Happening Now:Board Meeting To Put School Levy on March Ballot

[Betsy Voinovich]

Hi All--

Sorry I'm a little late on this-- if you want to attend, it's happening right now, you can probably catch the end of it if your hurry.

Here's the message from Kent Zeman:

A Special Board of Education Meeting has been scheduled for Monday, November 25, 2019 at 8:15 a.m. in the Board Auditorium in the Board of Education Building, 1470 Warren Road, Lakewood, Ohio 44107 for the purpose of approving the first required resolution authorizing the Board of Education to place a combined operating and permanent improvement levy on the ballot for March of 2020 and any other business that may come before the Board of Education. The agenda is attached.


SPECIAL BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
Lakewood Board of Education Bldg., Board Auditorium 1470 Warren Road, Lakewood, Ohio 44107 November 25, 2019 – 8:15 a.m.
Ms. Linda Beebe, President

AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Adoption of the Agenda (ROLL CALL VOTE)
IV. Business
A. Other Board Business
Mrs. Shaughnessy, Mr. Favre
1. Resolution Declaring it Necessary to Levy an Additional Tax for the Purposes of
Providing Funds for Current Operating Expenses and for General Permanent Improvements and Requesting the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer to Certify the Total Current Tax Valuation of the School District and the Dollar Amount of Revenue that would be Generated by that Additional Levy, Pursuant to Sections 5705.03 and 5705.217 of the Revised Code – Second Reading
2. Other
V. Adjournment


Betsy Voinovich

[Bridget Conant]

AS PREDICTED.

How high can your taxes go before nobody will buy your house?

[Dan Alaimo]

Betsy is definitely not to blame, but this one kind of snuck up on on me. And maybe that's part of the reason I'm negative about it for the first time.

There's been a lot going on lately. Could someone remind me of the other reasons why I resolved long ago not to vote for a tax levy this time? I know it had little to do with the schools and the taxes, and more to do with the secrecy of the school board.

[Kate McCarthy]

There's been a lot going on lately. Could someone remind me of the other reasons why I resolved long ago not to vote for a tax levy this time? I know it had little to do with the schools and the taxes, and more to do with the secrecy of the school board.

Hate to say it but I'm feeling much the same. As I discussed with the only two candidates who came to my door asking for my vote...Callahan and Meyers...I am tired of the lack of transparency and still resent the lack of competitive bidding on setting up CCF with a sweet deal at the high school and the sudden appearance of a community gym at the high school.

[Dan Alaimo]

There's been a lot going on lately. Could someone remind me of the other reasons why I resolved long ago not to vote for a tax levy this time? I know it had little to do with the schools and the taxes, and more to do with the secrecy of the school board.

Hate to say it but I'm feeling much the same. As I discussed with the only two candidates who came to my door asking for my vote...Callahan and Meyers...I am tired of the lack of transparency and still resent the lack of competitive bidding on setting up CCF with a sweet deal at the high school and the sudden appearance of a community gym at the high school.

On the fitness center, it is kind of pricey compared to other privately run gyms, Planet Fitness, for example. I go there, as did a couple of prominent Build Lakewood members. They suddenly stopped showing up when the new fitness center opened. I don't know anything else, but of course I suspect they got a sweet deal to become members of the new fitness center.

Another issue comes to mind: the selection of Dr. Barnes as school superintendent. From what I understand, he's a good man who is doing a good job, but the school board cut some corners in his selection process. Many of those same people remain on the school board, and at this point they've earned my skepticism.

[Jim O'Bryan]

While I agree with all of the comments about how much more...

I would remind all of us, that we all knew this was coming when we voted the last one in.

The nature of School Levies is they last 4-10 years before a new one is needed to catch up with costs of running schools, which is constantly going up.

Because of the laws and rules governing this, most levies are weighted to bring in extra during the first years, and not lose too much the second half. The problem here is that the smaller the increase, the more often one needs to come back. I want to say House Bill 921, but Ed Favre would be the one to ask.

Lakewood has a tendency to go for the minimum, not the maximum for fear of levy failure. Levy Failure is a real threat, Lakewood went through 5 failed levies in a row in the past. This is why it is important to understand, we have new buildings and students, now we have to get the teachers, books, programs etc.

At the end of the day, we want educated kids, and levies passing, as it all adds to property values.

.

[Dan Alaimo]

While I agree with all of the comments about how much more...

I would remind all of us, that we all knew this was coming when we voted the last one in.

The nature of School Levies is they last 4-10 years before a new one is needed to catch up with costs of running schools, which is constantly going up.

Because of the laws and rules governing this, most levies are weighted to bring in extra during the first years, and not lose too much the second half. The problem here is that the smaller the increase, the more often one needs to come back. I want to say House Bill 921, but Ed Favre would be the one to ask.

