Today is Oct. 31, 2024.

• Happy Halloween! We’re at the height of Spooky Season, but it sure hasn’t felt like it the past few days with all the warm weather. And today won’t be any different — for a while, anyway. It’s going to be windy and warm with a high of 75 degrees before we get some Halloween weather moving in later in the day with increasing clouds, a couple of showers and even a thunderstorm late in the afternoon. And then, right on cue, temps will drop all the way to 43 degrees tonight. Boo!
  

• SPECIAL ELECTION EDITION NEXT WEEK: The Spotlight will publish a day early next week to accommodate the November General Election. Rather than The Spotlight hitting your inbox Thursday morning like it normally does, it will be there Wednesday, Nov. 6 so that you have all the local election results first thing in the morning. The following week, we will return to our usual publication day of Thursday, with The Spotlight hitting your inbox Nov. 14 that week.
  

• SILVER LAKE VOTING REMINDER: The Village of Silver Lake is reminding residents that polling locations have changed for this election. Districts A and B vote at The Church in Silver Lake at 2951 Kent Rd., while Districts C and D vote at Village Hall at 2961 Kent Rd. Also, the village has established temporary one-way routes for the day in order to allow pedestrian and vehicle traffic. The alley way between the church and Village Hall will be one way going from west to east. The access road next to the tennis courts will be one way going from east to west. Residents are advised to use the access road to reach Church Street and the traffic light at Kent Road if needed. Go to this page for a map showing the four districts of Silver Lake as well as a map showing parking and temporary directions for Election Day.
  

• IT’S TIME TO FALL BACK: This is the weekend we make the switch from Daylight Saving Time to Eastern Standard Time. The time change will occur at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, so remember to move those clocks back 1 hour before going to bed Saturday night — and plan accordingly since sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour earlier Sunday. We’ll spring forward to Daylight Saving Time again on March 9, 2025.
  

• VOTING SCHEDULE FOR THE 2024 NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION: Military & Overseas Absentee Voting: Began Sept. 20; Deadline to Register to Vote: Closed Oct. 7; Early In-Person Voting: Began Oct. 8 (includes the two Saturdays and the two Sundays before Election Day); Absentee Voting By Mail: Began Oct. 8; Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5 (polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.). If not returned by mail, absentee ballots must be received by your board of elections by 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5. For more information, go to this page.
  

• “Reader Spotlight” is a forum where you can send us your comments, concerns and suggestions on anything going on in our communities of Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake. Send your email to [email protected], put “Reader Spotlight” in the subject line, and please include your name and town (recommended but not required for publication). We will publish comments as we receive them.
  

• If you just subscribed or missed something in an earlier newsletter, don’t fret: Subscribers have access to every edition of The Spotlight at www.stowmunroefalls.com. Check out back issues to catch up on everything that’s going on in our communities — you never know what you might have missed!

⭐ Several stories in this issue are only available to premium subscribers: History of the library event, Stow community center, Wine and Design, Witness Tree Ceremony, and more local news. Full access is just $2.99/month.

Sponsored by Brandon Heating and Air Conditioning

Election Preview

Issue 31: One last deep dive into the facts & figures of the SMF Schools bond issue

The Spotlight has published the ballot language for Issue 31, the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District’s bond issue to build five new schools, twice now in the lead-up to the November General Election. But there are still plenty of questions, rumors and uncertainty circling around the community on what the bond issue is and what it isn’t, so we figured we’d lay it all out one last time before the election. We’ll start with:

The cost:

• The bond issue is 8.89 mills for a maximum of 35 years. Total cost is $238,005,493.

• If passed, the project will be funded by increases in property taxes spread across the entire community.

• For owners of a $100,000 home, that would be a property tax increase of $310.80 a year, which comes out to $25.90 a month, for the life of the bond issue.

• For owners of a $200,000 home, that increase in property taxes would be $621.60 per year, at $51.80 a month.

• For owners of a $224,500 home — the average price of a home in the district — the increase is $697.75 a year ($58.15 a month).

• For owners of a $250,000 home, the increase is $777 a year ($64.75 a month).

