By Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati's school board on Monday inched forward with the first segment of what was planned to be a $1 billion four-phase school construction project.

The board on Monday unanimously voted to approve eight school architecture contracts for a total of nearly $8 million. The eight schools are part of the construction project's first phase.

"By our vote tonight, we are moving ahead step by step with the projects in segment one," said board member Harriet Russell.

Some board members have been apprehensive to commit to continuing the first segment after voters defeated a $480 million bond issue in November. The bond issue would have secured the remainder of funding needed to pay for the construction and would've guaranteed state funding assistance for the four phases.

Despite the bond issue failure, the district, along with state funding, has enough money to go forward with that phase. Phase one includes building 15 new schools and renovating two more at an estimated cost of $278 million.

Board members are discussing putting a bond issue back on the ballot in May, but have not decided.

Rep. Tom Brinkman Jr., who founded the anti-tax group Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes, said he's skeptical the board will plow ahead with all of the first segment.

"What we're saying is show us phase one and we'll have something to judge," he said.

Mark Turner, president of the bond issue campaign group Cincinnatians Active to Support Education, said the group will be ready to organize the campaign when the district is ready with another bond issue.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com