Lakewood has a tendency to go for the minimum, not the maximum for fear of levy failure. Levy Failure is a real threat, Lakewood went through 5 failed levies in a row in the past. This is why it is important to understand, we have new buildings and students, now we have to get the teachers, books, programs etc.

At the end of the day, we want educated kids, and levies passing, as it all adds to property values.

.

Jim,
And I generally agree with you, but I am left with a question: how else to send a message to this school board that their secretive behavior is not acceptable. We can't give them detention. Defeating a levy speaks louder than the results of a general election.

Even if successful in defeating the levy - and in reality I don't think it's possible - they will be back shortly with a second attempt, but I hope they will have learned something.

I don't want to keep needed money from the schools for all the reasons you cited, but there are people on this school board who have become too powerful, at least in their own minds. Perhaps a levy fight will make a difference.

[Paul Schrimpf]

The recent increase in property tax doesn't help, nor the overall increase in home values and residents coming in that probably feel that they're up to their necks already. The school board will absolutely HAVE to make this process impeccably transparent. Both my kids went to private school and I have voted for every levy because I believe in the power of good schools, and see the results in shiny new buildings, ready for a sustainable future. I don't want to hear it from JOB, much as I love him ... I need to hear it from the Board. Approach and presentation will matter. I need to believe in the leaders as much as the plan.

Paul

[Dan Alaimo]

The recent increase in property tax doesn't help, nor the overall increase in home values and residents coming in that probably feel that they're up to their necks already. The school board will absolutely HAVE to make this process impeccably transparent. Both my kids went to private school and I have voted for every levy because I believe in the power of good schools, and see the results in shiny new buildings, ready for a sustainable future. I don't want to hear it from JOB, much as I love him ... I need to hear it from the Board. Approach and presentation will matter. I need to believe in the leaders as much as the plan.

Paul

The "old guard" on the school board mistrusts the general populace the same way the "old guard" at City Hall does. I don't want to deprive the schools of any necessary funding, but we must get their attention. (Note that I also have voted for every levy in the past. I'm not the chronic complainer some might say that I am.)

[Jim O'Bryan]

The recent increase in property tax doesn't help, nor the overall increase in home values and residents coming in that probably feel that they're up to their necks already. The school board will absolutely HAVE to make this process impeccably transparent. Both my kids went to private school and I have voted for every levy because I believe in the power of good schools, and see the results in shiny new buildings, ready for a sustainable future. I don't want to hear it from JOB, much as I love him ... I need to hear it from the Board. Approach and presentation will matter. I need to believe in the leaders as much as the plan.

Paul

The "old guard" on the school board mistrusts the general populace the same way the "old guard" at City Hall does. I don't want to deprive the schools of any necessary funding, but we must get their attention. (Note that I also have voted for every levy in the past. I'm not the chronic complainer some might say that I am.)

Dan

We are not complainers, that is BS. We merely think when people do their job correctly, they do not win ribbons. When they do something exceptional out come the kudos, when they screw up, here come the questions. I am sorry but elected officials do not get to "distrust the public." That is a slippery slope to fascism and a weak excuse. How does one ever trust 52,000 very different people? Distrusting residents is not in their job description. HOWEVER, distrusting government is not only in every resident's job description in any democracy, but in Lakewood, history would prove you a fool if you didn't.

Paul

The elections are about the Board, not the levies. The levies are about operating costs and because of House Bill 920, it is impossible to get away from it. It is not a fixed number anyone can aim for. It is not even a static goal. It all moves and becomes a nightmare for every school. Levies have to be patterned to look far ahead at any number of projections. So usually the money gained in the first year of a levy is needed for the end of the levy lifespan. All the while costs go up, benefits go up, everything goes up.

My point is, if the schools are not performing up to expectations, get a new management team. Do not keep teachers from students. If the grades are not what you feel they should be, get new management at the top, do not cut back on student deliverables.

I have no problem holding the Board of Education accountable for the schools. That is why we have elections. Levies are to run schools.

Judging by the last election Lakewood residents think everything is hunky dory. One person ran and never sent out a flyer, a sign, hell was out of the country most of the time. She won easily. Another winner was last vote getter last time, now lead vote getter. I am guessing the BOE reads it as validation of how well they are doing. Callahan was demanded by the sports-minded families in town though he has much more than that to offer.

So to recap, don't like the ways schools are run, get rid of the BOE, do not punish the students.

FWIW

[cmager]

I have no problem holding the Board of Education accountable for the schools. That is why we have elections. Levies are to run schools... ...So to recap, don't like the ways schools are run, get rid of the BOE, do not punish the students. FWIW

Nailed it.

[Dan Alaimo]

I repeat, with the next election far off - probably by design - how else do we get their attention and communicate our disatisfaction in a meaningful way?