Middle School Plan: Full Speed Ahead

Board agrees to pursue bond issue and new building despite obstacles

The Strongsville Patch

By Debbie Palmer

School Board members agreed Tuesday night to move ahead with a plan to build a new middle school even though a consultant warned there could be game-changing obstacles ahead.

Craig Kertesz of Ruscilli Construction said the building, parking lot and athletic fields may not all fit on the 17-acre site the district owns near the high school.

He cautioned that the 4.91 acres of wetlands on the site could be costly to mitigate -- and take up to a year to win approvals.

And he said he doubts the district could get the new building open 2015, as hoped.

"I believe you're looking at the winter of 2016 before this building is done," Kertesz said.

But school board members unanimously said the district should nonetheless pursue the idea as aggressively as possible to get a bond issue -- it's currently estimated at $72 million -- on the November ballot.

"I want the ball to go forward. Keep it moving," board member Ruth Brickley said at a special work session Tuesday night.

"Press the pedal to the metal. I'm all for moving forward," agreed board member Jennifer Sinisgalli.

Board member Carl Naso and Ward 3 City Councilman Jim Carbone earlier this month pitched the idea of building a new middle school as a way to replace the aging Center and Albion schools and also save money by consolidating two buildings into one.

The plan, as proposed, also includes bringing sixth-graders into the middle school to allow one of the seven elementary schools to close.

The goal is to save enough money to offset the need for another operating levy in a few years.

The bond issue would replace another issue that is being paid off, so the average homeowner would only see his taxes increase about $12 a year.

"This has to happen now," Carbone said at Tuesday's work session. "There's a buzz in the community. There's energy. If we don't do this now, it's never going to happen."

Next step is to bring on a project manager who would agree to serve on a voluntary basis until the November vote.

The district also has to find at least $50,000 to handle the wetlands issues and bore for soil samples to see if the site is buildable.

But even if it isn't, "we have other options" for sites, Carbone said.

Board members said nothing is set in stone yet, although Naso said he believes consolidating schools is at the heart of the matter.

"This is a plan for consolidation because consolidation drives savings," he said.

In addition to Kertesz, Roger Riachi, president of RFC Contracting, and Marc Bittinger of CBLH Design both attended the meeting to offer free advice to board members on how to proceed.

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Plan to Build New Middle School Unveiled

Councilman, school board member announce idea to construct new building next to high school, ultimately save money for district.

By Debbie Palmer | Email the author

Two City Councilmen and school board member have unveiled a proposal to build a new middle school next to Strongsville High School -- a plan they say would bring much-needed improvements to buildings throughout the district and ultimately save money.

Ward 3 Councilman Jim Carbone, Ward 2 Councilman Matt Schonhut and board member Carl Naso want to put a bond issue on the November ballot to build a new middle school that would replace Center and Albion.

"I graduated in 1991 and I remember how bad Center was then," Carbone said. "And 21 years later, it's still bad."

The $72 million bond issue would include $55 million for a middle school, plus $12 million for improvements to the high school and $5 million for upgrades to elementary schools.
Just as important, it could offset the need for a new operating levy in two or three years, when forecasts show the district slipping back into red ink.

"This is a long-term plan to stem some of that red ink," Naso said. "I don't want to put up another operating levy in a couple years."

Carbone said the new middle school, which would likely be built on land the district already owns, could house 6th, 7th and 8th-graders, which would allow the district to also consolidate some elementary schools.
He estimates the savings in building maintenance, utilities and transportation at $1.5 to $2.5 million a year.
The district saved $1 million by closing Allen Elementary School, Naso said.

And while $72 million sounds like a lot, Carbone and Naso said homeowners would actually see a property tax increase of only about $8.42 a year per $100,000 of home valuation.

That's because other bonds are expiring. By 2014, $74.11 a year will go off the books.

Replacing those with the new bond issue, at $82.53 a year, means taxes would go up only $8.42 a year per $100,000 in home value.

"When I was campaigning, I kept hearing complaints about the school buildings," Carbone said. "People said they want us to pass levies, but we have nothing to show for it."

Other points of the plan:
• Technology -- Some of the money would go toward upgrading technology in all the schools. "You see classes still using projectors," Carbone said.

• Schools could sell property -- The district stands to make money if it sells the Center and Albion sites, as well as other land if elementary schools are consolidated.

• Bond issues pay for buildings, not operations -- Money from bond issues can only be used for hard assets like new buildings, repairs and permanent improvements, not for salaries or other operating costs.

• Boost for community -- The proponents say improving the school buildings would increase property values and help Strongsville market the city to new businesses. "It's a real face lift for the community," Carbone said.

Naso emphasized the plan is preliminary and much of it -- from the location of the new middle school, the price tag and the idea of putting 6th-graders in the new building -- could change.

"It's not the only option," he said. "But we can't keep putting millions into new roofs."

The school board is planning to meet on April 17 to discuss the idea again.