Registered voters in Union County will go to the voting polls Tuesday, Nov. 3 to vote during the General Election.
It has been well publicized that voters will cast their votes for the President of the United States, Supreme Court judges, local officials and issues, but one not so well publicized is a renewal levy for North Union Schools.
Since this is a presidential election, the school board took the opportunity to put the renewal levy on the ballot at this time since it won’t cost the district much money to run it. This renewal levy is a ten-year renewal that is due at the end of 2021. Since it was more cost effective to ask voters to support the renewal levy, the board thought it was a good idea to ask for voters to support it now.Should the issue not pass Nov. 3, there will be two more opportunities to pass in the May and November, 2021 elections.
Scott Maruniak, the school’s chief fiscal officer explained this particular renewal levy was once two individual levies. Both levies expired at the same time years ago, so the board put them together as one levy and it was renewed in 2000 as a single issue for $680,000. It was again renewed in 2005 for 5.8 mills as a five-year levy. The funds are used for the general fund.
Again in 2010, it was renewed for 5w mills for a ten-year levy. The board felt that it did not want a levy on the ballot every five years and constantly asking voters every few years to renew it, so the best deal was to make it a 10-year levy.
The millage rate on this 10-year emergency renewal levy has decreased to 2.95 mills, due to property values increasing. More than 50 percent of the districts in Ohio have emergency levies. Emergency levies do not grow as property values increase. They are passed for a specific dollar amount.
The board hopes all voters will show their support at the polls as this is not new money,
School Superintendent Rich Baird recognized two staff members who retired this summer before the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Scott Cox was a custodian at North Union Schools for 18 years. Belinda Nauman retired after 34 years as a teacher in the elementary school. Elementary Principal Darlene Allison appreciated all they have done over the years in encouraging the students and being a vital part of the school system.
Baird also reported to the board that since students have returned back to the five-day schedule at school, there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 among staff and students. There have been approximately 70 quarantined cases of exposure to someone who had tested positive or had symptoms, but all have come back testing negative.
Baird asked for the board’s approval to amend the school calendar. On Nov. 30, when students return from Thanksgiving break, there will be a two-hour delay to start the school day. On Feb. 11, 2021, before a four-day weekend, there will be a two-hour early release. Both the delay and early release will be for staff to get prepared for the next school day in lesson planning, etc.
The #NUPride Award was announced by Baird, stating that several local businesses have been very supportive of the school district in many areas, whether it was to feed the staff after an event or during a work session, or other events. Those businesses that were recognized were Kelly’s Kitchen, Queen’s Eats and Treats, Pat’s Print Shop, Balanced Tree Yoga, J. Trim Men’s Haircut Shop, Parrott Implement, Richwood Civic Center, Richwood Bank, Edward Jones Investments-Cory Hixson, Stacy Flack-Moore-Coldwell Banker, G & H Threads and s/d garage, the Union County Mental Health & Recovery Board of Union County and Goodwill Marysville Store.