North Ridgeville City School District is hoping third time’s the charm as it again seeks a bond issue in November to fund new school facilities.
The issue will fund construction of a new high school and a transportation and maintenance facility, it said in a news release earlier this week. The district says it’s experiencing overcrowding at buildings across the district, and that a new school will provide a better educational experience for students.
The district’s last two failed bond issue attempts were meant to pay for a new high school and elementary school; this one will not fund the elementary school replacement, meaning a smaller tax burden on voters. Spokesperson Brooke Roshong said a community survey suggested people would support a new high school but were worried about the tax increased involved with "doing both buildings at once."
“We have carefully considered the feedback and concerns expressed by our community members,” Superintendent Roxann Ramsey-Caserio said in the news release. “While we recognize the importance of addressing overcrowding in our elementary school and we would love to update both the elementary and high school facilities, the community has been clear that this is not an option right now. As such, we feel this is the best plan at this point in time.”
The 37-year bond issue, if approved by voters, will cost an additional $18.25 per month per $100 thousand of property value, equaling about $143 million.
The district’s last bond issue attempt in the spring failed by just 23 votes.
The district in the release noted that even with successful passage of the bond issue, North Ridgeville schools will continue to "actively seek solutions to address overcrowding issues" at Liberty Elementary.
North Ridgeville, located on the eastern border of Lorain County, is considered one of the fastest growing cities in Northeast Ohio.
