By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The decision to delay Ohio’s primary election has left Bowling Green City School District in limbo.
The board of education was hoping for an answer Tuesday evening on its request for voters to approve two existing levies.
The two levies are a renewal of a 4.2-mill current expense levy, and renewal of a $1 million substitute emergency levy – both for a continuing period of time – to be used for school operating expenses.
But it’s looking like the school district will not have an answer to its requests until June 2, when the postponed primary is planned.
“It’s a disappointment,” Board President Ginny Stewart said on Tuesday. “But it’s based on nothing we have control over.”
Even with the delay, the school district will still have the ability to place the levies on the ballot again in November if they aren’t passed in June, according to Terry Burton, of the Wood County Board of Elections.
Bowling Green Superintendent Francis Scruci said he isn’t sure how the delay may affect the two levies – but added that his current focus is on getting the district through the remainder of the school year, with all K-12 schools in the state being shut down.
“Right now, I’m more concerned about the coronavirus,” Scruci said.
Stewart shared those concerns about the virus and its possible impact on election poll workers.
“I also understand not putting poll workers at risk,” she said.
The school district will just have to wait to learn if voters will support the operating levies.
“It’s unfortunate,” Stewart said. “It makes this very uncertain from a financial standpoint for the district.”
The board’s financial consultant has repeatedly said the district must maintain a large budget carryover each year since 21% of the district’s revenue is from levies that could disappear if they don’t get repeated approval from voters.
Scruci has said the district is depending on voters supporting the levies for the same amounts as in the past. Without them, the district will face inevitable cuts to programs and staff, he said.
But in search of a silver lining, Stewart said the state-ordered closures may result in citizens seeing the real value of Bowling Green City Schools.
“This certainly has given this community more positive information on what the school district does for students,” she said.
Stewart listed the district’s efforts to not only continue educating students, but also feeding them, and providing them with personal hygiene items.
“There’s a value to that,” she said. “We are not going to let the kids starve, to let them go without clothes, or let them go without an education.”
“This gives the community another example of how valuable this district is,” Stewart said.
