McDonald alum issues new appeal for levy

By Mary Smith

Alumni have promised donations and fund-raising help to get a stadium levy passed.

McDONALD — A Richfield businessman was among McDonald alumni and others who asked the board of education to again push for passage of a levy to raise funds to build a new stadium.

Voters have twice turned down a levy for stadium construction.

Speaking to the board at its Monday meeting was Timothy Cherotti of Richfield, who graduated in from McDonald High School in 1984. He is the son of John and Joan Cherotti of Ohio Avenue. Cherotti already has promised to donate $50,000 to the high school football team. His last installment on that donation will be $10,000 in 2009.

Cherotti said he played football at McDonald and began donating four years ago when he came back to the school and talked to principal John LaRocca and the football coach and decided to make his donation.

He also committed to donating an additional $50,000 to the athletic department. Cherotti said after attending several games, he decided the community needed to move forward to build a new stadium.

Cherotti is CEO of the Construction Labor Group of Richfield.

He told the board he would donate an additional $100,000 to the district to get a new stadium, but added he wants naming rights. He noted that his involvement in McDonald football helped him succeed in businesses.

He added he would donate $25,000 to get the levy issue back on the ballot for a new stadium.

The board has gone to voters twice seeking funding of $2.5 million, and indicated it plans to try for a third time in November.

Dan Martin, also a 1984 grad now living in Boardman, said he would offer his services for the levy committee. He added he felt the community could raise an added $100,000 to match Cherotti’s gift. That money would help cover any possible cost overruns in constructing a new stadium.

John Saganich of Rocky River, another ’84 grad and son of former high school principal the late John Saganich, and his wife, Mary, of Illinois Avenue, is president of the McDonald Alumni Association.

He reviewed ideas the association has come up with to help build a new stadium, including raising funds from alumni, townspeople and students, forming an endowment for the facilities, and allowing people to donate over time and make memorial contributions.

He said ideas formed by the alumni group were done “in a vacuum,” and he wanted to start a dialogue with the board. He noted his organization has never reached out for funding school facilities.

Board president Robert Jones told the three men the board would be more than happy to set up meetings with them.

Board member Jeff Hughes commented, “This kind of interest is phenomenal.”

Board member Atty. William Roux said, “I can’t thank you enough, and I can’t encourage you enough. Obviously we’ve tried to pass this levy two times. Hopefully, the third time will be the charm.”