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GSD organizes for
November Levy Campaign
By Bob Robinson
“We want people to know the good and the bad,” said Greenville resident
Bob Rhoades who, along with Greenville Schools Asst. Supt. Jon McGreevy
and Supt. Susie Riegle, will be planning the District’s levy campaign
this fall.
The District held a kick-off meeting with local media Tuesday to
solicit their advice on how to provide information to voters about the
planned levy to put a K-8 facility on North Ohio Street.
Rhoades stressed this was not an attempt to get the media behind the
levy; rather it was to request thoughts on the best way to get
information to the public.
“There is lots of misinformation out there,” Rhoades said, noting what
has often been said on local blogs and letters to the editor.
“It was good, though, that there were also responses from people who
actually have good information about the issue,” he added.
Following the recent defeat for a new facility (February special
election: For - 2279; Against - 2948), a committee of individuals from
all of the voting districts began meeting to determine a new direction.
The consensus of the group was for a two-story building, K-8 facility
on North Ohio Street. The estimated cost is $44,379,000. State share:
$18,519,000. District share: $27,779,000. The state share will include
the cost of renovating the current high school and demolishing East,
South and Woodland Heights.
Final language for the ballot issue in November will be posted soon.
A media handout indicated there will be Q&A information plus school
history and tutorials on what the levies pay for and how the school
system works.
“We are dealing with a one-shot deal here with the State Department of
Education and can’t afford mix-ups or bad information going out.”
Upgrading the high school could include new bleachers and gym floor,
energy efficient windows, security issues, a larger cafeteria and air
conditioning. The planned K-8 building will use the latest
energy-efficient technology available for cost-efficient operation.
“Right now, our cost of operation for the old facilities is between
$1.60 and $1.70 a square foot,” said McGreevy. Energy-efficient
operation can reduce that cost to as little as 60 cents a square foot.
Rhoades noted that the huge savings in operations would make the
current operating levy sufficient to meet District needs into the
foreseeable future.
Other concerns the District hopes to address throughout the campaign
include the perceived lack of maintenance (the fact that we have a
100-year-old building still in operation has to say something about the
money we have put into maintenance) and high administrative expenses
(we lost a good administrator to a smaller local school district that
is paying more than we can afford to pay).
McGreevy said that South, East and Woodland have problems with heating
(old piping and some boilers), asbestos, lack of insulation, old wiring
and distribution panels, leaking piping as well as some lead piping.
“With the constant repairs we have to make each year, we are throwing
good money after bad,” he said.
McGreevy added that the electrical problems in these buildings are also
“huge.” Repairs are more expensive because many needed parts are no
longer available.
It should be noted that this is money that could be better used in
other areas of the budget and the expenses could possibly require
future additional funding if not addressed now.
Aaron and Betsy Ward will be chairpersons of the Promotions Committee.
Funding for the campaign is coming from donors through the Citizens for
Quality Greenville Schools.
Rhoades has a blog that provides continual updated information on the
District and the areas it serves throughout the county. It can be
accessed here.
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