SHELBY – The Shelby City Schools district will be operating on a leaner budget these days after a tax renewal levy failed to pass during the March 15 primary election.
However, Superintendent Tim Tarvin assured that while the expansion of staff and programs may not be an option right now, no staff or programs would be cut as a result of the failed levy.
“We’re going to have to put those things on hold and really assess what we can do,” Tarvin said. “We haven’t made any decisions yet, but we recognize that since the levy did not pass we have to tighten our belts even further than what we have been.”
At the March 15 primary election, a five-year, 4.5 mil tax levy renewal for emergency requirements for the Shelby City Schools district failed to pass. Unofficial results showed the levy failed, with 2,013 voting against the levy and 1,819 voting for the levy.
The levy brings in around $950,000 per year to go toward general operating costs. Tarvin emphasized that this money has not been lost yet, and the district is formulating a plan to go back to the voters in the future.
“We need to do our research to see if a presidential election in November is a suitable time for us to be on the levy,” Tarvin said.
In the meantime, the district is moving forward with hiring new teachers to replace those who had retired, and continuing preschool programs. As a result of the levy, there was some question as to whether the preschool programs would continue, but Tarvin assured they would during Monday night’s Board of Education meeting.
Tarvin explained the two preschool programs were already in existence and operational in Shelby buildings, however they were previously under the steward of Mid-Ohio and New Hope.
“Those same teachers and aides that have been serving Shelby students for years are just coming under the umbrella of the Shelby City Schools system so they can more effectively work with those kids,” he said. “Because the levy did not pass, we’re not going to turn our back on that program. It’s imperative that the program continue.”
Over the course of the last decade, Tarvin said the district has traditionally operated by waiting to fill openings based on factors like enrollment and finances. That same practice will continue now.
“We have reduced staff over the last 10 years significantly so that we are being good stewards with people’s money,” Tarvin said. “It’s particularly heightened now that this levy did not pass.”
