SOUTH RANGE Group promotes new levy

The proposed levy would generate $793,000 a year.
By VIRGINIA ROSS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NORTH LIMA -- John Fromel recognizes the effort teachers and administrators at South Range School District put into educating his children.
He wants to see that work continue. Fromel and his wife, Sue, have three children in the district, a child in preschool and a baby on the way.
The Fromels, with Ken and Cathy Bagwell, have agreed to serve as chairpersons for the Citizens for South Range Schools, a group of residents working to encourage voters to approve the new levy being proposed by the school district.
Residents voted against the proposed levy in the May primary.
"My wife and I want our children to continue to have a solid education," he said. "We believe in and support the work South Range puts into our children. We want to do what we can to make sure our kids have a promising future. But first, we need to make sure South Range has a promising future."
The group has been meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesdays at the office of Superintendent Jim Hall at routes 164 and 165 in Beaver Township. The meetings are open to anyone willing to work toward getting the new proposed levy passed.
The third meeting will be held Wednesday.
Group's agenda
So far, the group has discussed ways its members can spread the word about what they are doing and why they favor the proposed levy. They plan to attend various school events, including athletic events, and are talking about hosting a rally at the Oct. 15 football game.
Fromel said the group also will be working to promote voter registration, especially among residents who favor the proposed levy.
"We're also looking at providing former students and residents who might be out of the area, say, for instance, those people away at college or any of our residents working outside the area, to vote by absentee ballot," Fromel said. "We'll do what we can to help anyone who wants to vote for this levy."
Group members will be at various events to distribute information and answer questions about the school district and the proposed levy.
Cut by 1 mill
If approved in November, the proposed 5.9-mill, five-year emergency levy would generate $793,000 a year for general operating expenses.
Fromel said the average home in the school district is valued at about $100,000. The average homeowner could expect to pay about $15 more a month in taxes with the new proposed levy.
The school district, which last sought a new levy in 1998, agreed to cut the proposed levy by 1 mill after a 6.9-mill levy was defeated in May.
"We're hoping that by taking a mill off the levy, our residents will see it as less of a hardship and give it more consideration," Hall said. "If not, and the levy fails, the school district will suffer tremendously and our students will likewise suffer tremendously. I hope and trust that our residents see to it that that does not happen."