Career Center still considering levy options

LEBANON — With its first phase of renovations nearing completion, the Warren County Career Center wants to finish the entire project, but will need additional money.

After thinking about asking for a 1-mill, continuous levy in November, Career Center board members spent the better part of an hour Wednesday, July 29, discussing whether a continuous levy would pass in today’s economic climate. The debate centered around concerns that voters would not approve a levy that had little accountability. Instead, the board will meet again at 6 p.m., Monday, Aug. 3, at which time it likely will vote to place a 1-mill, 10-year permanent improvement levy on the ballot.

Money collected through a permanent improvement levy can only be used on construction, and the Career Center wants to proceed with the rest of its master plan to renovate the school.

The Career Center spent $6 million to renovate the school’s cafeteria, construct a new media center and add six classrooms and two science labs. However, the school now says it will need a levy to continue with upgrades that career center Superintendent Margaret Hess said would include expanding the size of existing classrooms, renovating the facility to bring the school up to new building codes and installing energy-saving items, such as day-lighting and improvements to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to help them meet the LEED silver environmental rating.

Hess said if a levy is approved, they will have to re-evaluate just how much of those changes they are able to make.

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