District could overhaul schools
Edgewood considers grade-level buildings and possible state funds for building, remodeling. However, plan would require a tax levy, according to officials.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
TRENTON — The Edgewood City School District may reconfigure its neighborhood schools to be grade-level buildings if it receives money from the Ohio School Facilities Commission to complete an ambitious overhaul of the district's buildings, Superintendent Tom York said Monday, May 12, during a meeting between the Board of Education and Trenton City Council.
The district will know in June whether it will receive the funding, which would cover about half the cost to remodel its existing buildings and build two new schools, a high school and another building for preschoolers and kindergarten, York said.
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"The community would need to raise about $49 million," he said. "It will impact the city of Trenton. It will impact the entire community."
School board President John Snyder said even if the district receives state funding the board hasn't decided whether it would proceed with the building plan and ask voters for the money.
Snyder called the decision a "Catch-22" because of the strings that come attached with state funding.
"It's like a carrot that is being dangled in front of us," he said. "It's a big decision."
York said the state estimates the new buildings would accommodate the district's growing student body until 2017 but the district estimates it wouldn't have to add buildings for 20 to 25 years. If the district decides to pursue the building program, it will have four opportunities to pass a bond issue before the state's offer expires.
York said other districts in the region are already moving to upgrade their facilities and if Edgewood doesn't make improvements, it could jeopardize future growth in the city as well as the district.
"If you don't get ahead of the Joneses, you run the risk of people leaving," he said.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2511 or dwells@coxohio.com.
