By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com

Three school levies across two school districts were up for vote Tuesday in the 2015 May Primary. Wynford voters convincingly passed two renewal levies while voters in the Crestline school district rejected an income tax levy for new money.

Wynford’s 2.3-mill, three-year emergency levy and 6.9-mill, three-year operating levy were both renewals and passed with more than 70-percent approval in Crawford and Wyandot counties combined. The total in Crawford County for the 2.3-mill levy was 493 for and 160 against while Wyandot county voters approved it 67-46. The 6.9-mill levy passed in Crawford County 493-156, and in Wyandot County 66-46.

Wynford’s Superintendent Steve Mohr thanked the voters who turned out and voted for the school levies.

“I am thankful for the fact that our communities continue to support these renewals every time they have been put in front of the voters, and I think it is a feeling of gratitude but also a feeling of responsibility that we have to remain accountable, and we have to continue to try educating our kids,” Mohr said.

Mohr explained that the monies would go towards operational items for the school.

“It is all operating funds from supplies to maintenance repairs, instructional supplies. Just about every cost associated with the district,” Mohr said.

Voters of the Crestline Exempted Village School District voted down their school levy with 272 voting against the levy and 181 votes for the levy in Crawford County. In Richland County the levy was also voted down with 22 votes against the levy and 14 for the levy.

Crestline’s levy if passed would have been a 0.75-percent earned income tax with a 10-year limit operations levy. The levy was up for vote in the November 2014 election; however, it was voted down as well.

Superintendent Noreen Mullins said that it was imperative for the levy to have been voted through in March shortly after the school made $350,000 in cuts to help balance the school’s budget.

“With the levy and these cuts we will balance the budget. These cuts alone won’t balance the budget,” Mullins said.