BATH TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WLIO) — The Bath School District is asking voters to consider a bond issue that would fund construction of a new high school aimed at modernizing facilities and expanding community use.
Residents in Bath School District will decide on a 5.95-mill bond issue that would support the project. If approved, the measure would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $208 annually, or $17.33 per month in property taxes.
The total cost of the proposed project is estimated at $56 million, with the state expected to cover 29% of the expense. Plans call for the new high school to be built on the site of the former elementary school and include updated features designed to better serve students.
“We're looking at a modern building, some of those modern pieces of having air conditioning, air handlers, just a modern structure. We're going to have something for the band and choir. It'd be an update on the auditorium. it would be a total update for the students. We know that the school is the hub of the township. We really feel like there's something for everybody," says Joel Parker, Treasurer, Bath School District.
Under the proposal, junior high students would relocate to the new high school building, while newer sections of the current middle school would be repurposed for both educational and community activities.
“When you look at the gym space, that could be for senior citizens, for pickleball, it could be youth activities, for practices. We're looking at. It could be walking in the winter. We're excited about some of the pods turned into, maybe like a wrestling room. It could be a cheer room. We're looking at some locker room space really district wide, a better space for the community to use. When we talk about, like I said, working out, walking those types of things,” adds Parker.
District officials say moving forward now is important, noting that construction costs could continue to increase if the project is delayed.
