Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000
Board stresses bond issue advantages
By Cathy Willoughby
Staff Writer
Tiffin City School district voters have a rare opportunity to "get 52 percent off.''
That is what the state's portion of the new middle school building will be from the Ohio School Facilities Exceptional Needs grant. Yet it would happen only if voters pass the local share on Nov. 7 to receive part of their state tax money back to the district.
Board members discussed the importance of the levy during Monday night's regular meeting. All said that they are still fielding questions from the public regarding the 2.75 mills needed to build the school for grades 6-8.
Board President Dawn Iannantuono was as forthcoming as she could be regarding the possible location of the new school. "Our first option is located by the Columbian High School complex,'' she said. "The second is on State Route 101, by the Tiffin Developmental Center. With the Columbian Complex option, there are many property owners involved, and they will have to be approached individually.''
Fellow member Chris English also discussed the necessity of raising $3 million for the land purchase. "This amount was not just created out of the air,'' he said. "We had an appraiser, someone originally from the area, who was acquainted with the properties, and we received estimates of the cost of acquiring properties in Tiffin proper.''
The estimates for the properties reflect the current market value, and current sales, he stated further. Other costs in the estimate were that of razing the properties, any improvements to the land, including infrastructure and leveling the land so it was not in a flood plain.
Board member Pat Hillmer mentioned that last year seven districts were on the ballot for their local share to meet an exceptional needs grant. All seven passed at the ballot box. "I hope Tiffin meets that challenge,'' she said. "Now is the time to get a new school building at one half the cost. If we wait until later we will not get he money that we now have a chance for.''
Bob Joyce reiterated Hillmer's thoughts. "We are one out of 12 districts now going for the local share of this grant,'' he said. "And that is out of 612 districts statewide. If we miss this opportunity, the money will go elsewhere. We are very, very fortunate there is this opportunity for us and for the youngsters.''
"We are one in 12,'' English added. "And we may not otherwise be able to receive more money from the state until 2006 or 2007. The administration has done a lot of hard work by letting the state know that we have an exceptional need in the Tiffin City Schools.''
He said that the fliers distributed to the schools will read, "52 % of the sale.'' "Because it is an opportunity for the residents to get tax revenues back,"English said. "It's almost $8 million; it is a sale.''
He also said that one of his frustrations while sitting on a board of education is the fight to find an equitable way of funding schools. "Rex (Damschroder) is not in agreement with the 4-3 vote of the State Supreme Court,'' English said of the DeRolph vs. State Board of Education decision. "He believes it is not their job to be involved in school funding issues. And since it was a 4-3 vote, and not a overwhelming majority, he said it doesn't lend credibility to his decision. And Larry (Mumper) believes there was adequate funding for schools in the state.''
He urged area residents to attend the Tiffin Area League of Voters Candidates Night Nov. 1 to raise these questions to those running for state offices.