Brunswick City Schools' Issue 3 fails

BRUNSWICK — The bond issue to build a new Brunswick High School along with other smaller school-related projects failed in Tuesday's general election, according to unofficial election results. Issue 3 was a 3.9-mill bond issue that would have lasted 37 years if it passed. At press time, 118 out of the 121 precincts were reporting. The number of people who voted against the bond was 9,772, or 52.4 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, 8,876 people, or 47.6 percent, voted for the bond. "On behalf of the entire Brunswick City School District, I would like to thank everyone in our community who took the time to vote," Brunswick City Schools Superintendent Jason Niedermeyer said in a statement. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission approved $42 million in funding to build a new high school in the district earlier this year. The purpose of putting the bond issue on the ballot was to raise the local share of the project, which was about $66.7 million. Approximately another $35 million in locally funded initiatives were also included in the issue. If the bond issue had passed, the funding would have gone toward: The demolition of the current Brunswick High School, Towslee Elementary School, Willetts Middle School and the existing maintenance building. Constructing a new high school with features like a 1,000-seat performing arts center, a multipurpose field with synthetic turf, tennis courts and a full-size baseball field. Building a new maintenance facility and board of education office in the area where Willetts Middle School is located. Adding classrooms and making site improvements for traffic patterns at Applewood and Kidder elementary schools. The district was given 13 months to raise the local share by OFCC, and if the district does not raise the local share in that time, Brunswick Schools will be considered a lapsed district, which means that there is no guarantee the state will offer to give funding to the district's projects again. "As we move forward, I am committed to keeping our community informed and updated on our next steps," Niedermeyer said. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.