Council learns plans of upcoming school levy

FORT RECOVERY - School board members explained the upcoming school levy to village council members Monday.

Jack Staugler and Dan Kahlig detailed the November levy during council's regular meeting. They then went to the Veterans of Foreign Wars to talk to its members.

The board is asking voters for a 2.7-mill levy to fund a $3.4 million renovation project at the high school. A property owner with a home assessed at $100,000 would pay $82.69 a year.

The November levy is the board's second attempt at getting money for the high school. Voters last year overwhelmingly rejected building a $10.8 million high school onto the existing elementary/middle school. That project would have been funded with $5.3 million in local tax dollars and $5.5 million from the Ohio School Facilities Commission.

"That was not what our voters wanted," Staugler told village council members. "We came up with a plan that the board feels good about."

"Let's keep a good thing going," Kahlig added, pointing out the latest proposal was formed by the public and local contractors.

Staugler said the first levy may have been defeated because voters didn't want to tear down the high school and didn't like the idea of mixing younger children with older children.

"We really believe this option takes away a lot of those (concerns)," he said.

The $3.4 million would be used for a new energy efficient heating and air conditioning system, roof replacement, a new electrical system, new plumbing and fixtures, a fire alarm upgrade required by code and other improvements at the existing high school.

Kahlig said the 1935 section containing the old gym would be demolished after the project is finished. That area may become a band practice field.

Kahlig said the Fort Recovery Athletic Boosters are committed to help build a new, stand-alone athletic complex that will have a weight room, batting cages and running lanes. Staugler estimated the facility - to be located on school property bound by William and Butler streets - to cost $400,000.

"The important thing is .... doing nothing isn't an option," Staugler said about the high school.

Staugler pointed out that all decisions will be made locally and not at the state level because the district wouldn't use any OSFC money.

Staugler said the project would take two full summers and a full school year. It's going to be noisy, but the district won't need modulars to house kids during construction, he said. Students would be housed in the 1935 section until the renovation is complete.

Neither Staugler nor Kahlig knew exactly when the project would commence.

Council members were asked if they had heard positive or negative comments about the levy, to which there were no comments.

For more information about the school levy, visit frlevy.com.