Fort levy on ballot Tuesday

FORT RECOVERY — Tuesday’s election isn’t just about incumbents and challengers, Republicans and Democrats.
Voters in Fort Recovery will also be deciding whether to build a new high school addition to the pre-kindergarten through grade eight building.
The state of Ohio is offering more than half the cost of the project, but a local property tax levy would come up with the balance.
And that levy is subject to voters’ approval on Election Day.
The issue on the ballot calls for a 4.4 mill levy to fund the local share of the construction cost. School corporation officials have estimated that would translate into an estimated cost per year of $134.75 on a home with a market value of $100,000.
Under the plan to be weighed by voters:
•The Ohio School Facilities Commission would provide $5.52 million from the state’s tobacco settlement money.
•Local property taxes would provide $5.34 million.
•An addition of 47,000 square feet would be constructed on the east side of the current building, running parallel to the elementary and middle school wings.
•The 1935, 1953, and 1960 portions of the high school would be razed.
•Four classrooms in the elementary school wing would be re-purposed to create two science labs and two special education rooms.
•Two new elementary school classrooms would be added to the grade three through six wing.
•Fort Site Gym, the commons, and the current vocational agriculture area would be preserved. But the gym would be used for after-school events, not physical education classes. Vo-ag classes would be in the new addition, and the old space would be re-purposed, perhaps as a weight room or fitness center.
•The current kitchen would be re-worked to handle larger student capacity.
The board took a long look at renovating the current high school building, but if OSFC dollars are accepted for renovation the work has to be done to OSFC standards, which would actually make it more expensive than building new.
The proposal would result in 20,000 fewer square feet than the school system currently has under roof due to the elimination of some classrooms. That would result in reduced heating and cooling costs.
The new addition would also be built to higher energy efficiency standards.
If approved by the voters, the project would be turned over to Garmann/Miller Architects and Engineers of Minster to develop plans.
Construction would be likely to start early in 2012 with completion expected early in 2014 and the old buildings demolished later that year.[[In-content Ad]]