PICKERINGTON, Ohio (WCMH) — The Pickerington Board of Education decided to table a decision Monday regarding which operating levy to place on the November ballot.
Pickerington Local School District said a levy is needed to address district growth and increasing financial pressures.
The board considered two levy options. During the Monday night meeting, some felt that a decision should’ve been made, while others felt that a survey needed to be done to gather more community input before making a decision.
Last month, the school board approved two possible levy requests — an 8-mill levy and a 9.21 mill levy, but they will only send one to the ballot. It came down to deciding between a larger cost for taxpayers or less funding to support teaching positions.
Some board members were in favor of taking time to do a survey; others felt that they were nearing the deadline to submit a final answer and didn’t want to delay anymore.
Both levies are operating levies, meaning they would support the day-to-day expenses needed to keep the district running as usual. The district is estimating an enrollment increase of more than 1,000 students by fiscal year 2029.
“This is an important decision for the future of Pickerington Schools,” Board of Education President Clay Lopez said in a press release. “Taking time to engage with our community and build understanding around the options will help ensure that we move forward in a way that reflects shared priorities.”
School officials said the district is pressed for funds to support the more than 11,000 students the district already enrolls; this is why some board members felt it was too soon to make a decision on which levy to send to the ballot.
“I fully support the Board’s commitment to engaging our community before finalizing a path forward. This is about collaboration, transparency, and keeping students at the center of every decision,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Scott Hunt said.
The board is scheduled to revisit the levy discussion on July 7.
