Based on unofficial returns, the levy issue passed by a vote of 1,086 “for” the levy, with only 302 voting “against” the levy.
Those figures were released by Chief Deputy County Clerk Bridgett Puckett. She said all of the deputy clerks in County Clerk Jim Hatfield’s office tabulated the returns from the election Saturday night.
The total number of voters, 1,388, represented 7.13 percent of the county’s total voter registration of 19,461. According to the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office, that total includes: Republicans, 1,745; Democrats, 16,716; Mountain party, 5; No party, 903; Other, 92.
Puckett said the canvass of returns in the election has not been scheduled by the Mingo County Commission, which handles that task by state law. She added that the canvass probably will be set for Friday.
Acting on behalf of the Mingo County Board of Education, Dr. Steven L. Paine, State Superintendent of Schools, approved the levy order last September.
After careful study and due deliberation, it was determined that the maximum levies for current expenses authorized by Article 8, Chapter 11 of the Code of West Virginia, as amended, will not provide sufficient funds for the payment of general current expenses of the schools of Mingo County during the fiscal years beginning on July 1 of the next five years, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2-12 and 2013.
It also was determined that the amounts in excess of the amounts raised by the regular levies will be needed by the Board in each of the next five fiscal years. Therefore, a special election was ordered so as to increase such levies in conformity with West Virgoinia Code.
Although the levy election was called by the state superintendent of schools on behalf of the Mingo County Board of Education, four members of the Mingo Board stated in an ad the day before the election that they “did not make the determination that there existed a monetary need for an excess levy, nor did we issue the call for this levy.”
Those four members signed their names to the half-page notice dated Nov. 20, 2008. It was published in the Williamson Daily News Jan. 16, 2009, signed by Charles West, president; Jackie Branch, vice president; Mike Carter, member, and William D. Duty, member.
Their notice to the citizens and taxpayers of Mingo County pointed out that both Dr. Paine and Superintendent Dials had refused the request by the “elected board) for an audit by the State Auditor, an agency chosen by several counties to do audits.”
The four board members asked for the audit “to determine if, in fact, Mingo County needs additional money to provide a high quality system of education to our children; and, if so, how much and for how long.”
The board members asked if the county needs a five-year levy at maximum rates. Their notice further stated: “If the audit supports this need, then so do we. Our point has been and continues to be that with the $4 million saved annually by the school closures..... we question the need for an additional 100 percent, five-year, $40 to $5 million excess levy.”
Among other statements, they also pointed to few schools and fewer students in the county school system now, noting that in turn saves expenditures.
Duty has been the most outspoken of the four members and has sought to delay the special levy election, claiming the board has sufficient funds for all purposes.
Total approximate amount needed to br raised for purposes set forth in the levy call after allowances for discounts, delinquencies and exonerations is $7,681,093 ($7.6 million). The total amount to be raised during the term of the five-year levy is approximately $38,405,465 ($38.4 million).
Mingo County School Superintendent Dwight D. Dials has steadily supported what he sees as a need to continue the levy when the present one expires June 30, 2009.
The fifth local board member, Dr. J. W. Endicott, said to halt continuation of the levy would take away services for the county’s students and salary supplements and services from school personnel. He said the crux of the matter is “if there was any money left over (from the levy), it could be used to improve our existing schools.”
This special levy has been in effect in Mingo County since 1964. Its purposes include providing amounts for free textbooks, school and instruction equipment and instructional supplies for all students; support for additional educational opportunities; provide for modern technological equipment and services to all schools, and yield support for band and choral activities.
The levy also is to provide support for academic competition; public and school libraries; expanded vocational programs; health services; for compliance with safety standards and security; for school repairs and renovations and supplement employee benefits.
Levy funds also will enable cotinuation of present salary supplements for all supervisory personnel, directors, principals, teaching personnel and the payment of expenses fixed by law and based on academic degrees and additional academic hours.
Other purposes of levy funds are support for service personnel, athletic and extracurricular activities, county extension service and salary support for supplemental assignments. The levy also is designed to provide incentive for unused personal leave; classroom furniture upgrades, National Board certification and supplementation of the budget.
Dials supported the special levy issue as necessary to operation of the school system. He observed that the Mingo Board of Education, it it determines that sufficient funds for school purposes exist for the school year, shall reduce the said levy rate in any given year or years during the five-year period of this levy in accordance with West Virginia Code 18-8-6g.
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