March 19, 2024 Ballot Issue

Ballot Issue FAQ Videos with Dr. Woodruff

With the ballot issue on March 19, we invite you to check out this series of short video clips that address some of the questions and feedback that came up in November.

Our Greeneview

To the right, you'll find a graphic that symbolizes our work across the district. Whether you look at it from the inside out or the outside in, the Greeneview student remains at the center of it all, surrounded by the strategies we use to support the student both within our buildings and as a district through teaching and learning, facilities, and operations. At the same time, our work within the larger community and our partnerships with parents coincide with our work within the schools to develop a strong school culture. No matter which way you look at it, all of the pieces are better together. It all comes together to form what we've come to know as the "Our Greeneview" plan.

The "Our Greeneview" plan has guided our work not only internally, but externally as well, as we consider the future of both our district and our facilities. Our focus on the Greeneview student has informed the master facility planning process and kept us grounded in our larger vision and goals for the district. The "Our Greeneview" plan has helped us to consider how our organization can grow as a whole and how we can accommodate for improvements in our facilities in a healthy, structured way.

Our Path Forward

The plan above gives a comprehensive overview of what we are looking to do in terms of renovation and construction. The planning process began with conversations regarding our facilities with the greatest need for attention: the field house and the Elementary School.

The current field house near the stadium on North Limestone Street was originally constructed in the 80s, and our programs have outgrown the space. The conditions are inadequate, with heating and cooling challenges and poor ventilation, among other factors.

The current Elementary School first served as our high school when it was built in 1963. In 2002, the building became home to our middle school students after the construction of the current high school on Cottonville Road. After two additions in the mid-2000s, the building was then retrofitted in 2012 and has since served as the home of our youngest students, currently housing grades PreK-3 in what is now Greeneview Elementary School. When it comes to addressing our aging Elementary school, three main areas have guided our decision-making:

Relevant learning spaces -- The building was designed with high school students in mind. We cannot replicate a modern early childhood classroom that will meet the state's standards – with right-sized design, functionality, and the additional space required for collaborative learning – in the current Elementary building.
Cost -- There are significant costs associated with maintaining an older building. Especially in a space that has evolved and changed to serve multiple purposes and audiences over the years, the need lies within the roof, behind the walls, and under the ground in electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems that are costly to maintain as they age. With increased costs, hard-to-find parts, and intensive labor required, patching and repairing the Elementary's infrastructure is no longer cost-effective.
Growth -- Relocating our Greeneview Elementary students to what is currently Greeneview Middle School brings all of our students to Cottonville Road. An addition to Greeneview Middle School addresses the learning needs of early childhood students and meets OFCC state design requirements. Further, should additional spaces be necessary in the future, each of the current campuses on Cottonville Road have the space for continued growth.

The Elementary School and field house have both served our district and community well. However, we want to be good stewards of our resources, which means we have been intentional in developing a plan that is practical: appropriate facilities that maximize each space’s functionality while meeting students’ needs without unnecessary bells and whistles. There is momentum in our district; we already have so much to be proud of and to celebrate. This is our Greeneview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please note: Questions with an asterisk were added upon most recent update.

Greeneview's Ballot Issue

What issue will Greeneview have on the March ballot?

Why is the millage lower now than it was on the November ballot?

When a Resolution of Necessity is passed by the Board of Education, it is then given to the County Auditor in order for them to certify the millage, the tax valuation of the District, and the taxable value for each one hundred thousand dollars of the county auditor’s appraised value of property. The County Auditor has to certify the tax valuation of the School District at the value in effect at the time of the election, which in November, was tax year 2022/collection year 2023 values.

As taxpayers know, there was an extremely large increase in the tax valuation of property in 2023. This increase is effective for collection in 2024, therefore, the increased valuation is
the amount that the County Auditor certified for the upcoming election. Because the tax valuation is higher, the millage needed to raise the same amount of money is less. Therefore, the millage that will be on the March 19, 2024 ballot is 3.99 mills as opposed to the 5.44 mills that was on the ballot in November.

Because of the lower millage, the cost per $100,000 of taxable value is lower as well. For a property valued at $100,000, the annual cost is $140 or $11.67/month.

With the increased property valuations, will the School District bring in more money with this ballot issue?

No. Although a specified millage is included on the ballot for a bond issue, voters are voting on the amount of money to be generated to retire the principal and interest on the debt. The rate is set by the Budget Commission each year to produce the specified amount of revenue. As property values change, the amount of revenue the School District receives does not change. Therefore, the rate is adjusted to bring in the specified amount of money. This rate can go up or down depending on property values.

How much will the ballot issue cost me personally?

Why include athletics in this plan?

Of this plan’s $11.67 per month per $100,000 of appraised home value, approximately 70% of those funds are allocated to academics, with just under 30% of the ballot issue going to the field house and practice fields.

Even then, the spaces within the field house are designed with flexibility in mind to allow for many uses. The meeting room is not just for teams; it could be used to host Board meetings, booster meetings, and other community groups. The auxiliary gym could be used for state testing, assemblies, concerts, marching band rehearsals, or indoor recess. The field house is designed for both school and community use.

