Sat Feb 11 2012
by Tim Troglen
Reporter
Hudson -- Less than two weeks before Election Day, a panel of school officials fielded questions about the district's 5.9-mill operating levy to a small and supportive crowd April 22 at Laurel Lake Retirement Community.
The Issues Night, sponsored by the Hudson League of Women Voters, attracted only about 25 people, most of them residents of Laurel Lake.
Typically, the LWV would offer a debate format, but no political action committee has formed in opposition to the school levy, according to Belinda Wing of the LWV.
Instead, Superintendent Steve Farnsworth, Treasurer Bart Griffith, Board of Education President Joy York and Ed Devlin, a member of the district's volunteer Financial Advisory Committee, made a Power Point presentation and answered questions about Issue 4, the district's 5.9-mill continuous levy on the May 4 ballot.
It will bring in an additional $5.6 million per year for school district operations if passed.
Griffith said that an increase in operating costs, coupled with decreases in several sources of state funding, has left the district facing a $1.7 million deficit in 2012 and a $13.1 million deficit in 2013 without the levy.
He said that even with a recent $1.6 million reduction in staff earlier this month, the district is still in need of a levy.
The questions, passed to an usher to be read by the moderator, asked about the life of levies, the possibility of re-negotiating staff contracts, the potential for merging with another district, and what's next if the levy does not pass.
Griffith said the levy will not expire. He said while the schools may get less from previous school levies, Hudson has only sought "continuous school levies."
Farnsworth added that the district's goal is to make the levy, if it passes, "last at least four years" before another levy request.
He also told the audience that a new transportation contract will be announced at the April 26 Board of Education meeting "which will save hundreds of thousands of dollars each year over the next three years."
On the question of re-negotiating contracts, York said "contracts do not get broke" when a levy fails.
Griffith agreed, saying the contracts contain no "re-opening." Griffith said the district's budget is more than 80 percent salary, which is comparable to "peer districts."
"We are about in the middle," he said of the amount spent on salaries.
Farnsworth told the group that while the district pays most of its budget for salaries, the education Hudson parents expect "requires us to go out and find the best and brightest -- and we've done just that. They are awesome."
Farnsworth said that merging the district with another nearby school system would not be feasible, saying he only knows of two small districts in southern Ohio which have merged into one district with one superintendent.
"One superintendent could not get to all the functions," Farnsworth said. "It's tough enough in one community."
He implored the Laurel Lake residents, whom he called "the greatest generation," to vote for the levy.
He said if it does not pass, it will be on the ballot again in November.
The 25 residents who listened to the discussion seemed to be in support of the levy.
"I always support school levies," said Mary Luvshin, 93. "I think it's important."
Luvshin said her dad was a school board member in Wisconsin during the Depression.
"I'm supportive," said Barb Wise, adding that she believes the panel members "got their message across."
Bill Eldredge, 82, and his wife, Pat, 75, both said they were in support of the levy.
"We are for the school district and support the levy," Bill said.
E-mail: ttroglen@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3146
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