CANFIELD — During a special Canfield Board of Education meeting Wednesday, the board discussed the financial state of the district and what a possible levy may look like. The meeting was the first step in coming up with a solid plan.

Board President Steve DeMaiolo said a lot of the night’s focus would be on the information district treasurer Ben Marko provided at last week’s board meeting.

“We are kind of at a breaking point,” he said. “We are alright now, but we are saying something needs to happen.”

Board member Nader Atway said he saw this day coming with no new money being approved in more than a decade and a five-year forecast showing deficit spending. He said the district’s priorities need to be on operations at this point.

“We have to go with operating funds first,” Atway said. “How could we go with a bond levy for a new building if we don’t have the operation funds to support it?”

Board member Jill DeRamo said academics was her primary concern. She said it was “what makes Canfield, Canfield.”

Early in the meeting, everyone seemed to be in agreement on operations being the main concern. Board member Betsy Ahlquist asked Marko where he came up with the suggested 5-mill operating levy.

“The district rules require me to stay above 60 days of cash on hand in the five-year forecast,” Marko replied. “I got as close as I could to doing just that and 5 mills would do it.”

He did say it was a short-term fix to balance out the five-year forecast. He said 1 mill would bring in approximately $960,000 per year.

The discussion went back and forth on the amount of the levy. Ahlquist is concerned that the community may not be able to afford a big levy right now and she said having community input is key.

DeRamo agreed the community has to be involved.

In looking at a timeline, Marko said the board would need to take action at the June meeting to be able to meet requirements for placing a levy on the November ballot. That left little time to begin the process, but all agreed a community forum is needed.

Board member Katie Elford said, “A community forum needs to be a more intimate setting, not just us sitting in a line on stage.”

The board settled on 6 p.m. May 14 in the high school media center. The discussion will focus on what the community will support for a levy in November.

“We can start fundraising right now,” said levy committee member John Schuler.

DeMaiolo said it is always the same faces at the meetings and the people who need to be educated are the ones that never attend a board meeting.

“Even if we don’t have exact numbers right now, we can still engage the community,” said levy committee member Hannah Morrison.

The floor was opened to others in attendance who wanted to weigh in. Jason Henry painted a scenario of what a smaller levy could mean.

“There is a reality in what you have to ask for,” he said. “If you don’t pass a 5-mill levy, you will have to cut staff. A 3-mill levy would require letting 13 staff members go. The community has been free loading long enough. They should support a 9-mill levy.”

Canfield High School teacher Dean Connolly spoke to the board and said he would bring five people to the next meeting.

“I challenge each one of you to do the same,” he said.

“At the end of the day, these are tough decisions and we need to have the conversation with the community. We need to know what they will support. We can’t get this wrong,” DeRamo said.