Tri Star construction levy passes

CELINA - The Tri Star 2.0 dream will become a reality.

Area voters on Tuesday approved a 15-year, 0.95-mill bond levy to construct a consolidated Tri Star Career Compact facility near Wright State University-Lake Campus. The bond issue will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $33.25 per year. The state will cover $8 million of the $25 million project with the levy funding the remaining $17 million.

The bond issue passed by a wide margin. Unofficial results show in Mercer County, 2,061 people (79.24 percent) voted for the bond while 540 or 20.76 percent voted against it. In Auglaize County, 790 or 66.5 percent voted for the bond while 398 or 33.5 percent voted against it. Absentee ballots cast were 393 or 78.6 percent for the issue and 107 or 21.4 percent against. In Shelby County, 8 voters, 57 percent supported the levy and 6, 43 percent, opposed.

Tri Star and school district officials have been planning the project for a little more than a year, when an offhand joke was made at a county superintendents' meeting about moving the compact to one location. Talk quickly turned serious when the benefits of a single, consolidated site were discussed.

The building will house the career compact's 15 existing programs, which are now spread across six locations within the compact's nine districts. The new location will simplify bus routes, provide space for new programs and, because of the proximity to Lake Campus, allow for more collaboration with the university.

Tri Star director Tim Buschur said he had never imagined officials could do something such as Tri Star 2.0. He thanked state Sen. Keith Faber, R-Celina, for his help with the legislation that allowed compact officials to seek a levy and credited Tri Star staff as well as current and former superintendents and board members for their dedication to the idea.

The levy's passage signals a step forward on the path of the compact's original mission, Buschur said.

"I think the cool part is, we're the first in the state. I think that's cutting edge, like Tri Star was 33 years ago. This just takes us a step forward," he said.

In the past, Tri Star officials have tried and failed to pass a levy six times. Buschur said what struck him was that the levies had failed by roughly the same percentage that the Tri Star 2.0 levy passed.

"We were talking about this today, what they started 33 years ago, they had a lot harder time with the negativity and all that," he said. "To see how far we've come, it's worked. I think we've proven to people it works. I think we've had 33 years of kids, parents and grandparents being happy."

He added they also had good timing on their side, with local businesses growing and seeking skilled employees.

With the levy passed, bids will be sought for architectural services. Buschur said officials are aiming to have the new building completed by 2019.