FAIRBORN — On Tuesday, Fairborn voters decided the fate of the future high school and middle school for the Fairborn City School district. As of November 3, voters passed the combined bond issue/levy by a ratio of 56 percent to 44 percent.
Fairborn City Schools officials expressed their thanks to the community for the passage of this issue.
“I am so thankful for the community’s support of this important issue,” said Superintendent Gene Lolli. “I want to thank the community for believing in the schools and for helping district leadership chart a path for the future. A new high school and middle school will allow our students to receive the 21st century education they will need to be successful. Our facilities will match the caliber of our students!”
Fairborn Board of Education President, Pat McCoart, stated, “Thank you Fairborn! We will begin work immediately on the new high school and are excited about the opportunities this will create for our students and for the future of Fairborn City Schools!”
District Treasurer, Kevin Philo, stated, “FCS will continue to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and will continue to provide the best education possible for Fairborn’s children. This is an incredible opportunity to move the school district and community forward.”
The combination bond issue and permanent levy will fund the construction of a new Fairborn High School, located on 86 acres on Commerce Center Boulevard, east of Interstate-675 and north of Dayton-Yellow Springs Road. The facility would include state-of-the-art academic settings, as well as updated facilities for athletics and the arts.
Passage of the levy means that Fairborn Schools will be eligible for a large chunk of additional funding through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. The district will be able to receive additional credit in the amount of $33 million towards a new middle school, funded through the OFCC’s ELPP program.
The levy includes an increase in property tax totaling 5.83 mills, meaning $17 more a month for the owner of a $120,000 home, or $200 a year.
As the votes were being counted Tuesday evening, Superintendent Gene Lolli was optimistic about the results of the election.
“So far everything is looking very good for us,” he said. “We’re very excited. We’re keeping the momentum going that we started in 2016 with the Primary School and the Intermediate School that we’re laying the foundations of right now.”
Lolli thanked the voters who had turned out in favor of the school district levy.
“We couldn’t have a better support system in place with the families and the community,” he said.
Greene County currently has 4,354 outstanding absentee votes. Election results will not be final until declared as such by the Greene County Board of Elections.
