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Thursday, 12 February 2009 |
By ANGELA WEAVER
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — Residents will see an education levy on the board when they go to the polls in May, as board of education members approved a resolution to proceed for the renewal of an emergency tax levy.
The resolution, which was approved at the board’s meeting Wednesday night, declared members of the St. Marys Board of Education’s intent to proceed with the election of the renewal of the levy that would raise approximately $1.83 million for each year the levy is in effect.
“The is the last formal step the board needs to take before it goes to the board of elections,” St. Marys Treasurer Tom Sommer said. He said the levy has an estimated 6.8 millage.
Resident Bob Valentine voiced his opinion on the renewal to the board. He also described losing the amount of money generated by the levy would be “absolutely devastating.”
“I am 100 percent in favor of it,” he said.
“I also believe because of the economy we are suffering in the community — the board might want to look at something with the SMEA, administrators, teachers to do a pay freeze or raise cut.”
Board Vice President Eric Langsdon replied saying he believed it is an emergency that the levy be passed.
“We really just need to try to make the community’s money stretch as conservatively as we can,” he said, adding that the board would try to come up with a plan to alleviate some financial burden. “We can afford as much relief to the public as we can.”
Superintendent Mary Riepenhoff said she has been “kicking around” a few ideas to trim costs with a few administrators.
“We’re certainly going to working on the building budgets,” she said, adding the district may apply a cap to the budgets.
Board member Rees McKee said the levy on the ballot is basically the same levy the board put on the ballot in the past.
“It’s lower than the original levy, but it still reflects the amount of cost valuation,” he said. “We’re trying to hold the line as far as we can.”
Board President Ralph Wiley said the board knows there is some belt tightening going on the community and the board will be looking to the same.
“I’m sure with the economy that we’re in, there’s a lot of uncertainty,” he said. “We’ll just tighten the belt tighter.”
Wiley also said the board is also in a better position now than they anticipated going into the levy four years ago.
“And we’ll keep looking at what we can do to make it tighter,” he said. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 17 February 2009 )
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