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Board reviews levy planning and $3.3M in possible cuts if new levy fails
Summary
Treasurer reported near-$1.4M interest earnings and the board reviewed a statement of facts modeling more than $3.3M in possible cuts if an emergency/levey request in November fails; staff will refine numbers and continue community messaging.
The Cuyahoga Falls City School District board on Wednesday reviewed budget projections tied to a proposed November levy and a statement of facts that models potential cuts if a new-money emergency levy fails.
"In total, we received through all of our funds a little under $1,400,000," said Miss Story Coy, the district treasurer, as she summarized the June investment schedule and interest income across funds. Coy detailed that roughly $400,000 of that interest flowed to the general fund and reviewed food-service transfers and credit-card rebate revenue the district received during the year.
Treasurer and staff then discussed an analysis of reduction options that staff said would produce about $3.3 million in first-year savings as an illustrative package: staff-position eliminations, consolidation/redistricting (including moving 5th grade and potential elementary closure scenarios), revised busing minimums, increasing pay-to-participate fees for athletics and clubs, and reductions to extracurricular stipends. Staff repeatedly characterized the list as planning scenarios and not an adopted recovery plan.
"These are things that people count on," a board member said during the discussion, urging staff to show both the math and the program-level impacts. Administrators stressed the legal constraints and the need to preserve services where legally required (for example, special-education staffing), and they said revised scenarios will be refined to ensure compliance.
The board and staff also discussed the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP, universal free meals) and noted that CEP calculations use an April 1 data snapshot; staff said they can run numbers and "explore CEP" as a possible option tied to levy outcomes but cannot enroll midyear.
Staff committed to refining the budget estimates, adding clearer disclosures (noting the approximations), and returning with a presentation and statement of facts for community review at a subsequent meeting. No binding action to adopt cuts or levy language occurred at the meeting; the discussion was framed as preparatory work for the November levy conversation.
