Thursday, February 03, 2000
Monroe looking at school bond
Regardless of split, building repairs or replacement ahead
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
MONROE — An $11 million budget for the proposed Monroe school district does not include dollars to upgrade or replace Lemon-Monroe High School, meaning a bond issue is likely in the future.
But there is adequate money to run the district, provided residents renew operating levies as they come due, said Steve Campbell, who chairs the Finance Committee.
“We'll be able to operate our own school system with what we have right now,” Mr. Campbell said. “We all know eventually there's going to be a bond issue, whether we stay together or split.”
Mr. Campbell's comments came Tuesday evening during a 75-minute presentation out lining how the new school district would be organized and staffed if Monroe residents vote March 7 to form their own school district by splitting from the Middletown/Monroe Schools. There will be a series of community forums closer to the primary date.
A 1998 report to the Middletown/Monroe Board of Education estimated it would take $11.4 million to improve Lemon-Monroe High School.
In the presentation, it was recommended that an architectural/engineering firm be hired to develop a master plan for use of the existing school site and to develop a master plan for a new high school campus. Officials from the city of Monroe should be consulted so that community facilities could be included in a master plan.
Aside from needing a bond issue to repair or replace Lemon-Monroe High and upgrade the elementary school, the new district's income would be adequate to fund existing programs, and proposed staffing for the next three years — which is as far as the Finance Committee projected figures, Mr. Campbell said.
In a comparison of 24 Ohio school districts with enrollments of 1,500 to 1,600 — the new district's enrollment is estimated at 1,572 — the average per-pupil revenue is $6,005. The average revenue for the 17 school districts in Butler and Warren counties is $5,620.
Under the proposed budget, Monroe would receive $6,882 per student.
Included in that is money for pro grams and staffing — which is expected to remain stable for grades 7-12 but increase at the elementary level by six teachers in 2000, three in 2001 and two in 2002. Projections do factor in projected income from new housing that is expected — 1,500 new homes are in the works now in Monroe.
“There's nothing hidden,” Mr. Campbell said. “When we weren't sure ... we used lowest revenue and highest expenditures.”
Parent Janice King said she likes the plan, but has some concerns — such as whether teachers and bus drivers would change, about raising graduation requirements, and about younger children who live in Middletown but are in the attendance area for Monroe Schools. The proposed district's open-enrollment policy applies only to high school students.
“On paper, it all looks good. I hope we haven't bitten off more than we can chew,” Mrs. King said. “I know you can't please all the people all the time.”
Ed West, who attended Monroe Schools before they were merged with the Middletown Schools four decades ago, said he's in favor of the split.
“I hope we go back to Monroe Schools. That way we can control what's going on,” Mr. West said. “I thought the presentation was very good and gave us information to go on.”
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