T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Martins Ferry Education Association members walk out in protest after the Martins Ferry Board of Education did not receive a second on a motion to put the transfer of 4 mills of property tax within the 10-mill limitation from a general fund to a permanent improvements fund to a vote.

MARTINS FERRY — A motion for the Martins Ferry Board of Education to transfer 4 mills of property tax within the 10-mill limitation from a general fund to a permanent improvements fund died for lack of a second Thursday evening.

Board Vice President Dave Bruney made the motion to transfer the 4 mills to the permanent improvement fund. No board member seconded the motion; as a result, it could not proceed to a vote.

Following the decision, members of the Martins Ferry Education Association walked out of the meeting at the high school library in protest.

On Wednesday, the association had made a statement that was shared on social media, asking for residents’ support of the millage shift.

“The district has to produce a package that cuts expenses or raises revenue by about $2.4 million in the annual budget. In addition to making across the board cuts to administrators, teachers, classified employees, supplemental employees, and materials, part of the solution to this deficit is to enact a four mil transfer of funds in the school’s budget, “ the association states. “This measure, if approved by the Board of Education, would account for about $1,089,000, reducing the need for cuts to about $1.3 million.”

If passed, the funds would have been used to offset payments the board is making out of the general fund on an $11 million loan that paid for several facility improvements. Among them were fixing two separate hill slips behind the elementary school; replacing the roofs of the elementary, middle and high school buildings; and replacing the flooring of the middle and high schools, which was heaving.

“In December of 2024 the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce notified us that the district would be required to prepare and implement a financial recovery plan to correct its low fund balance and to eliminate a projected deficit of over $2.4 million in fiscal year ’27. Much of the deficit spending negatively impacted the district’s financial position (is) attributed to over $11 million that the district had to spend on unforeseen capital improvements which were necessary to ensure the safety of our students and staff. The remediations consisted of phase one or four projects, including the infrastructure, two hill slips, and the roof replacements on each building,” Superintendent Jim Fogle said. “In accordance with the Department of Education and Workforce, a financial recovery plan was developed.

The district has identified approximately $2.1 million in cost savings for fiscal year ’26. The majority of which will come from a reduction in force at all levels of the district, resulting in the suspension of 14% of our current workforce. However, reducing expenses by staffing reductions alone will not solve the district’s financial problems.”

Martins Ferry High School art teacher Natalie Zambori spoke in support of the transfer.

“I’ve been an employee here for 17 years, so I’ve seen a lot of kids grow up through the Martins Ferry school district,” Zambori said. “I believe it is so crucial to allow our district to maintain our essential staffing and the programs that directly impact our students’ success. Without it, we face a devastating loss of vital educational opportunities that prepare our students for the future.”

She added that she believes the teachers and staff at the Martins Ferry School District are the foundation of students’ achievement.

“Smaller class sizes, specialized instruction and individualized support are only possible when we have these resources,” Zambori said. “Beyond staffing, this action is necessary to sustain elective programs that enrich our students’ lives.”

Martins Ferry Mayor John Davies spoke out against the shift during a public hearing prior to the vote. He noted that although his words may come off as being harsh, he wanted to remind everyone in attendance that he wasn’t there to slander anyone.

“I don’t think we need this tax right now. I think we need to go back to the state and say, ‘Give us some time to make a plan and get some professional people in here looking for fundings,” Davies said. “If this isn’t run like a business, it’s going to fail. I don’t care how much money is put at it, it’s going to fail. We probably have some of the best teachers in the valley if not the state, and we don’t need to lose any of them and I think it’s a shame if we do.”

He added that he believed if the board didn’t table the vote and take time to come up with a plan, then it would lead to animosity in the city.

“I think you need a plan before you have the money because if you put money at a problem, the problem gets bigger. Here’s the thing – if you feed the monster, the monster gets bigger. And this is a monster that we’ve been taking care of,” he said.

Martins Ferry Middle School Vice Principal Matt Shreve said he believes the situation is a difficult one to navigate, regardless of which side of the issue you stand on.

“We can sit and admire the problem or we can do what’s best for kids and try and fix it,” Shreve said.

Had the board approved the transfer, money moved to the permanent improvements fund could only have been used for capital improvements and not for any salary or benefits, according to Fogle. According to information released by the district, transferring that millage would have kept the district from making deeper staffing cuts than already projected through a financial recovery plan. Transferring the millage would have kept the cuts at 26 employees with three spots absorbed through attrition. Without the transfer, the district said it will have to cut 39 employees.

If passed, the change would have resulted in an increase in the amount of real property taxes levied by the board. According to information provided by the district, a resident with real estate assessed at $100,000 would have seen a monthly property tax increase of $11.67. A resident with real estate assessed at $200,000 would have experienced a monthly increase of $23.33, and at $300,000, the monthly increase would have been $35.