Dover, Ohio - District officials will be moving forward with a series of cost-saving measures after a decisive defeat of their 8.9-mill levy during Tuesday’s election.   

Prior to the election, the district announced a wide range of reductions to be implemented should voters fail to approve the five-year additional levy, which would have generated more than $3 million annually for the school district. 

The levy was soundly defeated Tuesday after being rejected by more than 60 percent of voters, and Superintendent Carla Birney says the district will now begin implementing those changes. 

“Obviously, we were hoping for different results. We’re very thankful for the support of our voters and for the volunteers that helped with the campaign. Our need does not go away with this decision, so now we have to move forward and make the changes in how we deliver education in Dover.” 

Birney says the district will begin by reconfiguring the elementary schools into grade-level buildings and increasing class sizes to 25 to 30 students, which will allow for the elimination of 7 to 10 teaching positions. In addition, the district will also be implementing pay-to-participate fees for sports and activities and eliminating Senior Citizen passes for sporting events.

“All of these things we will work on over the next few months and be ready to implement them at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year,” she says. 

Birney says the changes will result in an immediate savings to the district of between $500,000 and $750,000, which will help offset a portion of the $3.5 million in revenue lost each year due to the phasing out of the Tangible Personal Property Tax.

“This is just the first step in trying to make cuts that will get us closer to being able to operate in the black,” she says. “We will live within our means, and we’re going to move forward and make the changes that are necessary for us to do that.” 

STACEY CARMANY, TUSCO TV