The Chardon community rallied around its schools Tuesday, passing a 3.9-mill operating levy by a margin of 611 votes.
The final unofficial results from the Geauga County Board of Elections were 3,552 for the levy and 2,941 against.
In an emotional moment, levy campaign co-coordinators Melanie Scanlon and Gabrielle Boose embraced in excitement after Assistant Superintendent Ed Klein read off the numbers.
“This feels so much better than November!” Scanlon said to the crowd gathered at Joey’s Italian Grille in Chardon.
A 3.9-mill operating levy failed by about 400 votes Nov. 7.
“This was a community effort — we could not have done it without the community, teachers, administrators, the board,” she added.
Superintendent Michael Hanlon congratulated Boose and Scanlon for their victory.
“This was much more of a team effort than it was in November,” Hanlon said. “Hats off to you guys, everybody, the board. Outstanding job, all the way down.”
In December, Hanlon proposed nearly $550,000 in cuts to make up for a possible loss of the May levy. But in a statement on Tuesday, he said the schools would now be able to continue the programs and services that contribute to the “exceptional educational experience that has become a tradition in the Chardon Schools.”
His statement to parents and the community also said the passage of Issue 3, combined with savings from preliminary cuts and the reconfiguration of Chardon’s school buildings, now allows the district to hold their budget constant over the coming years.
“We appreciate the continued support and confidence that the community places behind the school district — this important partnership is an integral component that helps our school district perform at a very high level,” he wrote. “It is also what makes Chardon and exceptional places for families to call home.”
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