Groveport-Madison tries to move forward after levy failure

GROVEPORT, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Groveport-Madison School Board held its first special meeting Wednesday after voters rejected a levy in November that would have raised millions to build several new schools. 

The ballot measure, if passed, would have cost homeowners $85 per $100,000 of appraised property value. Due to concerns about school safety and distractions, the money would have been used to build three new middle schools and an addition to the high school. 

Since the bond issue failure, the district has been focusing on addressing the immediate needs of their schools. 

Resident Cheryl Irving left the meeting early but gave her thoughts on the levy and what the board should work on moving forward. 

“I think that sometimes there's a lack of communication between the board and administration with the public,” Irving said. “If you improve that and if you focus on the education for the kids, all the other parts of the puzzle will start to fall in because people feel that they have that communication open." 

Earlier in the night the board approved a resolution to join the 'vouchers hurt' Ohio lawsuit in a 3 to 2 vote. That lawsuit aims to end vouchers for public school students to attend private schools, a program critics say draws needed state money away from public schools. 

Towards the end of the meeting, the board briefly discussed the bond issue, with one member saying, “The voters said their piece,” but there are thoughts on what the board can do in the future is another measure is proposed. 

“I think that what's going to have to happen is that the public needs to see a 10-year plan and they need to see consistency among all the board members and the administration in implementing that plan,” Irving said.