Lorain/Elyria, OH
Midview seeks levy to buy new buses
Midview levy
Issue: No. 10
What: 2.5 mills, general improvement levy for Midview Schools
How long? Five years
Raises how much? $1.2 million annually
Purpose: Building maintenance, grounds, equipment or books that last at least five years
Annual cost to the owner of a $150,000 home: $119 a year
GRAFTON — When the
A whopping 64.9 percent of buses needed repairs.
While most of the deficiencies were minor, the inspection showed what school officials already knew: Their bus fleet is old, and buses need to be replaced on a regular basis, said schools Superintendent Howard Dulmage.
Some buses are more than 20 years old, he said.
If voters approve the new 2.5 mill levy on March 4, the district plans to use a good chunk of the money — $228,000 a year — to buy three new buses each year, he said.
A new bus costs about $76,000, he said.
“The money by law can only be spent for buildings or grounds or equipment or books that last five years or more,” Dulmage said. “It may not be used for salaries or to pay the electric bill.”
The district also needs to update security by installing additional cameras and equipment, and replace textbooks, some of which are as much as nine years old, he said.
The superintendent said the money also would be used for maintenance on school buildings, including the three new elementary schools — East, West and North — which opened in August 2004.
The new schools in the 3,578-student district were built with the assistance of the Ohio School Facilities Commission. Midview is paying off its local share over the next 25 years through a $28 million bond issue.
While the new school buildings aren’t in need of great repair, the levy would help the district keep up on maintenance so little problems don’t become larger problems, Dulmage said.
“The community has $70 million invested in the school buildings and equipment, and we have to keep them up,” he said.
Contact Cindy Leise at 329-7245 or cleise@chroniclet.com.
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The school board wants to pass a levy for new busses. But I have a child in kindergarten who goes to school full days Tuesday and Thursday and every other Friday. With the snow closing today she will only have school one day this week. How much is she learning? My older son went to the same school Mon.-Fri. for five half days. He learned more and retained more of what was taught. Midview is so worried about the dollars they changed the system to remove the middle of the day bussing for kindergarten. Pass the levy to the system back to teaching the children correctly then I will worry about the busses.
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