For years, the district has performed regular maintenance on our aging bus garage, but it is past the point of basic upkeep. The transportation garage is 60 years old, and the most recent, major repair took place 30 years ago. The garage has no space for bus maintenance and is too small to accommodate the district’s fleet of buses. This forces us to store buses outside, which takes years off their useful lives.

The garage has no space for planning or meetings, and one bathroom for staff. It also lacks exterior lighting, making early morning and late evening runs dangerous for our drivers. These issues present a workforce issue by complicating hiring and retention as we attempt to address our ongoing bus driver shortage.

Additionally, construction costs continue to rise. For example, three years ago, the transportation garage was projected to cost $8 million. Now, the estimate is more than $12 million.The garage’s space limitations, lack of employee privacy, and safety concerns make it harder for the district to transport students to and from school and various field trips and activities.

Similar to the transportation garage, the conditions at some of the district’s outdoor, co-curricular facilities are past the point of regular maintenance. The tennis courts are cracking. The fencing at our multi-purpose stadium is coming out of the ground, and stadium seating is not ADA compliant. The track has not been resurfaced in eight years and it also lacks proper shot put, discus, and pole vault areas.

These conditions pose safety and accessibility issues for Amherst students, athletes, families, employees, and the many community members who regularly utilize our outdoor facilities. These conditions also adversely impact student-athletes, coaches, and families from visiting districts. For example, the conditions of the track and stadium make it more difficult to host regular season track and field meets, as well as the annual Comet Relays. It is the district’s duty to ensure the functionality and safety of these facilities.

In recognition of Amherst’s facilities needs and potential for future growth, the school district embarked on a robust planning process that engaged teachers, students, parents, business leaders, and other community members. During the summer of 2022, 18 community leaders provided input on facilities issues during anonymous, one-on-one interviews. That fall, staff members provided feedback about the district’s facilities through a series of listening sessions. Then, in December 2022, the district surveyed 742 community members about their perceptions of district priorities and conditions at Amherst’s facilities.

During the spring of 2023, the district formed a Facilities Advisory Committee (FAC) of community leaders, business owners, educators, elected officials, parents, and others. The group met four times between March and July to review data about the district’s facilities, community demographics, financial information, and more. The group visited facilities in nearby districts, such as Avon Lake City Schools’ transportation garage. The FAC also learned about partnering with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC), which funds academic building projects around the state that meet certain criteria. 

In June, members of the committee unanimously agreed that the district should continue its plan to ensure safety and reliability at all of its facilities while making prudent use of available community resources. They determined the best course of action would be to address the pressing needs of the transportation garage and outdoor facilities first, and work with the OFCC in the coming years to address the district’s academic buildings.

FAC members are volunteers from an array of businesses and organizations within the Amherst School District. They are:

• Tom Anderson, Amherst Athletic Association Vice President

• Mark Cawthon, Amherst Police Chief

• Mike Ciu, Owner of Studio Q

• Becky Denes, Public Relations Manager of Amherst Public Library

• Teea Ford, Amherst Schools Transportation Supervisor

• Elizabeth Fought, Community member; Amherst parent

• Teresa Gilles, Amherst Schools Board; Executive Director at Main Street Amherst

• Rob Glatz, Steele Teacher; Cross Country and Track & Field Coach

• Gary Gonzalez, Steele Girls Varsity & Junior Varsity Soccer Coach

• Chuck Grimmett, Amherst Schools Building & Grounds Supervisor

• David Janik, Amherst City Councilman; College and Career Program Specialist at LCCC

• Brian Kelley, Steele Teacher

• Kerri Kobylka, Community member of the Music/Marching Comets Boosters

• Jennifer Ludwig, Steele Theatre Director

• Chuck Lyngaas, Community member; Amherst parent

• Donna Miller, Realtor at Howard Hanna

• Valerie Neidert, Community member; Amherst parent

• Chris Russo, Owner of Hot Dog Heaven; Co-Owner of Brew Kettle

• Lisa Schenk, Amherst Teachers Association President

• Jonathan Sinibaldi, Owner of 5 Points Tavern

• Summer Smith, Pastor at Grow Point Church

• Alan Thompson, Owner of Puffer's Boutique

• Joshua Thornsberry, Lorain City Councilman, Ward 8

• Nicole Waddell, Powers PTO President

• Chuck Winiarski, Amherst City Councilman

• Jim Yorks, Owner of Jim Yorks Architects & Associates

• Marc Zappa, Amherst Schools Board of Education

• Jim Ziemnik, Director of Lorain County Metroparks

The district’s larger plan to ensure all its facilities are safe, reliable, and can accommodate future growth began with the construction of Amherst Junior High and continued with the construction of Powers Elementary.

The district previously made permanent improvements at its facilities, including the Creative Learning Centers at Steele, AJH, and Nord; the Steele South Lobby, gymnasium, makerspace; concession stands and restrooms at the stadium; and replaced roofs, HVAC, and other infrastructure needs without asking voters for additional resources.

The issue on the November ballot replaces Amherst’s existing 2-mill permanent improvement (PI) levy, which was passed by voters in 1983 and currently funds the maintenance and upkeep of district facilities. The replacement PI levy will bring 1983 dollars current, and add 0.5 mills to fund this modest project.

The total cost would be $88 per year per $100,000 of valuation, as appraised by the Lorain County auditor. The total project will cost $16.95 million.

The OFCC oversees the planning, development, and construction for many of Ohio’s public K-12 school renovation and building projects. The OFCC determines the share of a renovation or construction project it will fund based on several factors, including a district’s wealth and poverty levels, property values, and the age of facilities.

Amherst Schools partnered with the OFCC for the construction of Powers Elementary and Amherst Junior High.

The district is attempting to fund this project locally because the OFCC only supports academic buildings. The OFCC has informed the district that Amherst should anticipate receiving state support for future academic projects in a few years.

The residents who live in the Amherst Exempted Village School District pay one of the lowest property tax rates in Lorain County and Northeast Ohio. In addition, the Amherst Schools have not asked for an increase in local revenue since 2012. The school district has been financially prudent for the last decade and is only asking for exactly what is needed to make the transportation garage and outdoor facilities safe and fully functional.

Property Taxes per $100,000 Market Value for Residential/AG
Source Lorain County Auditor’s Office January 2022

Sheffield Lake City (Sheffield Lake Schools)        $2,430.18
Elyria City (Elyria Schools)                                       $2,268.81
Sheffield Township (Clearview Schools)               $2,226.12
North Ridgeville City (North Ridgeville Schools) $2,155.89
Avon City (Avon Schools)                                        $2,152.46
Lorain City (Lorain Schools)                                    $2,147.58
Oberlin City (Oberlin Schools)*                               $2,103.02
Avon Lake City (Avon Lake Schools)                     $2,089.97
LaGrange Village (Keystone Schools)                   $2,029.77
Grafton Village (Midview Schools)                         $1,975.64
Columbia Township (Columbia Schools)              $1,927.13
Amherst City (Amherst Schools)                           $1,872.86
South Amherst (Firelands Schools)                       $1,860.14
Wellington Village (Wellington Schools)*             $1,826.53
*Also have school income tax

The 2023 General Election takes place Nov. 7. The deadline for voter registration is Oct. 10, and early voting begins on Oct. 11. You can find your polling location, how to request an absentee ballot, and other information by visiting the Lorain County Board of Elections website.