Vermilion Schools looks to levy for security funding

In wake of the nation’s recent school shootings, a safety and security levy for Vermilion Local Schools will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.

The school district is asking voters to approve a 0.68-mill additional fiveyear levy that could generate $300,000.

According to the Erie County Auditor’s Office, the safety and security levy would have an annual cost of $23.80 per $100,000 in property valuation for both Lorain and Erie county residents.

If passed, Vermilion will become the second district in Ohio to have a security levy.

The levy was spearheaded during a Community Safety Forum at the Vermilion High School on March 4, where 275 attendees spoke their concerns regarding the safety of Vermilion students.

The forum and creation of the levy proposal was at the request of the community, said Vermilion Schools Superintendent Phil Pempin.

The district aims to hire another school resource office and mental health therapist, as well as add alarms to the doors and purchase additional security cameras.

Pempin said that the security measures would help deter potential violence in the schools.

“It’s on everyone’s minds now, and it’s important for the teachers, and primarily the students, to have a peace of mind and for the staff as well when they’re coming in,” he said.

“As long as we can show our improvements and what we are doing with this money, and show the community that we are taking it seriously in keeping their kids as safe as possible, I don’t think that would be a negative thing if we needed an operating levy down the road,” said Vermilion Schools Board of Education member Sarah Stepp during a June 27 Board meeting that approved the levy’s recommendation.

During that meeting, an alternative proposal for an emergency levy with openended funds that could be used for any costs was rejected with the concern that the levy would make it difficult for the school district to pass operating levies in the future.