Among 17 other Ohio school districts also losing funding, Middletown school officials were surprised in May after being told by federal education officials were withdrawing their previously approved allotment of $6.3 million for construction of a new Transportation and Maintenance facility at 2951 Cincinnati-Dayton Road.
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding, which was created by the federal and state joint funding program soon after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 to help local schools offset operation costs caused by extra expenditures, was temporarily slashed in May 2025.
But the federal funding stoppage — and related state funding — was recently resolved, and final stages of the $10 million construction project are now continuing, said school officials.
Randy Bertram, treasurer for Middletown Schools, said the $10 million project cost, which included the tear down of the previous building and the construction of the new facility, included $3.7 million from the district’s existing permanent improvement fund.
The new bus and maintenance facility, said Bertram, is being built without general fund dollars.
“We are grateful for the partnership between our state and federal governments in ensuring the timely release of ESSER funds to our district,” he said.
Middletown Schools Superintendent Deborah Houser told the Journal-News the project is key for the nearly 6,000-student school system.
“This new maintenance and transportation facility is a big win for our bus drivers and maintenance team — the people who keep Middletown City Schools moving every day,” said Houser.
“The new building includes expanded service bays, a modern bus wash, secure parking for our fleet, updated break areas, training and meeting spaces, and improved storage for parts and equipment.”
“More than that, it’s a comfortable home base where our transportation and maintenance teams can connect, recharge and take pride in the essential work they do for our students,” she said.
Eric Sotzing, director of business operations, said “we’re waiting for spring weather to complete the parking lot paving, (but) the facility itself is up and running.”
“With the completion of our new Transportation and Maintenance Facility, our teams have officially moved in and are now fully operating in the new space. With transportation on one side and maintenance on the other, we’re now consolidated under one roof, which is already creating smoother workflows and more efficient operations,” said Sotzing.