(File Photo) Students were headed into school at the start of the day, Thursday, August 19th, 2021.

VINCENT — Residents of the Warren Local School District will vote May 6 on the renewal of an emergency operating levy.

Early voting began Wednesday, allowing the community to decide on a measure that officials say has been integral to the district’s operations since its initial approval in 1995.

The emergency levy has been successfully renewed multiple times. The current renewal seeks to continue generating approximately $1.7 million annually, accounting for about 1/13 of the district’s general fund budget. This funding is crucial for maintaining daily operations, including textbooks and educational materials, utilities such as electricity, basic maintenance and custodial supplies, Board of Education member Bob Allen said.

“If it’s renewed, nothing will change,” Warren Superintendent Kyle Newton said. “The levy isn’t allowed to go over the $1,755,600.”

According to Newton, funds from this levy are strictly allocated for operational expenses and are not used for capital projects like constructing new buildings or major renovations. This ensures that the district can sustain its day-to-day functions without interruption.

“It is critical for the funding of our district, not for salaries or benefits, but for other operational costs that keep our programs running,” Allen said. “That includes extracurriculars, and while we do charge for some of those, a loss of this revenue would impact a lot of things.”

Allen described the levy’s classification as “emergency” as a technical term required by the way it was initially passed.

“It’s not that we’re declaring a new emergency,” he said, “but the funding is absolutely essential.”

According to Allen, the district prides itself on fiscal efficiency.

“We’ve improved our operations and stewardship of our facilities over the last decade, thanks largely to our current staff,” he said. “They’re excellent at what they do.”

Officials also state that the district has seen significant student success across academic, athletic and extracurricular areas. Allen attributes that progress to the combination of strong teaching, solid infrastructure and community support.

“Our students are excelling,” he said. “And that reflects not just on them, but on the whole district: our teachers, our facilities and our ability to provide the resources students need to succeed.”