The Salem City School District is expected to receive a $10 million donation from the Salem Community Foundation to go toward constructing a Pre-K through Eight school, with some stipulations.

The foundation is donating the $10 million based on the stipulation that a school bond issue gets passed in November by the voters.

If approved the donation will be paid out $1 million every year beginning 2027 through 2036. 

However, if the levy is rejected, the donation will be voided.

John Tonti, the president of the foundation, tells 21 News that the donation is meant to be an incentive for people to approve the bond, which will lighten the property tax burden of residents a levy would impose.

“Education has always been a strong focus with the Foundation,” Tonti said.  “An example was the $275,000 purchase of the Whinnery Farm [new building will be located at this property] in 1990 with anticipation of the need for future school improvements.”

The money will go toward payment of principal of bonds issued by the school district to participate in the Classroom Facilities Assistance Program of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC).

The organization will give the school district about $37,882,328 in funding. This means the district needs about $22.5 million to cover the rest of the project.

The school board plans to tear down two elementary schools, Buckeye Elementary and Reilly Elementary, and repurpose a third, Southeast Elementary. The district then wants to build a Pre-K through Eight facility on property near Southeast. 

The funding will be provided by the foundation through its Ruth Harkins McKeown Fund, which was established in 1977 by the McKeown estate. According to the foundation, the market value of the fund in December 31, 2022 was $29,444,125.

The use of funds for education was specifically mentioned in McKeown's will.

“The Salem Community Foundation’s financial support of the levy is an acknowledgement of the need for the new facility and to take the opportunity to have the majority of the project paid for by the State of Ohio," said Rob McCulloch, vice president of the foundation.  The Foundation’s donation will further reduce the financial obligation of the school district’s taxpayers.”

Now the voters will decide on a bond of 3.48 mills to cover their portion of the project.

The donation means for a home in Salem valued at $100,000, in the first 10 years, it will cost about $96.25 per year. For the remaining years, it will cost $77 a year.

For those ages 65 years old and over with a house of the same value, it will be about $72.19 per year for the first 10 years. For the remaining years, it will be $57.75 per year. 

The board is expected to put it on the November ballot during a meeting tonight.