Bond issue to get 2nd try

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Vince Colaluca

By Jon Moffett

AUSTINTOWN — Vincent Colaluca believes in the adage that if at first you don’t succeed, you must try again.

The superintendent of Austintown Local Schools said he is confident the district’s bond issue will pass if placed on the May ballot. About 56 percent of township residents who went to the polls voted against the proposed 2.9-mill bond issue earlier this month.

“The community told us something, and now we have to evaluate our plan,” Colaluca said.

The bond issue has been a hot topic in the township for months. It would fund the school district’s share of a $50 million facility expansion project. The school district would fund about 53 percent of the cost – roughly $26 million – while the state would fund the remaining 47 percent at about $23 million.

The money would build two new facilities on the district’s campus. One building would be for kindergarten through grade two and the other would house grades three through five.

Unofficial results from the Mahoning County Board of Elections show township residents voted 5,233 in favor of the issue and 6,599 against. Colaluca said he will talk to the board of education – which had three new members elected to it – about putting the bond issue on the ballot for May’s primary election.

He said the final decision is up to the board.

“We have one year to pass it, according the Ohio School Facilities Commission, so we have until next November to pass it,” he said. “We could do a special election, but that would cost more. My suggestion is to look toward the May election and determine which way to go.”

Newly elected board members Kathy Mock, David Schnurrenberger and Tom Stellers, along with Lou Chine and Dr. David Ritchie, two sitting board members whose terms had not expired, expect to examine the best course of action to raise awareness and support of the issue.

“I think we do have an opportunity for the ‘buy one get one free’ from the state,” said Mock, a staunch supporter of the issue. “Should we do things differently? I think we probably should. I think my suggestion would be to be more of a united voice to represent ourselves to our stakeholders and the community.”

Former school board president Richard Zimmermann, Stellers and Schnurrenberger did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.

Mock said the new board has not formally met and will discuss the bond issue as one of the first priorities next year.

She said the economy certainly played a part in why the bond issue did not pass. “It is a difficult time for all folks, and that was voiced across the state of Ohio and especially in the Valley,” she said.

Mock said while disappointed, she was not surprised by the outcome.

“I was hopeful, but I wasn’t’ surprised,” she said. “I just think that people had to be cautious when they were voting and had to be aware of their family situations.”

jmoffett@vindy.com