FAIRMONT – For a lot of public school districts, it’s never too early to talk about an education levy.
However, it can sometimes be too late.
Which is why Scott Reider made an appearance at Monday’s meeting of the Marion County Board of Education in Fairmont.
Reider is the treasurer for Marion County Schools, and while the excess levy for education doesn’t come due for renewal for another three years, now is the time to start talking about 2029, the official told the BOE.
In fact, both he and Superintendent Donna Heston say the district would be wise to push for placement for the 2028 primary ballot – as a kind of just-in-case line on the ledger.
Should the measure fail, that would give the district time to regroup for the 2028 general election ballot, they said.
There’s that, Reider said, while hoping voters don’t say no altogether.
“You think about taking $20 million from our budget,” the treasurer said. “That’s an impact.”
That line item – $20 million – is how much the excess levy is currently generating for district coffers, he said: for textbooks, maintenance and other necessary needs.
And if you’re the one in the front of the classroom, he said, the education levy means quality of life.
“Nearly 61% of our levy goes to staffing, salaries and benefits for professional and service personnel,” he said.
Meanwhile, the talk also turned to keeping everyone in the building safe.
Despite another snowy onslaught of winter weather Monday, Heston said work is still set to begin on Safe Schools entrances at Barrackville Middle and Monongah Elementary this week.
And representatives from Atlanta-based Centegix company are also in Marion’s buildings these days, Heston said – training staffers on the panic-button technology for 911 which goes online later this spring.
Technology, too, is on the docket later at North Marion High School.
A STEAM fair – as in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics – convenes on campus in outlying Marion County on March 28, Heston said.
“We’ll have more than 50 vendors there,” she said. “We’re excited.”
