District Treasurer and CFO Shaunna Tafelski ended the discussion after approval of the resolution by saying there has been inaccurate information circulating on social media about the cost of the project.
She said cost of the bus and maintenance garage is $4.1 million but she has been told people have been saying on social media the cost will be $15 million. That larger amount is highly inaccurate, she said, and cautioned district residents to use information from the district web site or to contact them with questions.
The district will have a 5.7-mill operating levy on the November 8 ballot, expected to generate approximately $4.83 million annually.
Board President Patrick Meade made a statement at the meeting to explain the need for the levy.
“The district has not put an operating levy on the ballot since 2004. Prudent financial management by previous boards and administrators and cost savings measures by the current administration has enabled us to accomplish this,” Meade said. “The board is placing this levy on the ballot to allow the district to maintain the quality educational product and mental health supports we offer our students and to enable the district to continue to attract and retain a high-quality staff.”
He went on to say voters need accurate information to make an informed decision and said the district web site has a page devoted to levy information. He encouraged residents to go to that page for “verifiable factual information.”
“We are aware that there are comments, opinions and rumors about district funding and spending that are inaccurate, misinterpreted, or based on false or incomplete information. We encourage all district residents to fact check all information,” the board president said.
He then said he was asking Tafelski and superintendent Ed Theroux to add specific information to the web site that the public might need about the levy and district finances.
“Please check the district’s website periodically for this information,” he said. “We encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote on November 8.
That levy information page contains two short videos by Theroux and one by Tafelski. She also included a link to the Butler County Auditor’s office where property owners can put in their address and it will bring up information about the property as well as taxes being paid.
There is a column to the left of the information marked “Levy” where property owners can go to see the estimated amount the levy will cost them.
Tafelski, in her video, stresses that is the annual amount.
Most property taxes are paid in half-year installments and she cautioned those checking the site for the estimated amount due on passage of the levy to be aware that is the annual amount and to not double that in calculating their overall tax responsibility.
“Do not inflate the number by two,” she said.
Another factor to keep in mind in regard to property taxes in Ohio is that the amount generated by the rate of millage approved stays flat. Districts cannot benefit from increased property values because the amount being paid to the taxing district always stays the same. Thus, the amount generated by the millage approved in the 2004 vote has stayed flat.
Theroux has two videos on the district web site. One starts with a statement that all district positions were filled by the start of school and they had more openings than anticipated.
He said the hirings resulted in a savings to the district of $650,000, which was more savings than in the previous three years – $350,000 last year, $517,000 the year before that and $133,000 the year prior to that.
“We recognize we are in fiscal distress, we are in deficit spending,” he said, explaining they have eliminated 11.5 teaching positions, 1.5 central office staff positions and one administrative position. He said they have controlled salaries, granting a 1 percent salary increase this year and 0 percent for next year for all staff.
“We want to make sure we offer premier academic services, social/emotional services and extracurricular activities included with no pay to play,” Theroux said.
He closed by inviting anyone with questions to call him or the treasurer.
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