Question 1 - Election to Authorize Additional Levy

Special election to authorize additional levies (the "Excess Levy") for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2027, July 1, 2028, July 1, 2029, and July 1, 2030, in the approximate average amount of $1,141,835 annually, for the purpose of the payment of the general current expenses of The Board of Education of the County of Summers (the "Board"), including for the purposes hereinafter set forth; all according to the Order of the Board entered on the 28th day of July, 2026, and as more particularly described below. The purposes for which additional funds are needed during the term of this four-year levy, and the approximate average annual amount for such purposes after due allowances for discounts, delinquencies, exonerations, uncollected taxes and shrinkage, subject to variation from year to year, are as follows: PURPOSE FOR WHICH ADDITIONAL FUNDS ARE NEEDED, ANNUAL AMOUNT FOR EACH PURPOSE a. To provide supplemental funds for the hiring of teachers and school level service personnel for student support and academic services. $500,000 b. To provide funds for curricular and extracurricular trip support. $75,000 c. To provide funds for playground renovations at Talcott Elementary School, Hinton Area Elementary, and Jumping Branch Elementary School which includes but not limited to equipment, fencing, ground surfacing. $100,000 d. To provide funds for a safe school entrance at Jumping Branch Elementary School. $100,000 e. To provide a yearly salary and fixed cost such as retirement, insurance, social security and workers compensation (all required for employment) for a School Resource Officer at Summers County Comprehensive High School for a 9-month contract while school is in session. $65,000 f. To provide funds for facilities improvements, preventative maintenance, additions, equipment, and/or renovations at various Summers County Schools and/or the Transportation Garage. $221,835 g. To provide funds to update the transportation and maintenance vehicles to better serve the county. $40,000 h. To provide funds for security window treatments and related improvements at various Summers County Schools as an additional safety measure. $15,000 i. To provide funds for exterior lighting and related improvements at Summers County Comprehensive High School. $25,000 The amounts set forth above are the anticipated average annual amounts for each purpose. The actual amounts for each purpose likely will vary from one fiscal year to the next. If any item in the above-stated purposes is declared unconstitutional or invalid due to judicial or legislative action, then any affected funds will be distributed among the remaining constitutional and valid itemized purposes. The total amount necessary to carry out the above purposes over four fiscal years, after making reasonable allowances for discounts, delinquencies, exonerations, uncollected taxes and shrinkage, is $4,567,340, or the average sum of $1,141,835 annually. If the amounts budgeted by the Board for a specific purpose or purposes for a fiscal year are not able to be spent entirely in such fiscal year, then the unspent amounts shall be carried over and, in the Board's sole discretion, spent on such specific purpose or purposes in subsequent fiscal years. If additional State, Federal, private or other special funds are made available to the Board for any of the above-stated purposes, the amounts herein set forth may be used, solely or on a matching basis, to secure said additional funds or provide additional services. Additional funds received by grant, donation or otherwise from the state or federal government, or from any agency of either, or from any other public or private source, for the above-stated purposes, may be used either in substitution for or in addition to the funds obtained from this Excess Levy. To the extent permitted by then-existing law, the Board reserves unto itself as the levying body the right and authority, in its discretion, to reduce the rates of the excess levy, should increased assessments produce funds in excess of projected needs in any year specified in the levy call in accordance with section six-g, article eight, chapter eleven, of the West Virginia Code. The Board is hereby authorized and empowered to expend, during the term of this Excess Levy and one additional year, the surplus, if any, accruing in excess of the above amounts needed for any of the above-stated purposes, plus excess collections due to increased assessed valuations for the enrichment, supplementation, operation, and improvement of educational services, schools and/or facilities in the public schools of Summers County, West Virginia, including, without limitation, student instructional supplies, materials, equipment, facility improvements and/or capital projects, as Board may determine from time to time, in its discretion. In the event that the actual amount collected is less than the amounts noted for the above-stated purposes for any one or more fiscal years, the Board is hereby authorized and empowered to determine, in its discretion, which one or more of the above-stated purposes shall be reduced for each such fiscal year, and the amount of each such reduction for such fiscal year; provided, that the total of all such reductions shall not exceed the amount of such collection shortfall each year. The additional levy, in cents per $100 of assessed value on each class of property, shall be on Class I property 4.84 cents; on Class II property 9.68 cents; on Class III property 19.36 cents; on Class IV property 19.36 cents. That the proposed years to which the additional rate of levies shall apply are the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2027, July 1, 2028, July 1, 2029, and July 1, 2030.