BY BERNIE MIXON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NORTH COLLEGE HILL -- The North College Hill Board of Education will have an early-morning session next week to discuss putting a permanent improvement levy on the November ballot.
On Monday, the board voted, 3-2, just one vote shy of the required number, to place a 3.9-mill continuing permanent improvement levy on the ballot to generate funds for building maintenance. The board will meet in special session at 7 a.m. Tuesday at Central Office, 1498 W. Galbraith Road, to discuss the levy and any other business.
To levy a tax, state law requires four yes votes on a five-member board, school officials said. The deadline to place a levy on the November ballot is Aug. 20, the Hamilton County Board of Elections said.
A 3.9-mill permanent improvement levy would raise $450,000 a year. The owner of a home valued at $75,000 would pay $89 in new taxes, school officials said.
"That money could only be used for permanent improvements," said Superintendent Stanley Wernz. "Given the age of the buildings in the district, we would always have that need."
Voters twice rejected recent attempts to pass bond issues for additional classrooms and other improvements, including handicap access. Voters have not approved a school tax increase since 1989. District officials planned to present another bond issue to voters in November but discussed choosing the permanent improvement levy after buying the Goodman Avenue school earlier this summer. Last week, the board held two informational meetings to inform the public on the need for a permanent improvement levy.
The levy could be used for heating, electrical work, emergency lighting, upgrades to the fire alarm system, painting, ceiling work, locker repairs, roofing and exterior site work.
If the levy is set to last just five years, school officials estimated there would not be enough funds to do everything at every building. By making the levy continuing, the projects would have a better chance of being completed, Mr. Wernz said.
"They would do all of the projects eventually, but the board will establish a priority and start addressing them," he said. Those projects could include the exterior envelope of buildings to make sure moisture does not get in. From there, the focus would move to handicap access, as well as site conditions such as parking lot and drainage issues.
