HUNTINGTON Ƶ After over a year of effort from people all over the county, the Cabell County Board of Education excess levy, yielding over $30 million, passed Tuesday with increased amounts for the Cabell County Public Library and the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District.
The levy passed in a landslide vote with 24,370 votes, or about 74%, in unofficial results following the general election.
Waiting in the courthouse throughout the night anticipating results were both Superintendent Tim Hardesty and library Executive Director Breana Bowen.
ƵI was over at the library, and then I thought, I canƵt sit here for much longer because people in the room were texting me, and I thought, ƵWell, IƵll go over there since itƵs kind of Ƶ the results are coming in,ƵƵ Bowen said Tuesday night.
Bowen said she was Ƶoverwhelmed and gratefulƵ to voters for their decision to pass the levy, which includes $1,862,289 for the libraries and $575,979 for the parks, as well as percentages of any surplus annual excess levy collections.
When the excess levy failed during the May primary, it was the first time it had been defeated since the 1960s, with many voters voicing their concerns over the course of a year about the former levy call having decreased funding amounts for the parks and libraries.
In the weeks before the May election, the library even hosted a meeting where officials discussed a plan of action, including a list of possible cuts to hours, services and possibly even staff and locations should the previous excess levy call have been passed, slashing what they consider a significant portion of their budget.
ƵI am ready to get back to work and to start doing all of the things that have been put on hold for almost two years,Ƶ Bowen said. ƵIƵm ready to (put) boots on the ground tomorrow, to keep doing what weƵve always done, and to know that we get to survive and thrive Ƶ itƵs a wonderful thing.Ƶ
The largest opponents of the May levy, the Facebook group ƵNo parks, No libraries, No levy,Ƶ even swapped out their ƵnoƵ for ƵyesƵ when it was ensured the parks and libraries would be given increased shares of the levy. They spread the word for months leading up to the election in hopes the newly drafted levy would pass and fill the budgets of the local entities.
Amanda Kinder, an original member of the group who was also recently appointed to the library board of directors, said Wednesday morning she believes that the newly titled ƵYes parks, Yes libraries, Yes levy,Ƶ group is a grassroots organization whose efforts are a Ƶtestament to what a community can do when they feel passionately about an issue.Ƶ
ƵIt is impressive to me that this was a completely informal word-of-mouth social media campaign with no distinct membership or dues requirements that really embodied the idea of what it means to organize and to effect change,Ƶ she said. ƵAnd though the original goal was to vote down the levy in May, it speaks volumes to me that this is not where the group stopped.Ƶ
Athena Daniels, an administrator of the group, said moving forward, the group may still be around in some capacity as it was always meant to become a Ƶwatch groupƵ for the board. Personally, theyƵll still be tuned in to the board meetings almost every month.
ƵWe did it,Ƶ Daniels said.
Board Treasurer Drew Rottgen, who held his position at the board when the previous levy call was created, said Tuesday night that seeing the new, changed levy pass was a ƵwinƵ for everyone.
Ƶ(The excess levy) certainly provides funding for all three entities ... exactly how itƵs been done in the past,Ƶ Rottgen said. ƵI do think that was a positive move, and it appears that the voters agree.Ƶ
The rest of the levy will go toward employee salaries and benefits for the most part, as well as school resources like safety and security measures, career and technical education and workforce development, instructional support and school libraries, summer programs, athletics and facilities maintenance and equipment.
ƵIƵm very thankful,Ƶ Hardesty said. ƵIƵm also very happy that the voters understand that what we want to do is work together as a group to better our school system and our community, and I certainly appreciate their support.Ƶ