• For owners of a $300,000 home, the increase is $932.40 a year ($77.70 a month).

Here’s what that money will buy if Issue 31 is approved by voters:

• Four new K-5 elementary schools. These schools would be built at the current sites of Kimpton Middle School on North River Road in Munroe Falls, Indian Trail Elementary School on Kent Road in Stow, Fishcreek Elementary School on Fishcreek Road in Stow, and the district’s property on Housley Road in Stow. Each of the new elementary schools would be approximately 85,000 square feet. The district would continue to use its current school buildings while the new schools are under construction. Also, one of the new buildings would host the district’s preschool program.

• One new grades 6-8 middle school. This building would be constructed on the property where Highland Elementary School and Lakeview Intermediate School currently sit on Graham Road in Stow. The new middle school would be 160,600 square feet and able to serve 1,197 students. It would include an attached auditorium and improved athletic facilities such as stadium upgrades and a new baseball field.

• Demolition. All existing K-8 schools would be torn down with the exception of Woodland Elementary School on Graham Road, which would be repurposed into the district’s new administration building.

All of the above construction/demolition would be Phase 1 of the two-phase project. Phase 2 would be:

• Renovation of Stow-Munroe Falls High School.

• The district will receive a 27% future credit for all co-funded spaces from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission to fund the renovation of the high school. That would come out to more than $64 million coming back to the district from the state for that renovation.

• The $238,005,493 in bond issue money would go to the Phase 1 projects only.

And finally, the timeline for all this if Issue 31 passes:

• First, SMF Schools would hire a design architect and construction manager at risk, a process that could take anywhere from 3 to 6 months.

• That would be followed by the design phase, followed by the construction phase.

• The timeline for one building is about 12 to 15 months for design and 2 to 3 years for construction. According to the district, all the new schools would be completed in 4 to 5 years.

• Following construction of the new schools, the existing schools would then be demolished. The K-5 students would begin classes in the new buildings in the fall.

The school district spent years of study before deciding on its final plan. Now, it’s the voters’ turn to decide.

Community

Six communities joining together for annual cold weather gear collection drive

Stow, Munroe Falls and Silver Lake are among six municipalities that are joining forces with the Peter Maurin Center and the Knights of Columbus to lead a cold weather gear collection drive to help the homeless. The drive will take place from Nov. 11 to Dec. 15. This initiative, which also includes the cities of Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson and Tallmadge, focuses on aiding individuals who live in places not designed for habitation and who may not access local shelters.

This inter-community drive, now in its fourth year, was initially spearheaded by Peter Maurin Center volunteer Mike Rauh and Stow Mayor John Pribonic. “Residents knew this was a problem but weren’t sure how to help,” Pribonic said. “This drive connected them to the cause, and every year the turnout has been incredible.”

The Peter Maurin Center is a non-profit community center in Akron that provides hot meals, shelter, clothing and support for the homeless. During the collection drive, donation bins will be available during business hours at city halls across all six communities. Additionally, two weekend drive-thru events will allow for convenient curbside donation, with Knights of Columbus volunteers on hand to assist. The drive-thru collection events will take place:

• Saturday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Stow, Silver Lake & Tallmadge city/village halls

• Saturday, Dec. 14, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Munroe Falls, Cuyahoga Falls & Hudson city halls

Accepted donation items (must be new or gently worn):

• Waterproof Boots: Men’s (sizes 10-12) & women’s (all sizes)

• Hoodies: Men’s zip-up, sizes L, XL (preferably Fruit of the Loom, cotton)

• Flashlights & Batteries

• Backpacks: Daypack-style, sizes 20L or 40L

• Sleeping Bags: Rated 30°F or colder

• Hand Warmers

• Socks: Large athletic or wool

• Gloves: Brown jersey or thermal

• Men’s Boxer Briefs: All sizes (Gildan, covered waistband multipack)

• Women’s Cotton Briefs: All sizes

• Meal Cards: McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, etc.

• Akron Metro One-Day Bus Passes

Financial Donations: 100% of funds go directly to support the homeless. Donations can be made via PayPal by contacting [email protected].

Subscribe to Premium to read the rest.