CANFIELD — City and township voters on Nov. 5 will be asked to support a 3.7-mill, 35-year bond issue to raise nearly $64.2 million, most of which will be used to build a new middle school for grades fifth through eighth.

The levy is broken down to approximately $46.9 million for the new middle school, approximately $3.9 million for an additional 9,500-square foot gym, approximately $1.75 million to abate / demolish the present middle school, and approximately $11.6 million for renovations at the district’s other three buildings — C.H. Campbell Elementary, Hilltop Elementary and the high school.

The bond levy issue began around October 2021.

In that month, a survey finished up with 742 Canfield residents responding. The survey was part of a project to see what direction residents wanted the district to go in future years regarding aging buildings in the district. Out of the survey, 62.3% believed Canfield schools were in poor condition, and 92.5% felt it was time to move forward on a facilities project.

The survey noted C.H. Campbell was built in 1961 and Hilltop Elementary in 1970. The high school was constructed in 1966.

The middle school was a mix of construction with the original section built in 1922 when it served as a high school.

The survey results and aging school buildings saw the board of education pass resolutions to take the first step toward building a new K-8 facility. It also enabled the board to consider a 100-acre site that would permit a new high school down the road, making for a one-campus school district.

On Jan. 12, 2022, the Canfield Board of Education voted to place a 6.9-mill bond levy on the May 3, 2022, ballot. That levy would have brought in $107.8 million for a new K-8 facility to be built on 100 acres of city-owned Red Gate Farm property to the southwest of the city. A real estate transfer agreement and development agreement was made between the school district and the city, with the city receiving the middle school and bus garage property in exchange for a Red Gate Farm 100-acre property. The agreement for the property swap had a time limit of June of 2023. After that month, the whole real estate agreement would be voided.

Following a defeat by 72% on the May ballot, the Board of Education decided to rescind a resolution to place the 6.9-mill bond levy back on the August 2022 ballot.

The board was informed of the top two reasons for the defeat, which were 79% saying the amount was too much, and 66% not wanting a one-campus district in the township. The board felt it was time to take a breather.

On Sept. 28, 2022, the district hosted a kickoff meeting to come up with a new master plan residents could get behind. That meeting was held at Hilltop Elementary School, and over the next three months, meetings were held at each of the district’s other school buildings, ending at the high school for the Dec.7, 2022 meeting. Each of the meetings included a tour of the school building to highlight the problems with the aging structures.

From January through March of 2023, Canfield School Facility plans were formed and the top three were presented to the public at an April 4 open house. From that event and the school’s website, the option chosen included a new K-4 building on the Hilltop property, a new grades 5-8 school at the middle school site, and renovations to the high school.

The cost for the plan was presented at the June 14, 2023, meeting when the board approved placing a 7.5-mill bond levy on the November ballot to raise nearly $105 million.

On Nov. 7, 2023, voters rejected the 7.5-mill levy, this time by just over 60%. The board considered going back on the ballot in May. but decided not to at the Dec. 13 board meeting.

On Feb. 14, the board began the process of coming up with a third new facilities plan. Over the summer, the district also began using the funds it had built up from being fiscally responsible to make repairs at the high school, bring secure vestibules to the elementary buildings, and install air conditioning at C.H. Campbell. With those repairs off the table, the board was able to reduce the original levy amount it would seek by roughly $3 million.

The board came up with a 3.7-mill bond levy that will raise $64,190,000 to appear on the Nov. 5, 2024 ballot. The levy would replace the middle school on the same property, along with an additional gymnasium, renovations to the district’s three other buildings, and covering the demolition of the old middle school once the new one has been opened. The bond levy would be for 35 years and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $10.79 per month.

The amount would not account for the 18% that could come from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. Canfield schools was in line for the grant in 2021, but this year is no longer on the current list. The district could still get the funds, but not up front.

“Eighteen percent is the state share,” said Canfield Superintendent Joe Knoll. “Being an ELPP district, we must put the entire cost of the project up front and then be reimbursed later.”

The ELPP stands for Expedited Local Partnership Program. It is for school districts that are at least two years away from a facilities assistance program. Canfield had lost its place in line when the second levy was turned down, and is now on a waiting list for OFCC funds.

While there is no organized opposition to the levy, some have questioned what has happened this summer with the air conditioners at C.H. Campbell. In 2022, it was stated C.H. could not handle the electrical draw for air conditioning. Over the summer, air conditioning was installed at C.H., causing some to question the 2022 statements.

“I believe the conversation was around rooftop units, which would not have been a viable option given the current state of the building,” said Rachel Muser, community outreach chair for the levy committee. “The emerging popularity and advancement of ductless mini-split systems, has evolved exponentially in recent years and gave the District an alternative option. Mini-split systems require less of an amp-draw and are more energy efficient. They are also more controllable, by zone, to ensure that only areas that need air conditioned are addressed.”

She did say the mini-split systems have an administrative burden to maintain and control multiple systems. Knoll added that C.H. is still not suitable for conventional air conditioning units.

The air conditioning issue is just one of the ideas floating around, bringing a big challenge to Muser and her committee.

“Like some of the past efforts, the biggest challenge has been combating misinformation around the campaign,” she said. “There is a lot of speculation and a lot of opinion circulating, and oftentimes it breeds from assumptions folks make. This is usually not intentional or malicious, but we are working rigorously to ensure that voters understand what is on the ballot, how the requested funding will be allocated, and what the expected financial impact will be to families. After the first two efforts, the administration worked hard to engage the community to best understand what was desired. We feel confident this plan (on the ballot) is one that the community will stand behind.”