School board revisits, still approves of renewal levy

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Board of Education called a special meeting Monday to discuss new details since the body met Thursday to discuss placing an emergency renewal of the district’s 10.7-mill property tax levy on the November general election ballot.

Despite the changes to codes and dates, the board voted 4-1 to take such action, similar to its 4-2 vote Thursday, with board president Brenda Kimble, vice president Michael Murphy and members Ronald Shadd, who is Kimble’s son, and Tina Cvetkovich voting yes. The no vote came from Jackie Adair.

Board members Corrine Sanderson and Dario Hunter were absent.

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

A primary reason Kimble voted in favor of placing the resolution on the ballot is because House Bill 70, passed in 2015 and known as the Youngstown Plan, stripped the board of much of its power, allowing it to act merely in an advisory capacity, and she didn’t want to deprive citizens of being able to make their own decisions on the levy, she explained.

“I think people have the right to vote on this,” Kimble said.

Adair, however, complained that many employees former chief executive officer Krish Mohip hired make $100,000 or more against a backdrop of what she views as little academic success on test scores and in the classroom. It’s imperative that the district “lives within its means,” she said.

In addition, many city residents struggle to pay their water bills, which likely will increase, in a region that has seen many businesses close and has one of the state’s highest unemployment figures. Placing the levy on the ballot likely would mean an added burden for them, Adair continued.

“I plead with you not to put this levy on the ballot,” she added.

Atty. Edward L. Ostrowski of Roth Blair Roberts Strasfeld & Lodge, a Youngstown-based law firm that acts as the board’s legal counsel, noted that passing an amended resolution of necessity, as board members did Monday, is a first step toward placing the levy on the ballot.

After that, the paperwork is to be sent to the Mahoning County Auditor’s Office before the board can vote on a resolution to proceed. All of this must be completed and sent to the Mahoning County Board of Elections by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Ostrowski explained.

If that deadline is not met, the board will have three chances next year to place it on the ballot, he said, adding the district will not suffer any revenue loss.

The school board has scheduled another special session for 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, for a resolution to proceed regarding this renewal levy. The meeting will be in the community meeting room at Youngstown Rayen Early College High School, 20 West Wood St.