MT BLANCHARD, Ohio — The Riverdale Local School District in Hancock County is still waiting for the results of a levy vote from the November general election.
The 2-mill permanent improvement levy lost by one vote, according to unofficial results. The district is waiting for the results of provisional and absentee ballots.
Even though the numbers haven't come in yet, the district is already taking steps to bring another levy to voters next year in case this one doesn't go in their favor.
Board members approved a resolution at Monday's board meeting to start the process of adding a new permanent improvement levy to the March ballot.
Superintendent Greg Rossman said they did this because won't find out the final results until mid-December, and the due date to submit a ballot item is Dec. 20.
"We've had to do our due diligence and do the resolution readings and voting at two board meetings and certify by the county auditor and submit to the board of elections by Dec. 20," Rossman said. "Our timeline is very narrow."
Jacob Fletcher, a school board member, said voting yes on the resolution Monday was an easy decision.
"If this is not successful, if it doesn't go the way that we hoped that it goes, we need to be prepared to move forward to bringing some money into the district," Fletcher said of the November levy. "If the need wasn't there, we wouldn't have asked for it initially."
Voters from Hancock, Wyandot and Hardin counties cast their votes on the levy on Nov. 7. Wyandot and Hardin have already counted their provisional ballots. Wyandot reported one additional no vote and Hardin reported one additional yes vote, meaning the levy is still being rejected by one vote.
The district is just waiting on Hancock County to count eight provisional votes and four absentee votes.