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West Clermont board votes 5-0 to place master facilities plan on May ballot
Summary
The West Clermont School Board voted unanimously to approve a resolution to proceed with a master facilities plan that would build a new intermediate school, reconfigure elementary schools and pursue a local funding package alongside state support from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission.
The West Clermont School Board voted 5-0 on Jan. 13 to approve a resolution to proceed with a master facilities plan and put a local funding measure on the May 2025 ballot.
The plan calls for one new facility on the current middle school campus to serve fifth and sixth grades (intermediate school) and seventh and eighth grades (middle school); a reconfiguration of elementary grades to PK–4; a reduction of elementary schools from seven to six (three with preschool); new or renovated media centers at Clough Pike, Amelia and WT elementary schools; districtwide technology, furniture and safety upgrades; and additions at Clough Pike and WT to balance enrollment. The administration described the local share as a 1.76-mill property tax levy plus a 0.25 earned-income levy; administrators said the earned-income levy would exclude social security, retirement pensions, child support and unemployment compensation.
Board and staff emphasized that the local funds are paired with state assistance through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC). At points in the discussion district staff said OFCC would cover 20% of the project; a board member later referenced OFCC contributing 30% as the district’s expected share was described, and the board said timing with OFCC is urgent. The district will only receive OFCC funds if the local share is presented and accepted according to OFCC timelines, administrators told the board.
Public comment ahead of the vote included resident Rich Glisson of 816 Massachusetts, who urged the board not to seek new taxpayer money now and said the district could find spending cuts. Glisson told the board the district has ‘‘over 50 people ... who are not paying their portion of the employee contributions’’ into state pension funds and estimated the cost to taxpayers at “about $700,000” when contracts that reimburse Medicare and other items for the superintendent and treasurer are included.
Board members described a lengthy community engagement process and said the master facilities plan responds to aging buildings, overcrowding and safety concerns. The administration said the plan will relieve pressure on elementary buildings by moving fifth grade into the intermediate campus and that modular classrooms are only a temporary solution. The board directed that the plan proceed to the ballot so voters can decide in May.
During the meeting board members discussed ballot timing and costs to the district for placing a question on the ballot; a board member said a single ballot placement costs approximately $100,000 and that repeated attempts (three times) would total about $330,000. The superintendent announced town halls to continue public education about the plan; the next district town hall on facilities and finances is scheduled for Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. at Summerside Elementary.
Motion and vote: Board member Rudy moved to approve the resolution to proceed; Chumbley seconded. The board voted 5–0 (Rudy, Chumbley, Sandborn, Spencer, Patton), and the resolution to proceed was approved. The board later recessed into executive session on personnel matters with a separate 5–0 vote.
Why it matters: If voters approve the local funding in May, West Clermont would combine local revenues with OFCC support to build and renovate multiple schools, reshaping grade configurations and affecting taxpayer levies. The board framed the vote as giving the community the choice to approve those investments.
