"Everybody and their brother is knocking on my door with a levy. I can't afford any more," says Scott McCarty, who opposes the levy. "It's about time we think about our kids. We want better for our students, not what's better for us," said P.T.O. President Mary Beth Hornvak.
The forum began with a video featuring students and teachers complaining about their deteriorating school buildings. "There is a lot of wasted space and a lot of old design that just can't be renovated. We need new space. We need 21st century classrooms," Rossford Schools Superintendent Dr. Susan Lang says in the video.
Rossford Schools are asking for a 37-year, 5.9 mil bond levy that would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $183 a year. It would raise a total of $50 million for the district to build a new high school and middle school at the Glenwood Elementary site.
After that is complete, the district would renovate the football stadium and build one new central elementary school downtown, consolidating down from three. "That's the key. It's a savings plan. That phase two is a savings plan. It's the right move because we're consolidating the elementary, and we're saving 3 or 4 millions dollars a year," says Superintendent Lang.
Some don't like the plan to move the high school and middle school to a campus away from the downtown Rossford area. "You're taking the fabric of the community, moving it from where it is to where you get out, you look one way you see corn fields, the other way you see corn fields," complained Kenneth Gwozbz.
Rossford mom and levy supporter Cynthia Wignall, whose daughter begins kindergarten next year, focuses more on safety concerns. "I don't feel good about putting my child in facilities where there are downright safety hazards," she said. "I am in full support of it. I think it's the best bang for our buck."