By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer contributor

OXFORD - A new school to replace Stewart Elementary could be constructed on 31 acres at Kehr and Booth roads near the middle school.

The Talawanda Board of Education has agreed to a lease/purchase agreement to buy the land at a cost of $245,967, said Superintendent Phil Cagwin.

But Reily Township resident Marvin Beekman said he's opposed to the Kehr Road site, citing safety concerns because of its T-intersection. He said he also would have preferred a site in one of the townships, rather than Oxford.

"I don't know how they're going to get in and out of there safely," Mr. Beekman said.

Talawanda Board of Education President Glenn Bailey said the Kehr Road site wasn't the board's first choice, "but everybody's second."

"We beat the bushes trying to find the best site at the right place," Mr. Bailey said.

He said road improvements may be needed, but that it was a safe location and had utilities available.

School leaders are discussing the possibility of working with Oxford officials to provide community gymnasium space at the site.

"There's an awful lot of questions yet, but conceptually it seems like a positive thing for the community," Oxford City Manager Jane Howington said.

A lack of indoor recreational space has been discussed since 1996, Ms. Howington said. Basketball and volleyball programs are run by the city's recreation department but open to all residents of the school district, and can't be expanded because of the lack of gymnasium space.

There is enough room at the Kehr Road site to build an extra gymnasium or a large school gymnasium, Mr. Cagwin said.

"We all would get the biggest bang for our bucks," Ms. Howington said.

But Mr. Cagwin said no discussions would begin on a time line for construction until after the Feb. 4 election. Talawanda voters are being asked to approve a $19.5 million bond issue to pay for the building.

A similar bond issue was narrowly defeated in November.