Monday, 06 August 2012 19:15

Special Election Tuesday

Written by  Matt Hartong
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On a special election ballot Tuesday, three local school districts will be going to the polls and asking each of their communities to vote "yes." Barberton, Coventry and Woodridge will all be looking to pass operation and permanent improvement levies.

On a segment of The Ray Horner Morning Show all three district superintendents described each of their individual levies.

Russ Chaboudy with Coventry Local schools is looking to pass a permanent improvement levy that will contribute to their goal of building a new high school. In his conversation with Ray, Chaboudy talked about the importance of having a gym.

"Right now we can't even put all our students into one area of the building for a pep rally or assembly, we don't have the room."

Chaboudy continued to talk about the location of the new high school.

"The new high school would be on the Erline property which is currently where our intermediate building is, as you know sits right in front of the football field, so putting a new high school there where the athletic fields are, just makes sense ."

Coventry Local schools is trying to take advantage of state programs that's offering $11 million towards the $29 million project.

The Barberton Local school district along with Woodridge will try to pass operating levy's. Superintendent Patricia Cleary with Barberton is looking to pass a $3 million levy that will cover four to five years for the district.

The last vote was in November in attempt to pass a $3.5 million levy, that failed leading to a cut of 75 positions.

"In the last two years we've cut about 75 positions, staff, teachers, and administrators. Before that we looked at every single position as people retired and tried to reduce wherever we could" said Cleary.

If the levy does not pass this time around, pay to participate, bussing cuts, half day kindergarten , staff cuts and elective course cuts will all be a possibility.

The levy is needed after $4 million dollars in state, federal, and local cuts.

Walter Davis with Woodridge Local Schools is looking at a $6.83 million levy that has failed to pass two different times.

Davis talked with Ray on what he and his office has done differently to get voters out to the polls.

"There were a significant number of our parents that did not vote. So we went out and tried to target them and to convince them that they need to get out to vote."

If they levy fails, Woodridge would have an emergency school board meeting to evaluate what cuts they would have to make.

Last modified on Monday, 06 August 2012 19:32
Matt Hartong

Matt Hartong

Matt Hartong graduated from The University of Akron in 2012. He is proud of his family history as farmers and operators of one of Summit County's last-remaining dairy farms, with a deep history in the region. Contact Matt at mhartong@rcrg.net with tips and comments.

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