By J.T. WHITEHOUSE

Staff writer

CANFIELD — “This is my last time presenting (the bond levy) at a board meeting,” Canfield Schools Superintendent Joe Knoll said at Wednesday’s Board of Education meeting.

He presented a brief slideshow on the 3.7-mill bond levy that will bring in nearly $64.2 million to build a new middle school, tear down the old one, and handle over $11 million in renovations at the district’s other three school buildings.

The presentation included a few points that people have been asking for, including the formula for finding out the cost of the levy.

Knoll said residents would need to go to the Mahoning County auditor’s website and look up their tax information. On that document is a column for the “current value,” which includes market (MKT) land value, CAUV (current agricultural use value) and Market Improved Value. The bottom of the column has a total of those three lines. To calculate the bond levy cost, take the current value total and divide it by $100,000. Take the outcome and multiply it by $10.79 and the answer is the monthly cost of the levy. Multiply that by 12 and the result is the annual amount.

“I was given three great reasons (from residents) to build a new middle school on the present CVMS property,” Knoll said. “One is having the police nearby. Two is having the fire department nearby. Three is having the library nearby, and I heard a fourth that was having a Dairy Queen within walking distance.”

Knoll said he experienced some problems at CVMS, including technology issues. One of the biggest problems comes from one of the school’s three boilers.

“We have a boiler causing me grief right now,” he said. “It’s old and we can’t get parts for it, and we have cold weather coming.”

On a brighter note, Knoll said the Canfield school district is the only district in Mahoning County to have a five-star rating on the 2023-24 state report card. The district earned five stars in achievement, graduation rate and gap closing, with four stars in progress and early literacy. Knoll said it’s the best a district can do, but there is still room for improvement.

Canfield Board of Education President Nader Atway said it is a great honor, but a few are questioning why a five-star district needs a bond levy.

“We need to contact people and try to reach everyone,” Atway said.

On a different issue, Atway said the board still needs to have a discussion on whether to join the lawsuit over school vouchers in Ohio. He said there is no time limit to join the lawsuit, and the subject can be addressed at a future board meeting.