Why not renovate or remodel?

Our maintenance and custodial staffs have worked hard to maintain the quality of each of our buildings. Especially for our Elementary building, however, the need lies within the roof, behind the walls, and under the ground in electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems that become costly to maintain as they age, often requiring hard-to-find parts and intensive labor.

Additionally, before the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) will take part in a project, they must conduct an assessment of our buildings. If the renovation costs of a building meet or exceed two-thirds (66 percent) of the cost to build a new building, the OFCC recommends that the building be replaced. When the OFCC assessed our current Elementary school building in 2008, they determined that the renovations required would exceed the two-thirds rule at 69%. In 2022, the renovate/replace ratio was assessed at 83%, meaning that renovations would cost 83% of what it would cost to build a new building of the same size and grades.

Why pursue two buildings on Cottonville instead of maintaining three buildings, with the Elementary where it is now?

The Community Advisory Team, made up of a cross-section of representative stakeholders of the Greeneview Local School District, met from October 2022 to April 2023 to advise the District on community values, priorities, and potential facility options in the master facility planning process. This team discussed many options and nothing was off the table. After considering both two- and three-building options, the Community Advisory Team ultimately found it to be more efficient and cost-effective to have all of our students together in two campuses on Cottonville Road.

What will happen to the spaces on North Limestone Street?

The elementary building will still be needed to house students during the design and construction phases of the project. Full construction of a project can take up to four years to complete from the time a ballot issue is passed. That said, the current Elementary could be used for school purposes, community purposes, or even private use. With anticipated increase in industry and development in the area, it is neither practical nor fiscally responsible for the district to make the decision regarding the spaces on 72 right now. We will monitor enrollment throughout the project and plan accordingly.

Financial

What has the District done to reduce expenses?

To reduce expenses, the District has:

focused on identification of needs to prioritize our work
maximized state and federal grant funds where applicable
maximized staff time and resources
thoughtfully selected district providers and conducted vendor audits
prioritized appropriate, long-term solutions over quick fixes that often end up costing more in the long run
established a proactive and preventative master facility maintenance plan
utilized community resources when available

What will the OFCC fund? What won't they fund?

When will the bonded debt be paid off?

What is the length of the PI levy?

Why is Greeneview pursuing a property tax over an income tax?

School districts that participate in a matching funds program of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commision (OFCC) are permitted by Ohio Revised Code Section 3318.052 (E) to issue bonds backed by an income tax. However, this authority is limited in that the bonds must be for the purpose of the local match ONLY and may only have a maximum term of 23 years, which is significantly shorter than most bonds backed by a property tax.

In order to try and keep the millage as low as possible, the District plans to issue the bonds for 37 years, so an income tax was not an option for Greeneview. In addition, bonds could only be issued for the local share (38%) of the co-funded project with the OFCC and could not include any locally funded initiatives.

How will my monthly payment be affected when the current bonds fall off in December of 2026?

The estimated monthly cost of $11.67 per $100,000 home is for the new bond issue/PI levy and will be in addition to the other taxes that property owners currently pay.

That being said, Greeneview has an old bond issue that will be paid off in December of 2026. The current millage on that debt is 1.69 mills, and it costs roughly $4.93 for a home with an appraised value of $100,000. The District intends to work with our financial advisors and the county auditor to structure the new bond issue in such a way that we pay off the existing debt and use it to lower the millage on the new issue. This, in turn, can possibly lower the cost to taxpayers.

You can think of it like trading in a car when you buy a new one. Trading in your old car helps to keep your payments on the new car lower or equal to your current payments.

Are we currently paying on any other bonds?

Yes. In 1998, the voters in the Greeneview Local School District passed a 5.8 mill bond issue to build the current high school. The bonds were issued in 1999 and refinanced in 2007 and 2017 to save taxpayers over $500,000 over the life of the bond issue.

These bonds will be paid off in December of 2026. The millage rate on these bonds in 2023 was 2.32 mills, which worked out to $6.77 per month per $100,000 home. With the increase in property values, the millage dropped to 1.69 mills, which works out to $4.93 per month per $100,000 home.

The District intends to work with our municipal advisors and bond underwriters to hopefully defer tax collections on the new bond issue until the old bond issue drops off residents' tax bills.

I received a notification from the county auditor that the market value of my property increased from $100,000 to $150,000. This is an increase of 50%. Does that mean I will be paying 50% more in taxes?

No. Taxes do not increase in direct proportion with an increase in property value. The market value of a property is the value that the county auditor thinks your home is worth or can be sold for. The assessed value of a property is the value used to TAX a home. In the State of Ohio, all agricultural and residential property is assessed at a rate of 35%.

Therefore, in the above example, 35% of the home with a new market value of $150,000 is $52,500.

The amount of taxes then depends on how many mills are levied on a property. If the millage is 10 mills (as an example), the gross taxes on the home above would be $52,500 x .010 mills or $525/year.

Click here for a graphic to help calculate your estimated monthly cost for the ballot issue based on the updated assessed value of your home.

*How much revenue would the property tax generate for the district?

