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Groveport Madison reduces amount of potential bond issue
(by Rick Palsgrove, Southeast Editor - July 15, 2010)
The Groveport Madison Board of Education has trimmed $10.8 million from the district's proposed bond issue.
At its July 14 meeting, the board cut 15 additional classrooms for grades K-2 from the plan - that would have reduced classroom size from 25 to 20 students - for a savings of $6 million; and five technology labs slated for each proposed new elementary school, for a savings of $2.3 million.
The board also lowered the amount slated for athletic fields at the two middle schools and high school from $5.5 million to $3 million.
"My biggest concern is passing the bond issue," said Board President Mary Tedrow. "We have a greater chance of passing it if we keep it cheap."
Additionally, the board told district officials they should plan on reusing as much material as possible from the existing high school auditorium for the new auditorium for proposed new high school. The potential savings from this are not yet determined.
The numbers
The potential $184.5 million building project would determine the fate of the district's 10 aging school buildings, which includes two structures - Groveport Elementary and the junior high - on the National Register of Historic Places.
Under the bond issue plan, the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission (OSFC) would fund 43 percent of the costs for new buildings with Groveport Madison paying for 57 percent. The OSFC share, if it is obtained, would be $70.8 million. Groveport Madison's share would be $113.7 million, which would be placed on the Nov. 2 ballot as a bond issue.
The board unanimously passed a resolution of necessity for the bond issue, which will be sent to the Franklin County Auditor for determination of millage rate. The estimated annual increase in property taxes for district residents for the proposed bond issue will not be known until the county sets the millage. Once this information is obtained, the board will meet July 28 at 6 p.m. to vote on placing the bond issue on the ballot. The deadline for filing ballot issues is July 30.
The bond issue
The proposed bond issue calls for:
•building five new 500 student elementary schools, two new 750 student middle schools, and a new 1,500 student high school;
•demolishing: Asbury, Dunloe, Glendening, Madison, Sedalia, Middle School North, Middle School South, and the high school; (The board would have the final decision on whether any of these buildings are demolished or potentially used for other purposes.);
•repurposing Groveport Elementary and the junior high school.
•science labs labs at the five new elementary schools;
•a 750 fixed seat auditorium for the high school;
•athletic fields at the middle schools;
•softball fields and tennis courts at the high school, because the existing ones will be displaced if the new high school is built (however, the Cruiser Stadium complex will continue to be used);
•computer technology at eight schools; and
•land purchase and site improvements.
The plan proposes to build the new buildings on existing school sites, except for at Asbury and Madison, which are in floodplains. The district owns property in the northeast portion of its boundaries and could seek to purchase additional land elsewhere for building sites.
The board is proceeding with the bond issue effort despite being informed on May 13 by the OSFC that state funding may not be available this year for the district's plans to construct new school buildings.
Groveport Madison Superintendent Scott McKenzie said the district should know by the end of July if OSFC funds are available for 2010-11. If not, McKenzie said the OSFC is fully funded for 2011-12 and Groveport Madison "should be in the top handful" of schools eligible for the funding.
"Through a complex set of OSFC practices that involve the funding of districts that have recently passed bonds after failed attempts, and our place on the priority list, it looks as if there may only be 10 districts funded this year and we are number 12 on the state's list," McKenzie said.
By proceeding with the bond issue, McKenzie said, the district can stay in the OSFC process.
Groveport Madison's 2009-10 enrollment was 5,580 students. By 2019-20 the district is projected to have 5,613 students.
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