Tiffin City Schools asking voters to approve bond issue

Voters in the Tiffin City School district will face a big decision in the March primary election regarding the future of the community’s schools.

According to the district, the 38-year, $44.2 million bond will provide the community the following:

• A new PreK-6th grade building
• The 82 acres of farmland for the new PreK-6th grade building
• Renovation of the middle school building (currently 6th-8th grade) into a junior and senior high school building (7th-12th grade)
• Renovation of the current high school building to keep the auditorium, gymnasium, HVAC, and other areas of the building

The district says the bond would provide for a consolidated educational experience, decreasing the amount of buildings in the district from six to just two. This, the district says, would provide for a safer, more cost efficient, leaner, and smarter school district.

If the local community passes the bond issue, it will grant the district access to additional state funding within the next five years. It will also provide funding to support the next 15-20 years of building maintenance.

The cost to an average homeowner with a $100,000 property value would be $187.25 per year. The current bond issue for the middle school expires in 2023, and its current collection is $65 for a $100,000 home.

The new bond will bring the new net cost to $121.50 beginning in 2024. Senior citizens over the age of 65 can apply for a discount.

Existing buildings will be offered to other educational entities, but if no one wants the buildings, they will be demolished. The cost of demolition is written into the bond.

If the bond issue doesn’t pass, the district says the state may not fund the cost to upgrade current buildings because the cost to upgrade is greater than 66% of the cost to build new.

The school district says they would have to continue investing in buildings that will need to be replaced eventually anyway if the bond issue fails to pass.

The primary election will take place Tuesday, March 17.

Related: What you need to know about the March 17 primary election in Ohio