Nordonia puts new schools on hold after voters reject bond issue

April Helms, Akron Beacon Journal
·2 min read
Around 200 students, roughly a third of the students at Nordonia Middle School, fill the cafeteria at the school. The Nordonia Hills City Schools had a bond issue on the ballot that would have generated $165 million over 37 years to replace the district's six school buildings with three new buildings. About 60% of the district's voters voted against the issue. School officials said they would reevaluate the district's plans.

The Nordonia Hills City Schools' plans for new school buildings have been put on hold.

Voters in the school district overwhelmingly rejected Issue 5, a 7.75-mill, 37-year bond issue that would have generated $165 million over 37 years.

According to final but unofficial results from the Summit County Board of Elections office, 6,213 voted for the bond issue, or 409%, and 9,482 voted against, or 60%.

"I am grateful the board gave the community the opportunity to voice their opinion, and I am grateful for the feedback the voters gave," said Superintendent Joe Clark. "It was clear they did not like the master plan that was developed by our steering committee."

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The district had planned to consolidate its six present structures with three new schools.

The district still needs to address the issues with its facilities, Clark said. The buildings are among the oldest in the area, ranging from 52 to 106 years.

"I expect the board will soon begin discussing where they go next, be it another try for this plan, a modified plan, or something entirely different," Clark said. "Doing nothing is not an option."

If the bond issue had passed, the annual cost to homeowners would have been $271 for each $100,000 of valuation.

School Board President Liz McKinley said the current economy may have played a factor in voters rejecting the bond issue.

"It was important for residents to have the opportunity to make this important decision," she said. "I understand that the current economic climate has made this a very difficult choice. Unfortunately, the issues the school district faces due to aging facilities do not go away with a no vote. We will need to go back to the facilities committee to determine the next steps that our community will have to decide. As always, we will continue to provide Nordonia students the absolute best education with the resources that we have."

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Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Nordonia Hills shelves plan for new schools after voters reject levy