Bond Issue #24, May 6, 2025: To meet the demands of area growth and rising enrollment, the Groveport Madison Schools Board of Education has approved a bond issue for the May 6, 2025, ballot. This measure is intended to secure funding for necessary improvements and expansions within the school district to accommodate the increasing number of students.

Master Facility Plan: The Master Facility Plan, approved by the Groveport Madison Schools Board of Education on May 20, 2024, will guide the planning/construction of three new middle schools and an addition to Groveport Madison High School.

The three new middle schools will be built, behind the current Middle School South, the current Middle School North, and at a new site on our property on Noe-Bixby Road. This method will allow for no interruptions in the school day for students, no swing spaces to be utilized, and the possibility of simultaneous construction at all three sites.

An operating levy may be used to pay for personnel costs, supplies, materials, contracted services, etc. that are needed to keep our buildings operating. A bond CAN ONLY BE used to make payments toward our debt that is taken out to construct or renovate our buildings. It cannot be used for day-to-day salaries and operations.

Significantly, Bond Issue #24 will cost the homeowner of a $100,000 (Franklin County Auditor appraised value) home 22.3 cents per day — 17 cents daily for taxpayers over 65 (meeting income thresholds).

These funds will generate enough money to build three new middle schools and a small addition to the high school.
 
Below, you will find a chart that will indicate, based on your home's auditor appraised value, how much your daily, weekly, monthly, or annual cost would be.

Source: Ohio Municipal Advisory Council 
 (1) Median Auditor Appraised Value for the District is $166,200 according to the US Census Bureau.
 (2) In order to qualify for the credit, homeowner must be 65 or older and a total household income less than $38,600. This amount varies yearly, so it is recommended those who may qualify contact the County Auditor. If an individual qualifies, they receive a credit up to $26,200 reduction in their home value (not a reduction in millage rate).

The following is taken directly from the Franklin County Board of Elections website:

Notice of Election on Issue of Bonds R.C. 133.18, 3501.11(G) Notice is hereby given that in pursuance of a Resolution of the Board of Education of Groveport Madison Local School District of Groveport, Ohio, passed on the 13th day of January, 2025, there will be submitted to a vote of the people at the Primary/Special Election to be held at the regular places of voting on Tuesday, the 6th day of May, 2025 the question of issuing bonds in the principal amount of seventy-seven million two hundred fifteen thousand dollars ($77,215,000) for the purpose of constructing, improving, furnishing, and equipping three new 5-8 middle schools with related site improvements and appurtenances thereto; constructing, improving, furnishing, and equipping an addition to Groveport Madison High School, with related site improvements and appurtenances thereto; abatement and demolition of existing facilities; improving, renovating, furnishing, and equipping existing facilities; and replacing existing equipment and constructing various permanent improvements school district-wide.

 

The maximum number of years over which the principal of the bonds may be paid is 37 years. The estimated additional average annual property tax levy amounts to $82 for each $100,000 of the county auditor's appraised value, which is 2.33 mills for each $1 of taxable value, in excess of the tax limitation as estimated and certified by the County Auditor. The first calendar year in which the tax is expected to be due is 2026.

The polls for the election will be open at 6:30 a.m. and remain open until 7:30 p.m. on election day.

By order of the Board of Elections, of Franklin County, Ohio.

Doug Preisse, Chair 
Antone White, Director 
Dated 02/14/2025

Bond Issue #24 ballot language includes the phrase "... and replacing existing equipment and constructing various permanent improvements school district-wide." This wording is required by state law to ensure proper use of leftover funds from construction projects. This language serves an important legal and financial purpose.
 
When a school district funds a construction project with bond money, it must carefully budget the costs. If the project ends up costing less than expected, Ohio law requires that any state funds that are part of the leftover money be returned to the state. However, any remaining district funds after that must still be used for permanent improvements within the district. The phrase "constructing various permanent improvements school district-wide" allows districts to legally spend any leftover money on necessary infrastructure updates, such as roof repairs, heating and cooling system upgrades, security improvements, technology enhancements, and other long-term improvements.
 
Broad wording legally permits full use of unspent bond funds on permanent improvements, which are those items having a useful life of five years or more.

Both Middle School North and Middle School South will be scheduled for demolition after the new buildings are built. Middle School Central will remain under District control. One of the main reasons for this is that Middle School Central houses the cafeteria that serves Groveport Elementary. There will be many new options available to Middle School Central. The District will have the option to use the building as a swing space, if needed. It could also serve as an athletic facility for middle school sports.

This decision will ultimately be up to the Board of Education.

As more houses and other developments are built in the district, the costs to taxpayers will decrease as it will be shared amongst more households and taxpayers. In short, the larger the pie the smaller your slice when it comes to taxes.

Per our latest five-year forecast, we are not anticipating needing a new operating levy in the near future.

None anticipated at this time.

Yes. Such a maneuver can save taxpayers on debt service payments, if interest rates go down.

If the bond issue is approved, we will enter a “do not exceed” contract with our architect and engineers. We have built in an inflation contingency with our bond ask to help protect us from unforeseen cost increases.

The Board of Education will have to decide to make another try at the issue. It can bring forward the same issue or revise it.  Due to capacity issues at some of our buildings, modular units may be necessary to house some of our students.

We will continue to use General Fund dollars to repair and maintain our buildings. However, the longer it takes to pass the more expensive the project will be. For example, if it does not pass on May 6, our district will have one more try in November to pass it and take advantage of the state funding that would account for 53% of the project cost. This cost will also come from our General Fund.

K-12 enrollment at Groveport Madison Schools is currently just over 6,300 students. All three middle schools are at capacity for best practices.

Over the next 10 years, our school district is projected to grow by over 620 students (Pre-K – 12) according to two studies that were done by Cropper GIS and Future Think.

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) and a firm called Future Think. They both had similar numbers.

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) states we had in FY2015 there were 5,621 students.

While the new middle schools will house grades 5-8, fifth grade students will have very minimal interactions with eighth grade students as the school will feature a 5/6 grade wing and a 7/8 grade wing.

We will continue to use the classroom space we have to the best of our ability. If we continue to grow, we will have to buy more modular buildings.