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VERMILION, Ohio — Vermilion voters rejected a 30-year, $47 million school bond levy Tuesday, leaving the district’s long-delayed maintenance projects – including leaking roofs, failing HVAC systems and deteriorating infrastructure – in limbo. Issue 25 failed with 59.74% of voters rejecting it, according to unofficial results from the Lorain County Board of Elections. Vermilion Local School District hadn’t asked voters for an operating levy since 2008 and has relied on its general fund for capital repairs—a strategy officials have acknowledged is unsustainable. The general fund is primarily allocated for teacher and staff salaries and benefits, with just 24% available for other needs. Without dedicated funding, routine maintenance problems have compounded into an estimated $14 million in critical repairs. Vermilion is among just 43 of Ohio’s 611 school districts still relying on general funds for facility maintenance. By comparison, 410 districts use bond levies, 507 have permanent improvement levies and 211 use income tax levies. The most urgent needs include Vermilion High School, which has served the community for 57 years and is now showing signs of serious deterioration. The 20-year-old roof is leaking, rooftop air conditioning units have exceeded their lifespan and water supply lines need replacement. Science classrooms lack modern equipment and lab space, restrooms have rusty fixtures and cracked tiles and the auditorium needs new lighting and sound systems. Sailorway Middle School, which is 49 years old, faces its own infrastructure challenges. Most urgently, the ADA-compliant elevator is unreliable and requires replacement to ensure safe, accessible transportation for students and staff. Restrooms also need renovation. Beyond the school buildings, the district’s bus garage needs replacement and tennis courts are nearly unplayable. Without the bond levy, these projects now will not move forward. The bond levy would have cost homeowners approximately $12 monthly per $100,000 of home value and the revenue would have been dedicated exclusively to building and facility improvements.
