Board OKs placing levy renewal on Nov. ballot

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

alcorn@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown Board of Education voted 4-2 at a special meeting Thursday to place an emergency renewal of the school district’s 10.7-mill property tax levy on the November ballot.

School board members voting yes on the resolution to place the four-year levy on the ballot were President Brenda Kimble, ; Vice President Michael Murphy, Tina Cvetkovich and Ronald Shadd, Kimble’s son. Opposed to the resolution were Jackie Adair and Dario Hunter. Board member Corrine Sanderson was absent.

The levy, originally passed in 2008 and renewed in 2012, generates $5, 291, 510 per year and costs the owner of a $50,000 home $164 annually.

Justin M. Jennings, the district’s new CEO as of Thursday, presented a letter to the board urging it to place the levy on the ballot.

“Continuation of the tax levy is necessary for the proper operation of the Youngstown City School District,” he wrote.

Much of the opposition to the levy centered around high-salaried school employees hired by former CEO Krish Mohip and the lack of academic success in the classroom.

“I want to see how the new CEO performs and works with elected officials (the school board) before placing the levy on the ballot,” Adair said.

But Murphy, who voted yes, said it is “too big of an issue for the board to decide by itself. Put it on the ballot and let the people decide.”

And Shadd said he is going to work hard to make sure the school district survives.

“Money from the levy will help maintain the staff and students. We have to give Jennings an opportunity to correct things,” he said.

Money is not the issue, said Hunter.

“We have had massive spending and results still aren’t there. Kids are still failing and the education of their children is being taken out of parents’ hands,” he said

After the meeting, Jennings said he and his staff are working through the budget and curriculum.

The new CEO said he plans to work with the board, the Academic Distress Commission and the community for the benefit of the students, or scholars, as he refers to them.

“I won’t accept failure,” he said.