Property owners ask for transfer from Oberlin to Keystone

OBERLIN — Five homeowners are asking the state to let them leave the Oberlin school district on paper and have their properties instead belong to neighboring Keystone. The Oberlin Board of Education voted Tuesday to formally oppose the request. Anyone can ask the Ohio Board of Education to change their school district designation, but such moves are incredibly rare, Oberlin City Schools Treasurer Robert Rinehart said. "I have never seen one go through before," he said. The homes in question are all located in Pittsfield Township. One is on state Route 303 along the two school systems' border. The other four are on West Road, not adjacent to the Keystone line. Rinehart said he thinks the West Road location will lower the chances the transfer will be allowed. "I would think all but the one are a long shot, the one on the edge. But usually they go as a package deal," he said. The issue could be settled in arbitration, he said. If not, a magistrate will make a recommendation to the state education board, which will vote on the final decision. The Keystone Board of Education also would have to vote to accept the five properties into its district, or to reject the request. For now, Keystone has signaled it is staying neutral in the matter, Rinehart said. Taxes are the most likely reason the five homeowners are seeking to leave the Oberlin school district, said Rinehart, who has not talked with any of them. In addition to property taxes near the highest rate allowed under state law, the Oberlin Schools collect an income tax. All properties within the school district have a taxable valuation of $257 million, he said. The five parcels represent about $1 million in market value, or an assessed value of $300,000. That means it would not be a big financial hit to have them leave, he said. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.