Board says operating levy likely to appear on ballot in spring 2027

by Melissa Martin

June 1 special board of education meeting

Brecksville-Broadview Heights School District officials participated in a work session June 1 to discuss the district’s financial position and the possibility of placing an operating levy on the ballot sometime in the next 12 months.

For the past two years, Superintendent Jeff Harrison, the administration and members of the school board have discussed the need for additional revenue to avoid deficit spending, which could happen as soon as next school year.

Harrison reminded the board that in the spring of 2027, it will have been 10 years since the last bond issue was passed to fund construction of the new consolidated BBH Elementary School and other district-wide facilities improvements.

Though the district has approved and implemented the first few projects associated with a campus master plan approved in 2025, Harrison said the district needs additional revenue to be able to continue providing the level of educational services the community has come to expect from the district.

“[With regard to the campus master plan] all of it beyond phase two is just a dream at this point,” he said. “Our number one job is to educate children and we’re focused on that.”

Brian Koss, the district’s facilities and safety coordinator, updated the board on the progress with the campus master plan project during the work session. He said the extension of the former Hilton Elementary School driveway is well underway, with a planned bus-only entrance and roundabout on the schools’ campus beginning to take shape. He also noted that bases for the new light poles also have been installed.

“We are on schedule, but we still have two months before the tentative completion date hits,” Koss said, noting that the district also has a pending change-order in place to soften the curve that is located near the pavilion and stadium area to make traffic flow easier in the area.

While other projects affiliated with the campus master plan call for four new sports fields within two new stadiums, a renovation of the existing Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School stadium and upgrades to the district’s middle school, Harrison said it’s likely that the district will need to delay any stadium plans until the district’s operational expenses are in a solid position.

Harrison said it’s likely – based on feedback from the community since the campus master plan was unveiled – that the next phase of the plan will be the middle school. While a retrofit has been proposed as opposed to the construction of a new school building, he said that could change if the community decides a new school would be a better financial move for the district for the long term.

“The building has solid bones because we’ve been able to maintain it so well over the years, but it is in need of renovations,” he said.

Koss agreed.

“We can be proud of the way we’ve maintained the middle school because of the state its in,” he said. “We don’t need to spend millions right now to improve it. Our permanent improvement levies have kept this building at a good standard. As old as it is, it’s still in very good condition.”

Harrison asked school board members to weigh in on what they’ve heard from the public about the campus master plan.

“I get the feeling that people are waiting,” said Board Member Eva O’Mara. “There are so many pieces to this and people are excited, but I think they are waiting to see how it all evolves.”

Board member Tish Kwiatkowski said community members are strong proponents of maintaining the district’s status as one of the best school districts in Northeast Ohio. While she’s heard much excitement over the proposed construction of new stadiums, Kwiatkowski stated that the plan is about educating the whole child.

“I hear everyone say we have to be concerned about learning, but I’ve also heard people talking about how well students perform in classroom when they are involved in extracurriculars,” she said, noting that research indicates that students involved in extracurricular activities tend to perform better in the classroom. “So in that respect, these facilities [stadiums] also educate our children. But, ultimately, it’s our community’s decision if we want to do any of it.”

Harrison said the district intends to keep the plan in the forefront during future financial discussions.

“We are going to pick pieces of it up along the way, and if our community tells us at some point that they want to do a bigger swath at it we’ll move forward at that time,” he said.

Levy talk

As far as the proposed levy is concerned, Harrison explained the district’s expenditures are not keeping pace with its revenues. While the board is considering placing a 5.9-mill levy in the hands of voters in the spring of 2027, he said the first step is to determine whether that amount is enough.

“The important thing to look at here is how fast we’re going to spend that amount, and when we’re going to run out,” said school board President Mark Dosen.

According to district Treasurer Craig Yaniglos, a 5.9-mill levy would generate approximately $9.5 million a year for the district, but projections – based on escalating health care costs and inflation –show the district could begin deficit spending again by 2030 if that amount is not higher.

“With that in mind, the question is how long we are going to be able to extend it,” Dosen said.

Harrison said that “in the landscape of school funding, it’s hard to get excited about supporting the campus master plan because operational funding is more important.”

“It pains me a little bit to say that because of all the work we’ve put into it, but the priority is and will always be operations,” Harrison said. “The clock is ticking and cash balance is moving the wrong direction and it’s time for us to do something about it.