Bellefontaine City Schools Board of Education members unanimously approved at their Monday evening meeting the first of two required resolutions to place an emergency operating levy on the May 7 ballot.
Bellefontaine City Schools Board of Education members and school officials meet Monday evening for the board’s 2019 organizational meeting and first regular meeting of the New Year. Pictured are, from the left, board members Brenda Sanford and Tim O’Rielley, Superintendent Brad Hall, Board President Joan Haushalter and vice president Scott Abraham and member Anne Reames. (EXAMINER PHOTO | MANDY LOEHR)
The board approved a resolution of necessity for a 10-year levy that would raise $1,750,000 for operating expenses. The treasurer will certify a copy of the resolution to the Logan County Auditor, who will calculate and certify the district’s tax valuation. A resolution to proceed would then be voted upon by the board at an upcoming meeting to officially place the levy on the ballot.
Superintendent Brad Hall and Treasurer Keith Krieger said the levy has become necessary after the district has been in deficit spending since fiscal year 2017. The treasurer related that Bellefontaine City Schools has received flatlined state funding in recent years, which makes it difficult to keep pace with the rising costs of the expenses for insurance, personnel, supplies, materials, utilities and transportation.
The two officials noted the district has only gone to taxpayers once in the past 27 years for additional funding, with an operating levy that was passed in 2007.
“Our school board has done an excellent job of controlling costs over the last 27 years,” Hall said. “Think about what has happened to costs over 27 years.
“With the rising operating expenses over many years, minimal increases in state and local funding, and reductions in federal funding, the district has now reached a point where additional operating dollars are needed.
“With 61 percent of the district’s budget dependent on state funding, anytime the state funding is flat or declines, it has a significant negative impact on the overall budget. State funding has not kept pace with inflationary costs over the last five years, and the negative impact on the budget has been large.”
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