McComb considers new school

McCOMB — McComb Local Schools is holding a community meeting next week to discuss plans to construct a new school within the next few years. Superintendent Jeremy Herr said the district and the community began discussing facilities around March 2025. The district has around 600 students enrolled in grades K-12. The elementary and high school are located on one campus, and the original school building dates to 1923. "So, we're at 103 years old," Herr said. "So I think it's time." A task force has been meeting to discuss building a new K-12 school. Some community meetings have been held as well. After about a year of planning, next week's meeting is open to the entire McComb community to finalize the layout and design of a new building, and to discuss the community financial commitment needed to move the new school forward. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on May 21 in the school cafeteria. Herr said the school board is currently planning to pass a resolution to put a measure on the November ballot. Herr said the age of the school building means many aspects of the facility are outdated, including limited ability to control the building's temperature. He said he and others have been discussing this for some time and "we've made our community aware that there are concerns." He said the cost of a new school will depend on several variables, but is estimated at around $45 million. The state will be able to fund 46% of the project, leaving the local share at 54%, he said. He said the district has worked to be fiscally responsible, and has money set aside in the capital outlay fund which will go to this project, in an attempt to lessen the burden on taxpayers. But they also plan to put a bond measure on the ballot, which Herr said will likely combine a quarter-percent traditional income tax with a property tax. He said they haven't determined what the millage will be but are working to keep it under 8 mills. "That's a big ask," Herr said. "And I'm a part of the community. I live here. … We understand what the concerns are, and the financial piece is one of those big concerns." He said he was "cautiously optimistic," however, having heard from a lot of young McComb families who are excited about the prospect of a new school. If the community votes in favor of funding a new school this fall, Herr said about a year and a half of planning is likely to follow, then another two and a half years or so of construction. If all goes well, this would put the new school on track to open around 2030 or 2031.