Highland Schools places a 7.4-mill levy on the May ballot

by Chris Studor

Jan. 13 school board meeting

Residents of the Highland School District will see a 7.4 mill, 10-year, operating levy on the May ballot after members of the Highland Board of Education voted unanimously in favor of placing the ballot issue in the hands of voters Jan. 13. 

This is the first time the school board has elected to place an operating levy on the ballot since 2011.

The discussion of whether to move forward with a levy campaign began late last year after the board and the administration announced the district would go into deficit spending without the influx of additional funds. 

When presenting the district’s five-year fiscal forecast recently, district Treasurer Neil Barnes, said when facing a deficit, the district only has the option to increase funding, make spending cuts or a combination of both. 

Barnes explained that total operating funds are projected to be $43.3 million for fiscal year 2025, a number he said will steadily increase to $52.5 million by fiscal year 2029. The rise in projected expenditures over the next four years amounts to approximately 5% annually and is attributed to inflations, costs associated with contractual commitments and the exhaustion of the one-time ESSER (COVID-19) related funds, Barnes also noted.

Without the passage of the levy, Barnes said the district will face a deficit of $2.7 million this fiscal year. That number jumps to $5.1 million next year and keeps compounding.

If approved, the 7.4-mill levy will generate $9.9 million and will cost the owner of a $500,000 market value home $1,295 annually or $108 a month. Each mil generates $35 per $100,000 market value. 

Barnes added that the 2.1-mill bond issue approved to build the high school and make improvements at the other schools will end in December 2026 and be removed from property tax bills in 2027, reducing the amount of total school taxes paid.

School Board President Chris Wolny said the major priority of the board “is to be fiscally responsible.”

“Many people will say do more with less, but we’ve been doing more with less for a decade,” said Wolny. “You can’t keep doing that indefinitely because the repercussion is that you start losing good people. Staff can’t continue to do the job of two to three people. We run a lean district.”

Wolny said typically districts go to the voters with a levy request every five years and that it has been nearly three, five-year cycles since Highland has requested additional funding.

“In the Highland district, we deliver a high-quality program and don’t want to start cutting services to our students,” said Wolny. “We deliver at the top of schools in the state from academics to athletics. We will talk to anyone who has any concerns.”

Superintendent Catherine Aukerman said the district “serves a high-quality program at all levels, from special education to advanced placement.” She added that some of the major increases in spending have come in the way of providing more mental health and nursing services, security, as well as and offering competitive wages for bus drivers, which Highland and the nation face a major shortage of.

Board member Bob Kelly said the district aims “to keep all the programs at Highland.”

“If we don’t pass this levy, it’s scary how big the next levy would have to be,” he said. “It’s a case of pay it now or pay it later.”

Board members will be holding a special meeting to pass the second step of placing a levy on the ballot. The first step took place at the meeting as the board approved a resolution of necessity. The levy figures were then turned over to the county auditor, which then sets the millage. 

The second and final step will be passing a resolution to proceed which will take place at an upcoming special meeting.

At the organizational meeting, held prior to the regular meeting, the board re-elected Wolny as president and Mike Houska as vice president. Legislative liaison and liaison to the Highland Foundation is Missy Schreiner. Wolny will continue to be liaison for the Ohio State School Board Association and Student Achievement and Houska will serve as liaison to the Medina County Career Center.

Executive Director of the Highland Foundation Theresa Wright said the Highland Foundation will be awarding $85,000 in scholarships and “at least 44 seniors will walk away with scholarships this spring.” 

Wright said funds for scholarships mainly come from the dessert auction at the annual Foundation Great Gifts Dinner, hosted every fall.

In addition, Aukerman said January is School Board Member Recognition month in the State of Ohio and presented board members with certificates of appreciation. Retired teacher from the Medina City School District, Scott Quad, said he wanted to extend his appreciation to the Highland Board as well as all area boards of education.

“I don’t think most people know of all the work board members do,” said Quad. “I’ve been going to boards of education meetings since 1980 to extend my appreciation to all that they do.”The next Highland Board of Education meeting is Feb. 10, 6 p.m. at the Highland High School Media Center. 

photo caption: Officers for the Highland Board of Education were elected at the Jan. 13 board of education meeting. Taking the oath of office is the Board President for 2025, Chris Wolny (left) and board vice president, Mike Houska (middle). District Treasurer Neil Barns (right) delivered the oath of office. Photo by Chris Studor.