Newbury Trustees Propose Survey about Newbury School Property
For the first time since West Geauga Schools absorbed Newbury Schools nearly 18 months ago, the full contingent of Newbury Township Trustees and the school board met Feb. 1 in Chester Township.
For the first time since West Geauga Schools absorbed Newbury Schools nearly 18 months ago, the full contingent of Newbury Township Trustees and the school board met Feb. 1 in Chester Township.
The purpose was to discuss in executive session the future of the 39 acres on Auburn Road that was the property of Newbury Schools before the territory transfer in 2019. No action was taken at the meeting.
Central to the discussion was the possibility of the township acquiring the acreage and putting to use the smaller, newer intermediate school building.
Newbury Township Trustee Bill Skomrock told residents Feb. 2 he couldn’t talk about the details discussed in the meeting, which he said lasted just over an hour.
“It was more productive than counter-productive. I feel we made some progress,” he said. “I hope this sets a trend, at least for my vision.”
Discussed in open session at previous meetings was the idea of turning the intermediate school into a community center and retaining the football stadium. West Geauga plans to pay to tear down the old high school, BOE President Kathy Leavenworth said in a phone conversation before the Feb. 1 meeting.
She also said the board wants to know the township has the resources to update to code and maintain the intermediate school if a deal is worked out.
Board members are concerned if the township takes ownership of the buildings without the ability to take care of it, the structure and/or acreage could be sold.
If a charter school, for example, bought the building, that would mean competition for West Geauga Schools, Leavenworth said.
“It’s not our intention to develop that property,” she said.
If the school district retains the property, one possibility would be to keep it as parkland with fields and open space for the township to use, she said, adding she has talked to the Western Reserve Land Conservancy about the benefits of open space in the township.
Skomrock has been outspoken about his desire to acquire the property for the township, including the wastewater treatment plant that is underutilized since the school closed.
Updating and maintaining the intermediate school building will require township voters to pass a levy to provide the funds, Skomrock has said. Trustees have one estimate for the work and the school board has another, more expensive estimate.
Skomrock said he contacted Marous Brothers Construction in Willoughby because trustees need a solid cost estimate for the work necessary.
Trustee Glen Quigley said there is no point in continuing down the road until the voters weigh in.
“We’re going to have a survey to determine if there is support for a community center,” he said. “It’s a community decision — not necessarily the three of us.”
Quigley said there are some legal questions to be answered first and he suggested Burges and Burges Strategists of Cleveland could be hired to create, circulate and collate a survey.
“We want to do something that is beyond reproach,” Quigley said.
There is time to get a levy on the November 2022 ballot, Skomrock said.
Township Fire Chief Ken Fagan suggested having a community meeting before the survey goes out so people know what trustees are planning first.
“All we know is what we read in the papers. There’s a lot more to it,” he said.
A task force comprising former Newbury Schools Board of Education members and other residents has found various sports teams and art organizations are interested in leasing space at the building if the township acquires it.
Trustee Greg Tropf said he would like to hear from the groups who want to lease space and see their financials.
Maggie Zock, a task force member, said they have already been vetted.
“We can’t depend on athletic groups to support this. Taxpayers have to support it,” Skomrock said, adding any revenue from leases should be put in a special capital improvement fund for upkeep of the property if the township gets it.
“We can’t depend on leasers to make this thing float. Nobody has that crystal ball,” he said.
Skomrock said he didn’t like the letter the school board sent out to all district residents in January announcing their intent to demolish the high school and taking the trustees to task for not communicating.
“I didn’t like that letter at all, but it sparked me to go to their meeting last week and ask them to sit down, face-to-face, and talk,” he said.
“Now we all have a little more direction,” Quigley said.
