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Reprinted courtesy of the Westerville News & Public Opinion/SNP

©Copyright Suburban News Publications, Columbus, Ohio, 2003

Originally published September 24, 2003

WeVOTE plans forums on Win-Win, funding

By JOHN SHERIDAN

            WeVOTE will hold two public information meetings over the next several weeks to try to engage and educate the community on school funding issues and maybe along the way, encourage passage of the Westerville school districts proposed operating levy.

            WeVOTE which stands for Westerville Voters On Target for Education is a citizens group that organized following the failure of the districts operating levy in May. It is not raising funds for the levy campaign but is seeking to promote passage of the issue through getting out facts about the proposal and the districts finances.

            The groups first public information meeting will be held Oct. 1 and will focus on the Win-Win agreement between Columbus Public Schools and 12 suburban school districts in Central Ohio, including Westerville. 

            The speaker will be Jeff Rich, managing partner in the law firm of Rich, Crites & Wesp. Rich continues to represent Westerville and other Central Ohio school districts included in Win-Win, a boundary and tax-sharing agreement first adopted in 1986.

            The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the commons at Westerville South High School, 303 S. Otterbein Ave.

            The groups second meeting is set for Oct. 8, and will focus on several aspects of public school funding in Ohio.

            A handful of speakers will discuss school funding at the Oct. 8 forum. Dick Maxwell, executive director of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators will talk about state funding. Dan Shively, treasurer of the Westerville City School District, will discuss local funding.  Tax abatements will be discussed by Shannon Hamons, Westervilles economic development coordinator. And George Tombaugh, superintendent of Westerville schools, will talk about future funding.

            That meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at Genoa Middle School, 5948 S. Old 3C Highway.

            At WeVOTEs meeting last week, group members discussed how the meetings would be run. The group decided there would be a moderator to help facilitate the event. Community members will have a chance to step up to a microphone and ask speakers questions. District representatives will be at both meetings.

            Also at the WeVote meeting, held Thursday, group members discussed transitioning efforts to neighborhoods in the form of community liaisons, would are willing to talk about the levy and school district issues with friends and neighbors. About 15 people attended.

            There is a whole spectrum of understanding about school finance, from people knowing a  little to a lot. We really have to approach people and find out if they are willing to hear about it, said Michael Kelley, one of the community groups organizers.

            The group also has compiled a list of how budget cut have impacted every school in the district.  Intended for use by neighborhood liaisons, the list was compiled by polling every principal in the district. The polling found the cuts impacted everything increased class size to student mediation programs, Kelley said.

 

Read more Central Ohio community news at www.SNPonline.com.

Westerville Voters On Target for Education