Groveport Madison board votes to proceed with $78 million facilities bond; state funding share locked through Nov. 2025

The Groveport Madison Local School District Board of Education on a voice/roll-call vote approved a resolution to proceed with a bond levy to fund the next phase of the district’s facilities master plan, a package the administration and consultants estimated at roughly $78,000,000 including local-funded initiatives.

The vote moves the district toward placing a bond issue on an upcoming ballot to cover segment 2 of the district’s master plan, which consultants described as replacement of middle-school facilities and additions at the high school, plus a local-funded initiatives allowance for inflation protection, higher-tier materials and limited storm-shelter construction.

Consultants from SHP and financial adviser Baird presented a summary of the planning process and financing assumptions. Josh (SHP) said the district had held multiple community meetings, school-based presentations and online updates through the master planning process and noted the district’s prior work with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC). “Segment 1 locked your state and local shares in with the commission at 53 state, 47 local,” he said, adding that the OFCC offer of funding is available to the district until November 2025.

Mark Weekley of Baird described the financing assumptions and the tax impact the board was considering. The board’s underwriters presented an illustrative millage rate of 2.33 mills and an estimated annual cost of $135.54 for a home at the district’s reported average value of $166,200; the packaging provided a table showing costs for other home-value levels. Weekley cautioned that if the district failed to secure voter approval before the OFCC window closes, the state share would be reallocated and the district would become a “lapsed district” required to secure the local share first and wait for state funding to become available later.

Public comment proponents and participants in master planning were noted during the presentation. Edward Copley, a community participant who said he had taken part in meetings and surveys, told the board he had reviewed the district’s email solicitations and facility-survey outreach and encouraged residents to check spam folders and the district’s communications: “I think Groveport's done an excellent job of trying to keep the community involved,” he said.

The board discussed next steps including further review of November voting patterns with the county auditor, setting a communications plan with district staff and the possibility of forming a voluntary campaign committee if the district pursues an active ballot campaign. Consultants recommended continuing detailed design and bond proposition preparation and advised the board on timing and contingencies if the November 2025 OFCC window is missed.

The motion to proceed with the bond levy was moved and seconded and passed on roll call (recorded ayes included Mrs. Gray, Mr. Bauer and other members present). The board had previously adopted the resolution of necessity at an earlier meeting and was now authorizing the next formal step toward a ballot measure.

If voters approve the levy, the district plans to proceed with design and bidding; if the measure fails and the OFCC allocation lapses, consultants said the district would need to secure local funding first and re-enter the state funding queue, with timing and percent shares subject to reallocation by OFCC.