Bexley schools propose $115 million facilities package, board to consider recommendation March 11

BEXLEY — Bexley City Schools Superintendent Dr. Jason Fine on Tuesday presented a recommended Phase 1 facilities package totaling about $115,000,000 that would build a new standalone middle school, fund systemwide capital improvements and add turf at two elementary campuses.

"We believe that a new middle school needs to be built," Dr. Fine said, describing capacity strains, interior classrooms that lack natural light and the district’s goal to reduce disruption that a long renovation would cause. He said the middle-school portion would represent roughly 71% of the estimated cost.

The proposal would site the new middle school on the Cassingham softball field to free interior space in the current complex, add a standalone gym and cafeteria, and pursue safety and accessibility upgrades across campuses. Dr. Fine argued new construction would be faster and less disruptive than an in-place renovation, which could take five to six years and require temporary classroom "pods." "If we renovate while our students are learning, it will take up to 5 to 6 years," he said.

Kyle Smith, the district treasurer (appearing in a recorded message), said no final funding decisions had been made and described a hybrid funding scenario under consideration: a 2-mill property tax combined with a 0.5% income tax. Smith estimated that a half-percent income tax would equal about $500 per year for every $100,000 in modified adjusted gross income, and that a 2-mill property tax would equal about $70 per year for every $100,000 in home market value. He noted the district’s existing 2.05-mill bond will expire in 2027, which would offset part of the property-tax impact.

Dr. Fine said the board has received extensive community input through dozens of meetings and a combined facilities-and-finance committee. He emphasized community control of the design process and said architects would launch a one-year design phase only if voters approved a November ballot measure; that timetable would aim to break ground in 2028 with a potential 2030 opening.

Board action is expected: "That recommendation has gone to the board. The board will likely take action on that at the next meeting, which is scheduled March 11," Dr. Fine said.

The presentation included alternatives the district considered — building up on the current site, temporary classrooms and off-site options — and cited architectural and financial analyses that favored new construction. Dr. Fine also detailed trade-offs the community raised, including the loss of some play space if the softball field is repurposed, and said the district is exploring design options to recapture green space (including rooftop/third-floor green areas in renderings).

What’s next: the board’s March 11 meeting is the next formal decision point. If the board advances a ballot measure, the district plans broad community focus groups and a yearlong design process before bidding construction contracts.