By Kate Seegraves

Staff Writer

The Greenon Local Schools Board of Education held a special meeting July 13 to discuss potential levy options for the upcoming November 2010 election.

The meeting comes on the heels of the board’s regular meeting July 8, during which the board received results from an efficiency and program delivery review by Dublin, Ohio firm K-12 Business Consulting, Inc. The review detailed the district’s successes in terms of programming and highlighted the need for additional money in the district.

According to district treasurer Ryan Jenkins, the district spent $795,680 more than it earned during fiscal year 2010. During fiscal year 2011, the district is projected to overspend by roughly $1.05 million.

During the meeting, Jenkins presented the board with options regarding emergency levy options and earned income tax levy options. An emergency levy, which is based on property values, would provide more immediate funding to the district, Jenkins said. An earned income tax levy, however, would be a more viable long-term solution, he said.

Even if a levy passes in November, Jenkins said the district will still have to make cuts. Jenkins recommended the district make $500,000 to $750,000 in immediate cuts for the next school year. $750,000 represents roughly 5 percent of the district’s total budget expenditures.

“The way I came up with that is the district submitted a five-year forecast that is on file with the Ohio Department of Education,” he said. “In the short run, we have to get an amount (in cuts) in tandem with another levy that would at least get us to where we wouldn’t end the fiscal year 2012 in the red.”

During the meeting, board members asked what those recommended cuts meant in terms of district employees. Based on the typical pay for district employees, Jenkins said this would translate to between seven to eight administrators, 12 to 15 teachers or 18 to 20 classified staff. Both Jenkins and district superintendent Lori Lytle stressed there are other areas outside of personnel where cuts could be made, such as bussing services the district provides.

“There are other areas to identify,” Jenkins said. “But after we run out of these things (to cut), it’s people.”

At the end of the July 13 meeting, the board tasked Lytle, Jenkins and other district administrators with putting together a “value system” of what is vital for the district to provide a “minimum level of education,” Lytle said. The administration presented this information to the board at a special meeting July 20 (the results of which were not available at press time). The board members hoped to make a decision regarding a levy at that meeting.

If the board decides on an emergency levy, a resolution of necessity must be filed with the Clark County Auditor 95 days before Nov. 2, and a resolution to proceed must be filed with the Board of Elections 90 days before Nov. 2. For an earned income tax levy, the resolution of necessity must be filed with the Ohio Department of Taxation 100 days before Election Day.