Thursday, May 06, 1999
Madison hails win, polishes plan
Levy passages let districts put dreams in gear
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
MADISON TOWNSHIP — The “for sale” sign won't be posted anytime soon at Poasttown Elementary School.
But planning for a new high school, renovation of Madison Local Schools' junior and senior high school buildings and the closing of Poasttown are moving ahead following Tuesday's passage of a 7.97-mill bond issue by only eight votes, out of more than 2,100 cast.
Madison was one of three Butler County school districts whose money issues were approved by voters. Voters in the Hamilton School District passed a 4.4-mill bond issue, 4,359 to 4,118, which will raise $45 million to make improvements at every building in the district.
Ross voters, meanwhile, approved a 4.75-mill operating levy, 1,680 to 609. It will raise $895,000 annually and replaces a 5.7-mill emergency levy that expires at the end of the year.
“All of our facilities will be on one plot of ground when this is done,” said William Caudill, superintendent of the Madison Local Schools. “We're moving right into our strategic planning phase. There are some things we'll be able to do this summer. The renovations will go on while the new high school is being built.”
It was the district's sixth try in the past 30 months to pass a bond issue in this northern Butler County community. The $12.7 million raised by the bond issue will pay for the improvements that will affect every child in the district's three schools. When the new 115,000-square-foot high school for grades 7-12, opens in August 2001, Poasttown will be closed.
The high school will be built on a 27-acre site the board owns adjacent to Madison High School, bringing all students to a single complex.
Students in kindergarten through grade 2 will go to what is now the junior school. Those in grades 4-6 will move to the current high school. Administrators will decide where third-graders will go after studying enrollment numbers in another year or two.
“We really appreciate the support of the staff, students, parents, community and bond issue committee members put into this, especially Tanya Fraley, who coordinated a lot of projects,” Mr. Caudill said.
Hamilton officials say, they too, will begin some projects this year. It is the first time in 43 years district voters have approved a bond issue. It is the first major upgrade of buildings since four schools paid for with the 1956 bond issue opened in 1959, said school spokeswoman Joni Copas.
“We're just tickled for the kids. It's for them,” Mrs. Copas said.
Planning will begin for the classroom additions at Cleve land, Monroe and Hayes elementary schools, Hamilton High School, Wilson Junior High and the McKinley Kindergarten Center. About 30 classrooms will be added along with upgrades at all the schools. The final number and distribution of classroom additions will be determined this summer.
“It is truly the pressing needs — the roofs, the windows, the boilers — this will pay for. There are no frills,” Mrs. Copas said.
Work on the schools is expected to begin this summer, Mrs. Copas said.
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