West Cleveland News

The Avon Lake City School District Board of Education plans to vote on a resolution to proceed with a $170 million, 37-year bond issue for the district's Building ALegacy project. This significant move is aimed at upgrading and expanding educational facilities within the district.

Delving into the details of their plan,the board held a special meeting in Columbus on Nov. 12 when they were attending the Ohio School Boards Association annual Capital Conference and Trade Show, according to an Avon Lake City School district press release. They passed a Resolution of Necessity to put a bond issue on the March 19, 2024, primary ballot.

Moving forward with this agenda,the bond issue would fund the construction of new PK-5 elementary schools at the Troy and Eastview sites, according to an Avon Lake City School district press release. It also would fund a new 6-8 middle school at the Learwood site and make improvements to Avon Lake High School. The board had to meet a Nov. 20 deadline on the resolution.

To ensure transparency and community engagement in this process,a special board meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 29 at the L.A.K.E. Center at Avon Lake High School, according to an Avon Lake City School district press release. The board will vote on a Resolution to Proceed with Bond Issue, the second stop in the process. They also will hear a presentation by District Treasurer Autumn Reed on the district's five-year forecast. The Lorain County Board of Elections must receive filings of issue by Dec. 20 to appear on the 2024 Primary Election ballot.

Taking into consideration the comprehensive benefits of this project,once construction was completed on the bond issue elements, all PK-8 students would be attending school in new buildings, according to an Avon Lake City School district press release. After the former buildings are vacated, additional athletic fields are planned at the Erieview site and greenspace at Westview. The city of Avon Lake would buy the Redwood site for a senior center and Parks and Recreation Department offices.

In reflecting on past attempts to secure funding,the bond issue on the Nov. 7 ballot was defeated by a small margin, Avon Lake City Schools Superintendent Joelle Magyar said, according to an Avon Lake City School district press release.