Results Split For Anthony Wayne School Levies
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
Anthony Wayne Local Schools’ renewal levy passed, but the new levy failed.
It was the message delivered via cell phone from Lucas County Board of Elections director Linda Howe to Anthony Wayne superintendent John Granger, who was waiting for levy results Tuesday night with a group of supporters at The Whitehouse Inn.
Upon hearing the numbers, he winced.
“Close again, but not enough,” he said, clearly disappointed that both levy requests didn’t pass.
Two previous levies were voted down by Anthony Wayne voters – in November 2007 and March 2008.
In Tuesday’s special election, the district spilt the original combined levy into two levies, a 3.3-mill renewal levy to generate $3 million and a 3.3-mill emergency levy to raise an additional $3 million.
According to the board of elections, 47 percent of 18,914 registered voters in the Anthony Wayne district cast ballots in the election.
Unofficial results showed 5,722 voting in favor of the renewal levy and 3,132 voting against it.
The request for a new levy fell short by 191 votes – with 4,331 voting for it and 4,522 voting no.
“This is not good news for the district,” Granger said.
Faced with a grim economic forecast – including a “fiscal caution” designation from the Ohio Department of Education – Granger said the district needed both levies to pass.
“That’s exactly why we combined the levy request in March – we need that money,” he said.
The most immediate effect will be felt in the classroom, as 15 teachers who have left the district will not be replaced, Granger said. In addition, he said courses will be eliminated, although he didn’t specify which ones.
“Class sizes will increase and we will have less people working with the kids; however, the district is committed to doing the very best to educate the children with what the community supported tonight,” he said.
Members of the administration and volunteers who campaigned vigorously for passage of the levies were somber upon hearing results.
“I’m disappointed, that’s about all I can say,” said Tamara Sparks, service committee co-chair, who helped organize a door-to-door campaign.
Jim Hutchinson, co-chair of the Citizens for Anthony Wayne Schools committee, was more optimistic.
“One passed – that’s better than none,” he said, and expressed his appreciation for the number of volunteers who worked on the campaign.
“I’m sure the administration will do the best they can under the circumstances,” he said.
Granger also expressed gratitude to those who supported the campaign.
“Those who worked on the campaign had a real sense of urgency and I credit their commitment and work ethic. Without it, I don’t know if the renewal levy would have passed,” he said.
According to Granger, the board will decide at its next meeting if the district will seek another levy request on the November ballot.
The next Anthony Wayne school board meeting will take place Monday, August 11 at 1:00 p.m. at the district administration building, 9565 Bucher Rd., Whitehouse.
Recycled Raft Races Featured In YMCA Rec Program
BY KAREN BERGER — MIRROR REPORTER
The directions were simple: collect recycled materials, design and build a boat, place a YMCA counselor on the boat in the old Whitehouse Quarry, and start cheering.
Nearly 90 children from the Whitehouse and Waterville summer recreation programs did just that last week and, surprisingly, no one sunk – although a few boats experienced cardboard disintegration shortly after launching.
While the Waterville children chanted “Waterville” in unison, the seven counselors from both villages pushed off into the water while members of the Whitehouse Fire Department observed as a precaution. Fire Chief Daryl McNutt said the quarry is at its highest level in years, with the center at about 14 feet deep.
The counselors, who all passed a swim test first, didn’t test out their rafts for seaworthiness first, said Esther Robbins, activities director for the YMCA summer program. Other YMCAs have done recycled boat races, usually in pools, she said.
In the weeks leading up to the race, school-age children attending the program learned about pollution and recycling and collected materials to create their boats.
“We used pool sanitizer bottles and Powerade bottles and Diet Coke cans,” said Stephen Albright, a Whitehouse sixth-grader who helped assemble the winning boat, powered by counselor Alex Zavala’s muscle.
“We worked today, putting together soda pop cans and bottles,” said Erin Snyder of Waterville. “We took off the ice cream bottles.”
In addition to investigating which containers are biodegradable and floatable, children learned to work as a team and communicate, Robbins said.
The rec programs end this Friday, after serving up to 60 children in Waterville and 85 in Whitehouse, said Melanie Grohowski, executive director of the AW YMCA.
Registration is under way for children’s and adults’ fall classes. For more information, call (419) 441-0013 or visit www.ymcatoledog.org.
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