*How will the funds be used by the district?

The bond issue funds would be used by the district to pay the yearly principal and interest
payments on the debt. This is the only allowable use of bond levy funds.

The PI levy funds would be used by the district to:

Pay off the yearly principal and interest payments for a Certificate of Participation
debt issue
Capital improvement projects
Maintenance and repairs of school property, and certain equipment items that are designed
to last five years or more. For example, these funds can purchase technology, heating and
air conditioning systems, roofs, or other facility upgrades.
Save for future building needs/projects

*When was the last time the District passed a bond issue or PI levy?

*What was the millage for the last bond issue?

In 1998, the millage for the High School bonds was 5.8 mills when passed. The cost per month per $100,000 home was $16.92 a month. If we look only at the academic spaces on the current bond issue, the cost per month per $100,000 home is $8.17, which is $8.75 less than what was approved in 1998. This is not exactly apples to apples as property valuations and interest rates have also changed over time but is shared to provide context.

*Where does the revenue for Greeneview Schools come from?

*The amount the district receives from the state increased, so why is the district still requesting a new property tax?

Construction/Design

What will the buildings actually look like?

Which grade levels will be in each building?

When will construction begin? How long until it will end?

General

What's the difference between a bond issue and an operating levy?

A bond issue is a fixed sum levy that is intended to produce a specific amount of money over a specified number of years. This money, by law, can be used only for capital costs –building construction and/or renovations – and is used to finance permanent improvements, which is any property or asset having an estimated useful life of five years or more. Think of it like a mortgage for a school building. The funds are deposited into the bond retirement fund of the School District (002), and that fund is used to pay the principal and interest payments as they come due.

An operating levy generates money to support a district's operating costs, such as salaries, educational programs, activities, and more. The purpose of this levy is to finance the operating costs of the District. The funds are deposited into the general fund of the School District (001).

Another type of levy is a Permanent Improvement (PI) levy, which is for capital improvement projects, maintenance and repairs of school property, and certain equipment items that are designed to last five years or more. For example, these funds can purchase technology, heating and air conditioning systems, roofs, or other facility upgrades. The funds are deposited into the PI fund (003).

Can property renters vote in the ballot issue?

Can renters vote if their landlord is the one responsible for paying property taxes?

Can Greeneview residents vote on the ballot issue if they don't have children in the district?

How do I know if my address is within the boundaries of Greeneview Local School District?

March 19, 2024 Ballot Issue: By the Numbers

Ballot Issue Information

Financial FAQ

Master Facility Planning Process: OFCC Partnership

August 17, 2023

In response to the OFCC’s Board approval of funding, the Greeneview Board of Education approved the final resolution for the District to participate in the OFCC program. The approval of this Resolution for Certification of Conditional Approval and Acceptance of Participation in the Classroom Facilities Assistance Program is the final step in the process of having State funds appropriated to co-fund renovations and construction to the current Middle School and High School.

July 20, 2023

June 29, 2023

June 1, 2023

April 20, 2023

The Community Advisory Team presented their master facility plan recommendation to the Greeneview Board of Education, which included the B2 option as well as a new athletic field house and practice fields at Greeneview High School. The B2 plan adds additional classrooms to the Middle School to accommodate grades PreK-4 and an additional academic wing to the current High School to accommodate grades 5-8.

October 2022-April 2023

The Community Advisory Team (CAT) was formed to engage stakeholders in the master facility planning process. This team was made up of a cross-section of community members, including parents and representatives from community, village, township, business, agriculture, industry, social, youth, civic, and religious organizations. The group met six times throughout the year to advise the District on community values, priorities, and potential facility options. The CAT focused on teaching and learning, facilities, and athletic spaces, while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

Winter 2022

Greeneview Local Schools published a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), seeking interested design professionals to submit statements of qualification for a facilities master plan study to review the existing Elementary School and field house. SHP was selected as the design consulting professionals to evaluate facility needs, consult with the OFCC, lead the community engagement process, and ultimately guide the master facility planning process for Greeneview Schools.

Fall 2021-Fall 2022

In the fall of 2021, the District reached out to the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) to inquire about eligibility for funding to complete Segment II of a master facility plan. The OFCC confirmed that Greeneview was on the list of possible recipients and indicated the District would likely be eligible for funding in two to three years. However, when the District reached out again in the fall of 2022, Greeneview was informed that the District would likely receive approval in July of 2023.

2012

Greeneview Local Schools entered into an agreement with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC). The construction of the new Middle School and renovations of Greeneview High School initiated Segment I of the partnership with the OFCC. Participating in the segmenting process ensured that any future segments would be locked in with the OFCC contributing 62% of the cost of the co-funded portion of the project.

Questions?

Have a question that wasn't answered on this page? Email us at ballot@greeneview.org.

Our Schools Today

Greeneview Elementary School

Greeneview Middle School

Greeneview High School

Community Engagement Process

Want to learn more about what the community engagement process looked like with the Community Advisory Team? Click here for more details.

November Ballot Issue

Our page has been updated for the March 19, 2024 ballot issue! Click here to see our November ballot issue page.