AVON LAKE — The Avon Lake school district got everything it hoped for Tuesday night.

Voters approved both Issue 26 and Issue 27, paving the way for needed additional classrooms, a new bus garage and renovated football stadium.

Issue 27, a 0.93-mill bond issue for additional classrooms, won by a vote of 4,732 to 3,222, or 59.49 percent to 40.51 percent of the vote, according to unofficial election results. Meanwhile Issue 26, a .39-mill bond issue for a renovated stadium and new bus garage to handle the expected growth of students, won by a razor thin 4,062 to 3,894 margin, or 51.06 percent to 48.94 percent of the vote, according to unofficial election results.

The two projects were offered to voters as separate issues because there was such a desperate need for additional classrooms, district officials didn’t want voters to reject that issue if they felt strongly against renovating the stadium.

“We knew it would be close, and we respect the fact that people have feelings about athletic facilities and we’re empathetic to families with fixed incomes,” said Superintendent Robert Scott, about Issue 26. “But we’re going to make sure we do the very best we can and do everything we can to stretch these tax dollars as far as they can go.”

District officials had been pushing both issues because they said it was the perfect time to build. The district had been offered between $3 million and $7 million in no-or low-interest loans backed by federal stimulus money for its building projects, based on the condition that voters approve the bond issues for those projects.

Due to the struggling economy, rates from construction companies also are expected to be 10 to 12 percent lower than normal, according to the Citizens for Avon Lake Schools campaign committee.

“I think people understand that this is for our future, and it’s a good deal,” Scott said.

The classrooms will be added to the four elementary schools and Learwood Middle School, replacing the modular units some classes have been held in for the past few years after the buildings ran out of space.

Opening day enrollment for the district was 3,836 this year, an increase of 113 students over last year’s opening day enrollment figures and 443 more than in 2004.

The number is expected to reach 4,591 students in eight years, according to the committee.

Matt Lash, 40, said he voted yes on both issues at the urging of his son, a student in the district, even though he knew the issues were coming at a bad time economically.

“I’m kind of for and kind of against it, but it’s probably best for the community,” he said.

The stadium hasn’t been touched in 50 years, Scott said, and the renovations will include additional seating as well as bathrooms to replace the portable toilets on the visitor’s side. The bus garage also is needed to accommodate future students as well as to create less-congested parking lots at the schools, he said.

Issue 26 will last for 28 years and raise about $5.5 million, while Issue 27 will raise $13 million for 28 years.

Contact Adam Wright at 329-7155 or awright@chroniclet.com.

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