A ‘yes’ vote in Brookfield is only common sense

EDITOR:

As superintendent of the Brookfield Local School District, I offer the following information in support of the current bond issue that takes advantage of the Ohio State Facility Commission offering more than $20 million toward construction of a new school building for our district.

This bond issue has little to do with anything other that common sense. The voters should vote yes to build a much needed new school facility. We need to take advantage of the OSFC’s offer to replace three old, maintenance-intense, utility-inefficient buildings, using the tobacco settlement dollars from the state of Ohio that will probably be exhausted in two or three years. Money saved through lower heating costs and reduced repairs will easily match the $11 million local share over the life of the new school.

In August, I looked for a community member to take over as the head of the Bond Issue Committee. Chuck Carrier was suggested. He is a veteran in the construction business having built dozens of schools in Ohio and Pennsylvania. I was and still am ecstatic to have him in charge. I am amazed that when he says anything a few people disagree with him and he is attacked.

Our district did not select our construction manager, the OSFC did for us. Our current architect does not care where we build a school or how many floors it will have. We can build the school on the current site, but our construction manager, our current architect, and I believe it will cost more, take longer, and have more of a safety risk.

Safety issues will occur because our school buses will have to load and unload on Grove Street during the construction period which is unheard of and will cause me grave concern. Although I believe all people working in the construction trade are good, hard working people, they do not have to have background checks for construction jobs, even if they are working on a school site. Anyone that does not question the safety of large trucks carrying steel, bricks, etc. driving in and around schools that have students inside them amazes me. There is the probably of accidents occurring during construction. As a former high school principal, I would be happy to do what I could to select a one-story building that eliminates stairways and elevators to increase student safety.

Common sense dictates a yes vote for a new Brookfield school.

STEPHEN A. STOHLA

Superintendent

Brookfield Local School District