To the Editors:

At its July 15, 2014 meeting, the Oberlin School Board voted to place a one mill continuing permanent improvement levy, Issue 3, on the Nov. 4 ballot. If approved, this millage amount will generate approximately $182,000 in additional yearly revenue for the district. The estimated cost on a $100,000 home is approximately $3 per month, or $36 per year. These monies can only be used for expenses that have a life of five years or more (e.g. roof, boiler, doors, textbooks, band and orchestra equipment, sidewalks, parking lots, furniture, etc.).

The reasons for this request are as follows:

(1) The cost of maintaining our buildings has exceeded the amount collected by our current PI funds for the last few years.

(2) Due to the delay in state financial support, our goal of a new K-12 campus by the 2018 school year will not be realized. As a result we will need to maintain our buildings longer than planned.

(3) We are in need of new buses. Two 1997 buses were taken off the road this school year, but only one has been replaced, due to lack of PI funds.

(4) Band and orchestra equipment instruments have suffered from years of deferred maintenance and need upgrading.

(5) A “continuing” (no end date to the levy) request for funds will satisfy the requirement by the Ohio School Facilities Commission to have at least one half mill of continuing PI money on the books to qualify for future state financial support for new school construction.

Therefore, in order to meet both our immediate and future needs, the Oberlin Board of Education has placed a one mill continuing permanent improvement levy on the November ballot.

We ask for your support by voting yes on Issue 3.

–Barry Richard

President, Oberlin School Board