The Marysville Exempted Village School District board on Nov. 20 approved several contract and governance items and rejected a proposal to join a statewide legal coalition opposing the EdChoice voucher program.

What passed

- CRA/donation agreement for Marysville South: The board voted to approve a resolution supporting community reinvestment area property tax exemptions and authorizing execution of a donation (pilot) agreement tied to a proposed industrial/data‑center project. Presenters said the pilot payments would yield about $1 million annually to the district (roughly $16.1 million over 15 years) in the example shown; board members emphasized payments depend on project milestones and developer commitment.

- Cell‑tower lease at middle school: The board approved leasing a small parcel at Unnamed Middle School for a cell tower with rental income cited at $1,000 per month plus annual inflation adjustments; the agreement allows up to nine five‑year renewals (potentially 45 years).

- Paving bid recommendation: The board authorized staff to solicit paving bids for Marysville High School as part of the FY27 permanent improvement fund plan.

- Board policies and minutes: The board approved draft minutes from last month’s meeting and adopted policies on second reading.

What failed

- Resolution to join voucher litigation coalition: The board considered a resolution to join the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding and to pay coalition dues ($2 per pupil) aimed at supporting litigation challenging the EdChoice voucher program. After extended debate that divided members on constitutional, fiscal and policy grounds, a roll call vote failed to pass.

Other approvals

- Superintendent action items, HR items and volunteer approvals (one abstention recorded) and a proclamation recognizing Ohio Public Education Appreciation Week were approved.

Board members framed votes as balancing local fiscal responsibility, community expectations and student interests. Several speakers reiterated that revenue from the Marysville South project is not guaranteed and depends on further approvals and development milestones.