City Council On Bond Levy: School District Must Work Hard To Convince Voters

School officials have a big job convincing voters to support a $134.8 million bond issue needed to renovate the district's school buildings.

District officials say they understand this, but during a meeting Thursday city council members emphasized that the levy campaign must emphasize how much these projects are needed.

"You say the community understands the need for this," said Vice Mayor Dennis Wilcox. "I’m not sure they do. I think that issue of need really has to be sold hard. This is going to be the biggest ask we’ve ever had in this district."

Thursday's meeting was designed for the Cleveland Heights - University Heights School Board to get feedback from the Cleveland Heights City Council on the facilities plan, a $230 million plan to rehabilitate the school district's aging buildings.

City Council members provided questions and comments on a variety of issues,  including the school district's use of its under-utilized existing buildings, especially Millikin School, and how to partner with the larger community, including residents who don't have children in the school district or send their kids to private school.

"I often look at you as looking at your mission as educating the children that come to the schools," said Councilwoman Bonnie Caplan. "I think you also need to look at the community at large. People move into a community because of the schools. I often feel you don't think about the community as a whole."

The bond levy is expected to cost property owners $183 per $100,000 tax value. District and facilities committee officials say they understand the challenge.

"I understand we’re asking people to take money out of their pockets," said Patrick Mullen with the facilities committee. "We’re asking a lot of our community."

But school officials believe the projects are needed now to help improve the educational outcomes for students and be better financial stewards by eliminating the money drain of ongoing maintenance costs for old buildings.

Earlier this month, the school board unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday to send a $134.8 million bond issue to the voters in November. The final vote will be held July 2.

If the voters approve the bond issue in November, the proceeds would largely pay for the first phase of the district's facilities plan.

The facilities plan seeks to modernize the school district's aging buildings and bring its facilities in line with its student population. The total project is expected to cost more than $230 million and be broken into two phases that involves closing some schools and rehabilitating others.

The levy would raise the vast majority of the cost of the first phase, with the rest coming from private donations and loans.

Cleveland Heights High School and the middle schools would be rehabilitated in the first phase. The elementary schools would be handled in the second phase, which would cost an additional $80 million and occur at least five years down the road.

The Lay Facilities Committee's recommendation called for closing Noble and Fairfax elementary schools and Wiley Middle School.

Boulevard Elementary School would be rebuilt. The four remaining elementary schools, the two remaining middle schools and the high school would be renovated.

Click here to see the committee's report.