Bowling Green City Schools finalized its request for an additional income tax, but it wasn’t a unanimous decision.

The school board at its meeting Tuesday approved 3-1 to certify the 0.75% income tax request to the Wood County Board of Elections to place on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Board member Peggy Thompson voted against the resolution.

Board member Ardy Gonyer was not at the meeting.

“It’s asking too much, too soon,” Thompson said after the meeting. “I just really think we’re jumping the gun.”

The community just approved a bond issue for the new high school, and taxpayers need a break, she said.

She said she expects next year’s revenues to be higher than projected, including from the existing 0.50% income tax.

“We need to let things settle a little bit. It took several years for everyone to get onboard with the new building, and then (we turn) around and ask them for more again. To me, it’s just too soon and too much,” Thompson said.

The last time the district asked for new operating money was in 2010 and the funds from the 0.75% continuing tax are needed to help keep the district operating in the black past fiscal year 2028-29.

It takes three years for an income tax to reach 100% collection and the revenue fluctuates.

The 0.75% income tax is projected to collect $7.3 million in the third year and would allow the district to build its reserves through fiscal year 2030-31 when the tax is projected to collect $8.6 million.

Last year collection of the current 0.50% income tax was down 3.1% but two years ago it was up 16%, according to numbers supplied last month by Matt Feasel, who will take over as treasurer in August.

Voters in November supported the district’s 5.5-mill bond issue to raise $72.8 million for a new high school and activity center.

Steps toward completion of that project continue.

The board on Tuesday hired Rudolph Libbe Inc., Walbridge, as the construction manager at risk.

Rudolph Libbe will oversee the entire project, from design to construction, including oversight of the subcontractors and completion of the bidding process, explained Superintendent Ted Haselman.

The company will have six employees leading the project who live in the Bowling Green school district, he said.

“Even though you cannot see anything tangible, there’s a lot going on,” Haselman said.

The architects with DLR Group Inc. were in town last week for academic workshops with high school staff members, community members, administrators and board members Ryan Myers and Norm Geer, he said.

“It’s such a great, neat process to be a part of,” Myers said.

While the exterior design of the high school is completed, there have been many conversations regarding the more tedious parts of the building.

We’re looking at room sizes and shapes to maximize the space and the square footage in the building, Haselman said after the meeting.

“It’s not a cookie cutter approach,” he said.

“We may be in the most important phase of the process right now,” he said, “to ensure the building is being built to serve our district’s needs for decades to come.”

The building is expected to be ready for students in the fall of 2027.

After nearly an hour in executive session, the board approved a 2% salary increase for Haselman, effective Aug. 1.

“We really appreciate all the hard work and effort you have put into changing the trajectory of Bowling Geen and we look forward to the work ahead,” said board President Tracy Hovest.

The board hired Haselman in May 2023 and gave him a three-year contract with a starting salary of $155,000.