Yellow Springs school buildings, especially the one for 7-12 grades, do not meet the district needs, school officials said. The board said both a state and a private contractor said the buildings have problems.
“As time elapses, the buildings don’t get better,” Holden said.
In 2018, then Yellow Springs Village Schools superintendent Mario Basora, who is now the superintendent for Huber Heights schools, told the Dayton Daily News that the buildings in the district date back to 1962. Toxic materials are in the buildings and the school uses a set of trailers in the back of the middle school, he said.
Other problems include not having an automatic fire suppression system, noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, asbestos remediation and issues with the roof, along with other safety and security concerns.
In May 2018, Yellow Springs voters were presented with a 0.25% income tax increase and a 4.7 mill, 37-year bond issue for improvements and replacements to the middle and high schools. Both failed.
The buildings have not been updated and many of the issues with them remain, according to school officials.
The school board will continue discussions, but Emrick proposed several options for a bond issue, including a combination of income tax and property tax, or a property tax. The goal is to present information to the community in early 2021 and make a ballot request in November.
The most expensive proposed bond, using just a property tax, would be for 9.37 mills and would cost a homeowner of a $200,000 home an estimated $655.74 per year in taxes, Emrick said during the board meeting.
The school board said they would be holding public comment periods and open meetings beginning in January to discuss the cost of the buildings.
Holden said if the schools chose to build one building to house all students in the Yellow Springs district, that would meet the district’s needs.
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