Superintendent Paul Jones opened the meeting at the Palace gym at the Wayne Trace High School on October 3. A tax bond is being put on the fall ballot 2024 asking the voters to approve or deny the new tax at a rate of 4.91 mills for 30 years. The project is very encompassing to include a very large paved parking lot (removing the practice fields to the north), a Wellness Center, a new administration sections, and auditorium and several other deficiencies to be corrected on the main campus. The cost is pegged at around $30 million.
The bond, if passed by voters, should generate $33,000,000. If this passes, it will lower the revenue of the alternative energy (windmills, solar, etc) other entities, such as the townships, that take from the “pie” as that is divided up based upon the total levies from the total. The amounts are not calculated until after the election due to not knowing which the voters will pass or not, as there are many variables.
Mr. Jones explained why the school board wanted this and why they believe the need is there. It was stated several times by the board that they were “bursting at the seams”. It was noted by others in the bleachers that attendance is significantly less than in decades past. Jones replied that there are more specialized student needs than previous generations had.
There was no one who was opposed to making the school better, though some responses were opposed to an all or nothing approach to the proposed bond plan. The disagreements at the meeting stemmed from factors that made the different projects combined into an all encompassing package rather than in steps of smaller amounts that could be more easily be managed and paid off. Or some thought that a Wellness Center wasn’t needed why include this?
The annual school budget for this next fiscal year is about $25 million according to district treasurer, Lori Davis. The student population of all three campuses is 976.
Total Project: $30,286,453.00; Wayne Trace Board of Education Capital Project Fund: -$2,000,000.00; State of Ohio Career Tech Grant: -$1,600,000.00; Amount to be financed: $26,686,453.00; Wayne Trace Board of Education; Allocation of current/future: Renewable Energy Funds -$8,000,000.00; Bond Issue 4.91 mills: $18,686,453.00.
*For every $100,000. of appraised value, you would pay $171.85 annually for 30 years – In addition the other taxes already passed in previous years. A person who has $50,000 valuation would pay an additional $85.93 for thirty years. A person with fifty acres and a house valued and a valuation of $1,000,000 would pay an additional $1,718.5 per year for 30 years.
To compare stats the state just released school report cards show the latest high school performance evaluations for Paulding County have Antwerp leading at 4.5, Wayne Trace at 3.5 and Paulding at 3.0. According to the 2024 ODE website the cost per student places Wayne Trace at $18,785, Antwerp at $15,328, and Paulding $14,986. The current enrollment for Wayne Trace district is 976, combining all three campuses. The board of education on the website states they do have one of the lowest millage, but no stats are given.
Visit the school website for the prepared answers to many questions. The first two question/answers are printed here:
Why do we need an auditorium?
Currently there are approximately 274 students enrolled in band, choir, and drama at the Junior High/High School. The music department has grown out of its educational space. By adding new classrooms and an auditorium we are setting up the music department for continued success. The auditorium would be centrally located for our students and community to attend music and drama events just as they do for athletic events.
Why do we need a gym/weight room/wrestling room?
By building a Community Wellness Center, this will allow us to move our weight room and wrestling program out to the Community Wellness Center, freeing up much needed space for educational purposes, such as our STEAM program (this would create 4-5 more classrooms). The gymnasium is a by-product that can be used by the community. The Community Wellness Center will be available for the entire district/community to utilize for health and wellness and family gatherings.
There are many more questions that you may have answered on the website at https://www.waynetrace.org/BoardofEducation.aspx
This information presented is the best we could find in the limited time frame to publish the paper. We apologize for any errors.
