Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

I am trying to piece together Wes Monhollen's comments from different papers. There's too much to paste in here so can someone help me out if I am getting what he or they are saying?

Apparently if the board modifies its 10-year plan we will be elibigle for 50% matching state funds for building construction in (help here) 2 years or 3 years. So then if we passed a $60 million levy we would in fact get a matching $30 million from the state and have $90 million towards construction.

They are talking about split sessions probably (help me out here) next year of the year after.

So potentially we face (help me out here) only one year of split sessions before we qualify for the matching funds. No wait, it takes 2 years to build the schools so we are looking at only three years of split sessions or other accommodations until we get a 50% bonus bang for the buck.

Sort of like the old adage of some short term pain for long term gain.

Thanks Wes for halping me see the light on my vote next month!

Some Answers

I'm not on the school board, but here's my understanding based on articles in the local papers.

Under the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission, Pickerington will be eligible for a 50% match of school funds once they spend $80 million on school construction. The facilities master plan needs to be approved by OSFC before any money can count towards the $80 million. If the bond issue passes and the master plan is approved by OSFC, then the $60 million of the bond issue will count towards the $80 million, and the PLSD needs to spend another $20 million in the next ten years.

The matching funds can come in 2,3 or 4 years, depending on how quickly OSFC goes through the list of schools that are due to receive funds and are in line ahead of the PLSD.

I'm not sure what happens if/when the school receives matching funds. I assume the funds will go towards paying down the bond on the new schools, but that's actually a good question. I'll find out.

The split session plan will only go into effect if the bond issue fails. There are actually many different possible scenarios for housing students if the bond issue fails, and no decision has been made yet.

If the bond issue passes, they will deal with the overcrowded schools as best they can, knowing that it is only temporary and the needed schools will be built.

I inferred from your posting that you intend to vote against the bond issue. I hope you reconsider. As I said, I'm not on the board. I hold no elected office. I am simply a resident and a parent who hopes the community comes together in November to do what's best for the education of our kids.

Here's my favorite Wes Monhollen quote - ''This community is at a crossroads. What it does is what it says about the kind of community we have. The community that doesn?’t take care of its youth and doesn?’t educate them for the future isn?’t much of a community.?”


By Resident and Parent

Thanks!

Thank you R&P. It is easy to see you are not on the school board based on your reponse. You didn't try to belittle me for my comments nor did you tell me I was stupid for thinking about voting against it.

I won't post my reasons for voting for or against it as I have before. I remain committed to my vote and the reasons for it and eveytime I bring it up here, it spurs a repitituous barrage of the same old stuff. I've heard enough of it.

Classy

This whole conversation is classy. R & P gets it...the original poster wanted input. R & P gave it.

Allow me to explain my vote. I'm a yes. The schools did not create this situation; the city and township did. The people that sold farms did. The problems will not go away - they will only magnify if we wait.

I do not want to become South Reynoldsburg. Look what working on the cheap did for them.