Schools hoping for support for bond issue

By Elise Franco

efranco@vindy.com

Austintown

Members of the school district’s campaign committee know they need community support to pass a 2.9-mill bond issue in May and said they have a plan to garner that support.

Schools Superintendent Vince Colaluca said after the bond issue failed in November, the district looked to community members for input on what to do differently this time around.

“The campaign board had several community focus groups and sent out surveys where we asked for input,” he said. “We found that we needed to re-evaluate how we did things.”

The 2.9-mill bond issue will appear on the May 4 primary election ballot for the construction of two new elementary schools.

Lori Gavalier, campaign chairwoman, said the issue would bring in about $27 million of the $50 million project. The state would fund the remaining $23 million.

“When’s the last time we had a $50 million project ... here in Austintown?” Gavalier asked.

The plan would unify the district into one central campus on property near Watson Elementary and Frank Ohl Intermediate schools, Colaluca said.

The two schools would house students in kindergarten through second grade and third- to fifth-grades, respectively.

Colaluca said the new campaign will focus on getting accurate information to every member of the township so they can make an informed decision before heading to the polls.

“We have to reach out and get more people involved,” he said. “The first time we found that some community members didn’t know anything about this bond they were voting on.”

About 60 community members, teachers, union representatives and other school faculty gathered for an informational meeting Thursday at Fitch High School where Gavalier outlined the committee’s plan for gaining widespread support.

“This has to start as a grassroots effort,” Gavalier said. “We need your help to inform the rest of the community and get their questions answered.”

Gavalier said the campaign plan includes sending residents a five-minute DVD giving an inside look at current buildings and explaining why updates are needed. She said utilization of advertisements in local newspapers and on television also will help spread information.

Gavalier said the committee also needs volunteers to help prepare and send out mailers and canvas neighborhoods. The committee also has several community-wide events planned through election day.

Former Austintown teacher Gary Beal said he will help any way he can.

“I think this is one of the greatest values they could ever get,” he said. “We need to take our share now because it’s not coming back. This is our chance.”

Beal said new school buildings will increase the community’s value as a whole.

“With the GM third shift coming back and V&M Star, there will be a lot of people looking at houses,” he said. “And they’ll be looking at the school district.”

Anyone with questions about the bond issue or who is interested in volunteering can contact Vince Colaluca at (330) 797-3900 or Lori Gavalier at (330) 506-6939.