Career center levy passes

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XENIA — Voters chose Nov. 6 to support a levy that will fund the construction of a new Greene County Career Center.

According to unofficial final results, more than 54 percent of voters said yes to the levy, while more than 45 percent said no.

The 1.03 mill levy is for a period of 20 years, generating $62 million for the construction of a new local career center. It would cost $36.05 per year per $100,000 home valuation. The generated funds can only go toward construction ,technology and property-related items.

”I’m really happy for Greene County — so many people to thank for the support,” Greene County Career Center Superintendent Dave Deskins said. “I think it’s really powerful for our (GCCC) board to have had the vision to not only continue our current programming but know that it’s time to expand to meet the needs of our industries.”

Current enrollment on the main campus includes approximately 700 students, while more than 2,000 local pupils take advantage of career-technical programming within seven of the districts the career center serves.

The new facility would expand programming in robotics, cyber security, drone technology, manufacturing and engineering technology after the career center conducted a study and found the need for more local education and training in those fields.

The Greene County Career Center Board of Education recently purchased 37.46 acres at the US Route 68 and the US Route 35 bypass for the proposed facility. The property was purchased for a $870,000 and is closer for five of the seven schools that the career center serves.

“Our goal is to build our workforce,” Deskins said. “These things allow us to keep doing that.”

No date has been set to break ground on the new facility. However, Deskins said GCCC officials have been working with a building design firm and that they’re hopeful to be breaking ground soon. Students will fill the new classrooms beginning in the 2020-2021 school year.

By Whitney Vickers

[email protected]

Contact Whitney Vickers at 937-502-4532.

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