PERRYSBURG — The board of education will most likely put a 5-year permanent improvement levy renewal or
replacement on the ballot sometime this year.
“The calendar is moving on despite the coronavirus,” board member Gretchen Downs said at Monday’s
meeting.
The 5-year permanent improvement levy passed on Nov. 3, 2015, is set to expire on Dec. 31. A renewal
would need to be on the ballot before the November election. No action has been taken by the board
concerning the levy.
The current levy generates approximately $1.6 million annually and because of growth in total district
property value the owner of a $200,000 house is paying $116 annually.
Superintendent Tom Hosler said that it can be used “for generally non-personnel school building
maintenance and repairs. Permanent improvement funds can only be used for maintaining buildings,
purchasing buses and educational equipment.”
Hosler said that homeowners should consider it an investment in facilities.
“This is not a new tax. It is approved every year,” Hosler said of the levy that was first introduced for
Perrysburg residents in 1985. In the past this has always been a renewal.
The following received improvements since 2015: the high school, the junior high school, the Commodore
Building, maintenance/grounds, Fort Meigs Elementary, Toth Elementary, Woodland Elementary and
transportation.
Some of those improvements included security cameras, roof replacements, a public address system,
seal-coating, floor scrubbers, replace of six plows/trucks, concrete and catch basin repairs,
replacement of locks and door handles, HVAC repairs and playground improvements.
“We can’t mothball the schools indefinitely,” Hosler said. “We clearly have a significant need to be
investing in our buildings and this is a small way to continue to maintain what we have. We would be
addressing the most critical issues.”
If all of the most imminent identified permanent improvement for the next five years were taken care of
the total would be $38.6 million.
“Our buildings are in trouble,” said board member Sue Larimer.
In other business, the state has released the state-mandated testing dates, some of which will be in
conflict with the previously approved 2021 spring break.
Brent Swartzmiller, executive director of teaching and learning, presented to the board a proposal to
change the 2020-21 spring break from the week of March 29 to the week of March 22.
“We just received the testing windows for next year and our planned spring break falls in one of the
state’s 15-day testing windows,” Swartzmiller said.
With five days for spring break, one day for Good Friday and the day immediately before and after, the
testing window for our students would be reduced to just seven school days.
No action was taken by the board.
Also at the meeting, the board:
• Approved the June 1 retirements of high school intervention teacher Rowena Adamcik and Fort Meigs
Elementary reading teacher Claire Ackerman.
• Approved home-bound tutors for the 2019-20 school year, at a rate of $29.82 per hour: Lyndsey Curson,
Ashley Mundrick and Corrine Roach.
• Approved Sam Cotterman as the coordinator and physical education teacher for up to 120 hours for the
period of summer 2020 at a rate of $29.82 per hour.
• Approved the following fundraisers: Jon Penny Blackbelt Program at Toth Elementary, All Perrysburg
schools PTO groups, the Hull Prairie Intermediate Jacket Way Committee, the Class of 2023 Student
Council and Perrysburg Junior High Parents Organization.