CABELL COUNTY, W.Va.— The Cabell County Excess Levy is headed back to the ballot this November, but this time with funds for the public libraries and local parks restored.
In the previous levy, that was included on the primary election ballot in May, would have cut $2 million dollars in funding from Cabell County Public Libraries and the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District.
However, 64% of voters were against the funding cuts for the library and the parks, which made the board go back to the beginning.
Cabell County Schools Superintendent Tim Hardesty said that when he took office in June, getting that funding back was important because the parks and the library has always worked closely with the board.
“We felt like, coming back into the district this year after being gone for a year, I really felt like that was a priority to get that settled,” Hardesty said. “Get there funding back to them and work together as a partnership with the parks and the libraries on a unified message going forward.”
He also stated that it was important because voters were not happy about the proposed funding cuts.
During the process Hardesty said that he worked closely with representatives and their lawyers from the library and parks.
“Because we felt like that anything short of the full funding that they’re receiving in the past would not be something, that I personally would not feel comfortable putting forward,” Hardesty said. “And so we met, agreed on that and I presented it to the board of education for approval.”
Voting on the levy is important because it’s how the board is able to give these places the funds that they need, and Hardesty thinks that the residents of Cabell County knows that.
“We are hopeful that the public understands what we use the money for, and I believe the citizens and the parents of Cabell County schools and Cabell County in general have an expectation of the quality of services that we provide and that’s only possible through our excess levy that we’re able to do that,” Hardesty said.
Throughout the process Hardesty said the board and himself was thankful for all of the support that they have received and continue receiving from the public.
While the public was upset about the proposed funding cuts, Hardesty said that it includes more than the library and parks funding.
“School safety, and that allows us to hire resource officers for our secondary schools, we have security guards at both of our high schools, during the day when students are there to make sure the campus stays safe from people entering and existing,” Hardesty said.
It also includes employee’s salaries, cybersafety and device security, school libraries, summer programs and more.
In the new excess levy, libraries would receive $1,862,289 if passed and parks would receive $575,979 if voted on by residents.
You can find out more about the levy on Cabell County Schools website here.