LIBERTY — Liberty school officials will try again to get voter support for a 2.5-mill additional levy for permanent improvements in the district.

The board of education at its June meeting took the first step to place the five-year levy on the Nov. 3 general election ballot and have scheduled a special meeting at 5 p.m. Monday via Zoom to give the needed second reading for official placement on the ballot.

Treasurer Maureen Lloyd said the 2.5-mill levy is the exact levy defeated by voters in the April primary election, which was done completely by absentee voting.

She said the additional levy would be only for permanent improvements such as building roofs, parking lots, buses, building and grounds needs. Lloyd said none of the money will be used for operations, such as salaries.

She said the district does not sufficient funds for necessary permanent improvements. The levy that was defeated in April would have generated $560,000 per year to fix items such as the parking lots and boilers, and replace the aging school bus fleet.

The board has asked the county auditor to certify the millage and how much 2.5 mills will generate in time for Monday’s special meeting.

Voters in the Liberty school district voted down the 2.5-mill levy 53 percent to 47 percent in April, according to results from the Trumbull County Board of Elections.

Officials have said the 2.5-mill levy was put in place to replace the 4.2-mill bond issue that expires in December. The bond issue originally was approved in 1997 and was used to build the high school. The bond will collect $925,000 this year. In order to maintain the three district buildings once the bond falls off, the new levy needs to generate enough money to cover the basic costs.

The district has other needed repairs in mind but after hearing complaints from residents, officials wanted to ensure some tax income instead of risking none by renewing the bond.

Superintendent Joseph Nohra said previously the district still has to support the upkeep of school infrastructure.

“The community has to decide if they want to support the buildings, the grounds and the parking lots,” Nohra said previously.

Nohra is retiring Aug. 2, but he will stay in the district as an administrative consultant through Jan. 25 to assist in the transition to a new administration.

If the levy passes in November, it will begin collecting money in 2021.

In other business at the June 29 meeting, the board approved a one-year contract with Akron Children’s Hospital to provide school health and nursing services at $87,157. Lloyd said Akron Children’s Hospital will provide a licensed practical nurse to provide health / wellness services for the school district and a registered nurse.

The district’s registered nurse, Julie Reese, retired last spring and board members said they wanted to try a different route with nursing services for the three school buildings.

Lloyd said board members and administrators will evaluate how the first year goes with the new nursing system before making a decision on renewing the contract.