McDonald puts school levy renewal on May ballot

Staff report

McDONALD

The McDonald Board of Education has approved placing a renewal of a five-year emergency levy first passed on the May 7 primary ballot to generate $200,147 annually.

The board will ask the Trumbull County auditor to determine the millage it will take to generate the same amount for five years. The levy was originally passed at 4 mills in November 2007, schools Treasurer Bill Johnson said.

Tax collection on the levy will stop this year.

The issue is one of three emergency levies approved by voters: the renewal of the 2007 issue; a 5.1-mill, five year levy in 2009 to generate $260,000; and a 10.75-mill levy to generate $580,000 passed in May 2011, which was reduced to collection of 7.25 mills for $389,000 as a five-year emergency levy after the district learned it would be receiving more state funding than expected.

The board also accepted a donation of $3,901 from the Class of 2012 to replace the sign for McDonald High School, which stands at the corner of Seventh Street and Iowa Avenue.

The district’s sign fund is at approximately $7,800 from donations of previous classes and other school groups. It is estimated that between $10,000 and $11,000 will be need to replace the sign, which was originally erected in 1969-70.

The board re-elected Jack Dugan as president, and Katherine Harvey will be vice president.

The board will continue to meet on the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. for a work session and 7:30 p.m. for its regular meeting.