It was in horrible shape then, concrete crumbling and the roof leaking. I live near the school, and I am sure it is in worse shape structurally now than it was then.
ReplyDeleteI was in a new school building. Yes the technology is wonderful. But the district I work for had to ask yrs later for an additional levy to keep these new building going so if this levy passes there will be further levies requested down the road. My check hasn't grown in 3 yrs. and our lovely governor wants school employees to take a cut thru the SB5 bill so my check will be even smaller if the bill stays. I am already making cuts in what I buy which is very little so even a 20.00 increase to budget will effect me.
ReplyDeleteyes right now its only 20 bucks a month then it will be an additional levy to replace the high school or be an operating levy cause they cant afford to run the new high tech school...let me ask you this ...whats the average salary of the school board members....i bet every one of them make over 100k....live in new homes and drive new cars....i made 15k last year...drive a car that has over 300,000 miles on it...its not becasue i want it becasue there isnt any decent jobs left in darke county....fram...mostly gone...corning...gone...union city body...gone...all we have is low paying jobs...even in the dayton area the jobs are scarce....times have changed and not for the better for the average working person.....
ReplyDeletePauline,
ReplyDeleteTo say no to this proposal because you are afraid of some future issue is a little silly. This is a solid plan. If you think a future request is unreasonable, vote no on it.
To assume everyone on the board is independently wealthy and untouched by the recession is also silly.
To think this is just a want of the board rather than something a large segment of the community sees as necessary, including people struggling to make ends meet, is equally silly.
Gary
ReplyDeleteYou are cool, Pauline go visit the schools and you tell me what you think
Thanks
here we go again. the greenville tax committee aka the school board is at it again. why is it only people who are property owners have to foot the bill. last i checked there will be another school tax levy on the ballot along with the new school levy in november.what happened with the money we were levied two years ago? i read in the friday daily advocat that ohio's state and local governments are responiable for making this state the 7th highest in taxes. i along with most others canot take on any more new taxes.we are tired of it.last i looked we are still in the midst of a reccession, you do not keep raising taxes on the same people over and over.
ReplyDeletetim
I agree Zeltb, Ohio is already taxed enough, it is a large reason this state is bleeding jobs and people are fleeing.
ReplyDeleteNow is not the time for ANY new taxes or tax increases.
*rolling eyes* AGAAIN?!? Oh yeah, we KNEW this would happen 5 months after we said no for the THIRD time!
ReplyDeleteand Pauline, sorry about the personal attacks just because you vote no. IT IS THE SADDEST PART OF THIS TOWN.
ReplyDeleteOS, I'm sorry, but I see no personal attacks toward Pauline. All I see are comments of disagreement with Pauline and others on this issue. Pauline has the right to her opinions. Others have the right to theirs. All can be expected to have their beliefs challenged by others, and to have evidence presented that would refute those beliefs. It is right, it is proper, and it is very American.
ReplyDelete