Brooklyn school board votes to put levy on May 7 ballot

BROOKLYN, Ohio - The Brooklyn Board of Education met Tuesday night to vote on whether to place a levy on the May 7 ballot. The combined 9.2 mil levy would be used for operating expenses and capital improvement projects.

The board passed the second of two resolutions needed for the operating levy by a vote of 5 to 0.

Brooklyn City Schools Superintendent Cynthia Walker hoped current revenue for the district would have lasted until at least 2016-17.

"Because of events that have happened within the economic community, within the businesses in our community and also the value of our property, we're facing tougher times much sooner than we thought," said Walker.

Walker is concerned about aging infrastructure in all school buildings, especially Brooklyn Middle School, which was built in 1922.

If the levy reaches the ballot and passes, the district would initiate a project that would involve moving all students, in grades Pre-K through 12, into a one building campus complex with three distinct entrances for elementary, middle and high school students.

A new elementary school school and middle school would be added on to the existing high school on Biddulph Road. The high school would also receive major renovation.

Walker said without the levy money, it would be difficult for the school district to exist.

"We believe that, the citizens of Brooklyn feel that, it is important for this four and a half square mile city to have its own school district, so I believe at this point we are talking about maintenance and survival of a school district."