NEWS

Voters OK Walnut Township Schools levy

Matthew Kent

MILLERSPORT – Voters in Walnut Township Local Schools made their voices heard Tuesday and chose to pass an emergency property tax levy after previously rejecting the issue three times.

District officials most recently put the 7-mill tax levy before voters in May, but it was rejected by 55 percent of residents at the time. However, unofficial results from the Fairfield County Board of Elections on Tuesday evening showed a different outcome with the same levy request. According to officials, 621 votes, or 52 percent, were cast in favor, while 564 votes were in opposition.

The district’s financial situation has already prompted district officials to implement staffing cuts, with nearly half of teachers in the middle and high school not returning or being replaced next year. As a result, 15 teachers will remain tasked with educating students in those grades, a drop from its former level of 27 teachers after six were laid off and six others decided not to return with the district opting to not fill those positions.

Officials made more than $100,000 in budget cuts during the 2014-15 fiscal year, while the coming school year has already led to more than $824,000 in cuts for the district that serves about 580 students.

The passage of the emergency property tax levy Tuesday was the fourth attempt by the district; residents previously voted down an 8.8 mill levy last November, while they also shot down a 6.9 emergency property tax in May 2014. The district was placed in fiscal caution by the Ohio Department of Education in January.

Reached by phone Tuesday evening, Walnut Township Schools Superintendent Randy Cotner said he was pleased with the passage of the levy and thanked voters for their support.

“They probably realized the need was real and they stepped up to support our kids and the district,” Cotner said. “We’re very happy. We’re happy for the kids.”

Cotner also said he thought there was “a different feel in the community” about the levy this time around, adding that “whatever it was, we’re happy it worked.”

While the district still remains in fiscal caution, the passage of the levy “should improve our chances of not falling in fiscal emergency,” Cotner said.

The approval of the levy also means the district will be able to provide transportation for high school students this school year, he said.