Public Forum Planned To Debate School Bond Issue

The League of Women Voters has scheduled a public forum in September about the $134.8 million bond issue that Cleveland Heights voters will consider in November.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Chapter of the Cuyahoga Area League of Women Voters has scheduled the forum for 7 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Cleveland Heights - University Heights Library on Lee Road.

The League of Women Voters plans to present speakers from the CH-UH School Board, the pro-bond issue group Citizens for Heights Schools and any organization that opposes the bond issue.

The facilities plan seeks to modernize the school district's aging buildings and bring its facilities in line with its student population. The total project is expected to cost more than $230 million and be broken into two phases that involves closing some schools and rehabilitating others.

The levy would raise the vast majority of the cost of the first phase, with the rest coming from private donations and loans.

"Our schools are dated, inefficient, and too expensive to operate," said Patrick Mullen, the chairman of the district's Lay Facilities Committee, which drafted and recommended the plan to the school board. "When it comes to supporting educational programs, they are borderline at best. Teachers and students are doing a good job in spite of these buildings."

The Lay Facilities Committee's recommendation called for closing Noble and Fairfax elementary schools and Wiley Middle School.

Boulevard Elementary School would be rebuilt. The four remaining elementary schools, the two remaining middle schools and the high school would be renovated.

Click here to see the committee's report.

According to the committee report, the $234 million project would take place in two phases: Phase 1 would include the high school and middle school renovations, and Phase 2 — beginning years in the future — would include the elementary school renovations.