BAY VILLAGE, Ohio -- Bay Village School District voters will see a permanent improvement levy on the May 6 ballot.
If passed, it will not raise total taxes, school officials note.
The levy would generate funds for building improvements, advanced safety features, technology, textbooks and transportation.
The new levy would combine two current bond issues that are expiring and generate approximately $2.9 million annually without increasing taxes, according to Superintendent Scot Prebles and Treasurer Meghan Rohde.
“(The) key element to the campaign is that there is no increase in taxes,” Prebles emphasized.
“The second bond that we are combining (in the levy) was passed in 2012. So the resources that our board and administration is asking for are similar to what was voted in favor of in 2012,” he said.
“It has already been 13 years that the community has already been paying this level of taxes”, Prebles mentioned noting his appreciation.
The levy is part of the district’s Finance + Facilities for the Future Plan, which aims to extend the lifespan of the district’s buildings, improve safety and security, and provide dedicated resources for capital improvement.
The plan was developed after a year-long strategic planning process and a facility audit conducted by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission.
Rohde stresses that this is a “unique opportunity, almost a once-in-a-lifetime moment.”
“The expiration of two bond levies, over different periods of time, can offer and give so much to our residents without an increase in taxes”.
Prebles communicated his gratitude for the community and what voters already have committed to.
Passage of this levy “would allow us to create the stability in our finances that we would like to have in times that seem a little unstable, with inflation and other uncertainties, with no additional burden on the taxpayer,” he said.
The funds would be used to update safety features in buildings, including entry points; make improvements to natural light by reconfiguring windows; and provide for new technology, textbooks and transportation, with a focus on safety, security and ADA updates.
Bay High School, being the “hub for where so many events take place, will see an upgrade to the media center, as well as new entry points, including the font and back vestibules,” Prebles said.
The levy would also provide annual funding for the maintenance of the district’s facilities and projects outlined in the district’s five-year capital plan, “which is a unique opportunity,” Prebles said.
“Having dedicated resources from this permanent improvement levy will push off (any new) operating levy further into the future.”
The permanent improvement levy funds can only be used for long-term capital investments.
“This is a unique opportunity to invest in the community of Bay Village through improving Bay’s biggest asset -- the schools -- enhancing all lifestyles,” Rohde said.
The Bay Village Board of Education has scheduled several public meetings to answer questions and provide information about the levy.
Residents are encouraged to attend these meetings to learn more about the Finance + Facilities for the Future Plan and the levy.
Future meeting dates and times where all residents are encouraged and welcomed to come and learn more or ask questions are listed in the graphic above.
Read more from the West Shore Sun.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.