Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Bond Issue topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kettering board outlines $222 million bond proposal, says county corrected ballot-language error
Summary
Treasurer Blevins told the board the May 5 bond would ask voters to approve a 5.93‑mill levy estimated to raise $222 million for a new middle school, high‑school wing and elementary upgrades; a county elections printing error on early ballots was acknowledged and corrected by the Montgomery County Board of Elections, the board said.
Treasurer Blevins presented the district's proposal for a 5.93‑mill bond on the May 5 ballot that he said would raise roughly $222,000,000 to fund a new middle school, a new academic wing at the high school and infrastructure updates at elementary schools.
"Kettering City School District will have a 5.93 mil bond issue on the 05/05/2026 ballot. This issue would raise $222,000,000 for the construction of the new middle school, new academic wing of the high school, and provide infrastructure updates to the elementary building," Treasurer Blevins said, explaining the district is presenting the project in two segments and that bond proceeds cannot be used for daily operations such as salaries or curriculum purchases.
Blevins said the district is pursuing a partnership with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) that could cover about 43% of new construction costs (about $159,000,000, as described during the presentation). He noted the homeowner cost estimate on district materials was shown as $17.47 per $100,000 of home value and that a revised estimate is closer to $17.30 per $100,000, subject to changes in home values.
The board also addressed an unrelated but time‑sensitive matter involving early ballots for the same election. "We did not ask for any language to be modified," Board Member Henderson said, explaining that the Montgomery County Board of Elections notified district officials that some early ballots had incorrect language. Henderson said the elections board acknowledged the error, issued corrected ballots or replacements to affected voters, and held a press conference to explain the steps taken to remedy the mistake. Treasurer Blevins and Board Member McCarty Stewart attended the elections board press conference, he added.
Blevins walked trustees through financial context for the bond, saying the district has roughly $350,000,000 in identified renovation needs that would be addressed differently if the OFCC partnership is not available: faster consolidation and use of some operating funds could be required, he said. He stressed the difference between bond proceeds (capital only) and general‑fund revenue and described a two‑stage plan in which a later, second bond could be structured as a "no new tax increase" ask because older debt will have been retired.
Board members took no final, binding vote on the bond at the meeting; they approved routine consent items and schedules and proceeded to the next agenda items. The board then moved into executive session on separate matters later in the evening.
The board is scheduled to meet again for regular sessions in May and June; the bond will appear on the May 5 ballot and the district has published materials online explaining the proposal.
