Section 3313.37 - Powers regarding school buildings and facilities; educational service centers; acquisition of property and equipment(A)(1) The board of education of any city, local, or exempted village school district may build, enlarge, repair, and furnish the necessary schoolhouses, purchase or lease sites therefor, or rights-of-way thereto, or purchase or lease real estate to be used as playgrounds for children or rent suitable schoolrooms, either within or without the district, and provide the necessary apparatus and make all other necessary provisions for the schools under its control.(2) A governing board of an educational service center may acquire, lease or lease-purchase, or enter into a contract to purchase, lease or lease-purchase, or sell real and personal property and may construct, enlarge, repair, renovate, furnish, or equip facilities, buildings, or structures for the educational service center's purposes. The board may enter into loan agreements, including mortgages, for the acquisition of such property.(3) A board of county commissioners may issue securities of the county pursuant to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code for the acquisition of real and personal property or for the construction, enlargement, repair, or renovation of facilities, buildings, or structures by an educational service center, but only if the county has a contract with the educational service center whereby the educational service center agrees to pay the county an amount equal to the debt charges on the issued securities on or before the date those charges fall due. For the purposes of this section, "debt charges" and "securities" have the same meanings as in section 133.01 of the Revised Code.(B)(1) Boards of education of city, local, and exempted village school districts may acquire land by gift or devise, by purchase, or by appropriation. Lands purchased may be purchased for cash, by installment payments, with or without a mortgage, by entering into lease-purchase agreements, or by lease with an option to purchase, provided that if the purchase price is to be paid over a period of time, such payments shall not extend for a period of more than five years. A special tax levy may be authorized by the voters of the school district in accordance with section 5705.21 of the Revised Code to provide a special fund to meet the future time payments.(2) For the purposes of section 5705.21 of the Revised Code, acquisition of land under the provisions of this division shall be considered a necessary requirement of the school district.(3) Boards of education of city, local, and exempted village school districts may acquire federal land at a discount by a lease-purchase agreement for use as a site for the construction of educational facilities or for other related purposes. External administrative and other costs pertaining to the acquisition of federal land at a discount may be paid from funds available to the school district for operating purposes. Such boards of education may also acquire federal land by lease-purchase agreements, by negotiation, or otherwise.(4) As used in this division: (a) "Office equipment" includes but is not limited to typewriters, copying and duplicating equipment, and computer and data processing equipment.(b) "Software for instructional purposes" includes computer programs usable for computer assisted instruction, computer managed instruction, drill and practice, and problem simulations. A board of education or governing board of an educational service center may acquire the necessary office equipment, and computer hardware and software for instructional purposes, for the schools under its control by purchase, by lease, by installment payments, by entering into lease-purchase agreements, or by lease with an option to purchase. In the case of a city, exempted village, or local school district, if the purchase price is to be paid over a period of time, the contract setting forth the terms of such purchase shall be considered a continuing contract pursuant to section 5705.41 of the Revised Code. Payments shall not extend for a period of more than five years. Costs relating to the acquisition of necessary apparatus may be paid from funds available to the school district or educational service center for operating purposes.
(5) A board of education or governing board of an educational service center may acquire the necessary equipment for the maintenance or physical upkeep of facilities and land under its control by entering into lease-purchase agreements. If payments under the lease-purchase agreement are to be made over a period of time, the agreement shall be considered a continuing contract pursuant to section 5705.41 of the Revised Code, and such payments shall not extend for a period of more than five years.Amended by 129th General Assembly, SB 316, §101.01, eff. 9/24/2012.Effective Date: 03-14-2002 .