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Residents inquire about bond issue
By Robert Connelly
AUSTINTOWN
Dozens of Austintown residents came to Fitch High School to hear about a bond issue for a new $68 million building, but some left early without their questions answered.
The Austintown Levy Committee had a town hall meeting Tuesday night in the school auditorium. Residents were invited to write questions on index cards, then a moderator selected those for a panel to answer for the audience.
Levy committee co-chairwomen Lori Gavalier and Kim Smrek highlighted the difference between renovating and building a new building and tearing down the current 1960s-era building.
Gavalier compared the two costs, $34 million to renovate versus $68 million for a new building, with $31 million coming from the state and $37 million coming from the projected bond, which will be on the May ballot.
On the panel answering questions was Jeff Tuckerman, who is a consultant with Hammond Construction, which was contracted by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission to tour Fitch in January 2013.
The OFCC rates school buildings on a 100 point scale, with any rating over 66 meaning they recommend to rebuild instead of renovate. Fitch was given a score of 73.
Resident Bill English spoke of his concern that the new high school could be built on a wetland.
He said he expected more of a question-and-answer session.
“They got so many if[s] ... and we only got until May to get these ifs out of the way,” English, 73, said.
Other residents left early without answers, such as why hadn’t the district introduced another operating levy for upkeep of buildings since one was defeated in 1994.
Julie Franken supports the bond issue, saying, “If they’re not able to get the state to help us renovate it ... then this is our opportunity.”
The Austintown Board of Education voted in January to put a 4.1-mill bond, which acts as a loan for 37 years, on the May ballot.
Through the bond, the state will provide 47 percent of the funding, $31 million, of the $68 million project.
The bond is expected to raise more than $45 million, with $34 million going toward construction costs.
The other $10 million, which will be locally funded, will go toward revamping the gym, auditorium, football stadium, and classrooms by the auditorium.