McDonald approves levy for May ballot

By Mary Smith

news@vindy.com

McDONALD

The board of education has again voted to bring an emergency operating levy to voters, this time on the May 3 ballot.

The board will meet at 6:15 p.m. Friday to set the millage. Deadline to file the levy with the county elections board is Feb. 2.

The five-year issue is to generate $580,000 a year, a lower amount than the $715,000, 13.5-mill issue the board had proposed last July for the November general election ballot. That request was later turned down by the state Financial Planning and Supervision Commission.

Schools Treasurer Brian Stidham explained the amount was lowered after improvements to the district’s financial status. The district is still in state fiscal emergency.

Stidham said federal stimulus funds came into the district after the July levy proposal, and implementation of the recovery plan netted more savings than the $875,000 expected. Also, unemployment payments have gone down since teachers who were cut have found other jobs, he said.

In reorganizational business, the board named Kate Harvey president and Joanie Miles vice president. Meetings will be the second Monday of the month at 7:15 p.m. in the high school library.