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SALEM-- The Salem school district is preparing to request funding from the Ohio State Facilities Commission to replace the district's elementary schools with a new Pre-K through eighth grade building.
"We've done our best to repair and maintain our buildings, and our maintenance team has done a very good job, so externally the buildings may still look good, but the renovations really are very needed, and would allow us to offer students a first-class learning environment and additional safety," Superintendent Sean Kirkland said.
Permission to make the request was granted at the Oct. 17 school board meeting, and if approved, the Ohio School Facilities Commission would pay for 66% of construction costs. The remaining 34% would need to be paid with local funds, and the district would retain the option to apply for further funding in the future.
Treasurer Michael Douglas said this application has been in the works for approximately eight years, and he's confident that it will be approved, saying "I'm unaware of any districts that have completed an application and been denied thus far."
Kirkland and Douglas came to the decision that the time was right to apply since the proposed rate of 66% being paid by the state was the highest rate offered in their tenures, and applying now will secure the enormously favorable rate for the district in perpetuity. They felt it placed the community in the best position moving forward. Douglas also noted that Salem was the last district in Columbiana County to apply for funding through the commission.
If approved, the district would have 13 months to secure the necessary $19,515,138 for their share of the $57,397,466 total cost of the project. This time frame would give the district two chances to get a property tax levy passed by taxpayers to cover the local cost.
Douglas explained that such a levy, if passed, would cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 an additional $212.10 in taxes annually, or an additional $17.68 a month or 58 cents per day. Those numbers represent the cost for each $100,000 value of a home, so the tax levy for a home valued at $200,000 would cost twice as much. Douglas also noted that the quality of school buildings has a significant impact on the property value of homes in a municipality.
Kirkland noted that the application was merely the first step of the process, and once approval was granted the interest and opinion of taxpayers would be gauged through future town hall and planning meetings. No decision has been made on where the proposed building would be built. A formal decision from the facilities commission is expected by Jan. 1.
They both indicated the renovation is certainly needed as even the most recent of the district's elementary buildings is experiencing frequent maintenance issues. Reilly Elementary was built in 1928, Buckeye Elementary was built in 1948, and the most recent building, Southeast Elementary was built in 1967.
"Our youngest elementary building is over 50 years old," said Kirkland.
One of the most major continued issues at the three buildings includes the ongoing water pressure issues at Buckeye and Reilly. Kirkland explained that while the maintenance team has done everything possible to keep the systems running properly. As the buildings' water systems age, each repair becomes increasingly difficult and expensive, with 100 feet of piping having to be completely replaced at Buckeye last year, and restrooms having to be closed periodically due to the lack of water pressure.
At Reilly, individual classrooms have had their water shut off due to an inability to access and repair the required piping due to it being sealed below the building's foundation, and while this does not directly inhibit learning in those classrooms, it is an indicator of serious issues to come.
Kirkland also noted that the district's elementary buildings, while as secure as possible, simply were not built with the safety requirements of a modern school building in mind, and that a new building would not only provide students an improved learning environment, but with increased safety as well.
"Above all we want to provide our students with a 21st century learning experience and environment that is competitive with what is found in other nearby districts," said Kirkland.
mahart@mojonews.com