ELIDA — With emotions running high after an April 18 school board meeting concerning accommodations for transgender students, what may have otherwise been a routine one-mill levy renewal for Elida schools was cast into doubt as to whether voters would voice their displeasure in the ballot box.
In the end, voters did just that, with 62.5 percent of them rejecting the five-year permanent improvement levy by a wide margin — 1,329 voting no and 799 voting yes.
“It was a tough night,” Elida Treasurer Joel Parker said. “So I think tomorrow, we’ll get back to the drawing board and have conversations about what the next step is.”
Part of that conversation could involve placing another levy on the November ballot. If that levy would pass, there would be no interruption of funding to the district. Otherwise, the district would lose about $369,000 each year, funding that would be pegged for projects such as building maintenance and repairs.
“Our concern is that we don’t want to delay repairs or stop buying buses or stop improving technology or safety measures,” Parker said. “We’ve got great facilities, great staff and great students, and we want to keep them in the best shape we can.”
At the April 18 board meeting, the majority of public comment was against making accommodations for transgender students to use the bathroom of their preferred gender, with some urging the board to reject that policy, promising to back them if they did.
“The community will back you if you stand for what is right,” Shawn Ward told the board that evening.
One person who did support the Elida levy was Cheyenne Ridley, who felt it was important to support the district despite the controversy.
“I want to support the school,” he said. “They need it to take care of supplies, electrical and heating. If they don’t have that, the kids are going to suffer.”
Other school levies on Tuesday’s ballot included a continuing substitute levy for Bath which would generate about $3.7 million annually for the district for general operating expenses, a total representing one quarter of the district’s general fund. That levy passed, although by a closer margin, with 55.5 percent of voters approving the measure. With a total of 826 votes cast in the district, that percentage represented a difference of 90 votes — 458 in favor to 368 against.
“We are thankful to the community for their support of our levy,” Bath Superintendent Rich Dackin said. “Moreover, our district will now reap the benefits of any future growth within the district.”
A five-year, 4.9-mill levy renewal for Waynesfield-Goshen passed by a wide margin, with nearly 78 percent of voters approving it.
“This was our permanent improvement renewal, and we’re excited for the support from the Waynesfield-Goshen community,” Superintendent Tim Pence said. “The funds generated are used for a lot of building and grounds and interior and exterior improvements, so we’re looking forward to keeping our beautiful campus the way it is now and continuing to improve.”
