MEDINA, Ohio – With the passage of the 7.5-mill, 10-year emergency operating levy, the Medina Board of Education has officially rescinded the reduction plan they approved back in September.
The reduction plan was adopted earlier this year as a contingency plan had the levy failed. The board voted Nov. 19 to rescind the plan which included roughly $4 million in budget reductions that would have taken place starting next school year.
Despite the levy’s passage, the district must sustain approximately $4 million in budget reductions over the next four years. These reductions were implemented starting in the 2024-2025 school year. An additional $4 million in reductions will be a district focus over the course of the next four to five years through attrition, where possible, to reduce deficit spending in the five-year forecast. These additional reductions were in the Fiscal Precaution report from the state and were planned when the decision was made to place a 7.5 mill levy on the ballot this November. These measures aim to ensure continued fiscal responsibility and stability for the district.
“When we were in precaution notice by the state, one of the things that was brough up was deficit spending,” Superintendent Aaron Sable said. “Even with the passage of this levy, we are still in deficit spending. We are stabilized, but we need to be fiscally conservative moving forward. We need to show responsibility to the community while keeping our students and their education a top priority.”
Sable said he realizes the passage of the levy was a difficult decision for the community.
“The passage was very close, but it was also the most votes the district has ever gotten in favor of a levy,” he said. “We are aware it was a difficult decision due to the financial challenges many households are facing. We are aware because we are in that same situation. I think our community as a whole supports kids and academics no matter what their vote was.”