The Hancock County Board of Education approved the order of notice to place the School Excess Levy on the Nov. 8th General Election ballot at a Special Meeting on August 17. Finance Director Joe Campinelli told the Board that the Order will now go to Assessor Joe Alongi’s office and then to the Hancock County Commission for approval at the Commission’s August 25th meeting. Campinelli observed the since the Board first placed an excess levy before the voters in 1947, Hancock County has approved them.
“It shows our county cares about their kids and cares about their schools,” said Campinelli.
The renewal of the levy will mean $8,664,744.00 additional funding for the Hancock County School system. While in past years, the Board had the option to conduct a special election for the Levy, a law passed by the West Virginia Legislature this past session mandates levy be placed on either General or Primary election ballots. Had the Board not opted to place the Levy on November 8, 2022 ballot the next opportunity would not be until May 2024 leaving the County school system without the additional funding for a year.
Campinelli provided the Board with a breakdown of the areas to be funded by the levy. Teachers and school service personnel comprise 82 to 85 percent of the school budget and an additional $800 per year for both been factored into the levy. Also placed in the levy are funding to increase Coaches pay, Career Technical Education, Maintenance, professional support in the area of child abuse and neglect along with social and emotional support. Hancock County also provide free breakfast and lunch for all students through the levy. .
While the five-year levy provides and additional $400,000.00 per year, Campinelli pointed out that the Board is not obligated to spend that amount each year.
The Board and Superintendent Dawn Petrovich cannot campaign for passage of the Excess Levy according to Campanelli. They can, however, educate voters on what is funded through the Levy and can appear at civic organizations to provide that information. In past elections a Political Action Committee (PAC) of interested citizens advocating for the Levy’s passage. The funds raised by the PAC have been used to fund ads, commercials and yard signs.
