CANFIELD — Following the rejected 3.7-mill bond levy from Election Day, board members of Canfield Local Schools have expressed their initial thoughts and are starting to identify what comes next.

During the Wednesday board of education meeting, Nader Atway, board president, kicked off the conversation sharing his view on the matter.

“I am an optimist,” he said. “We were able to close the gap with a 45 to 55% outcome. That’s a 6% improvement.”

Atway said some of the things he heard from “no” voters when the levy was put on the ballot, and from working the polls, included being taxed too much and needing to better care for the buildings. He said the last time a bond levy was passed in Canfield was in 1998. “I still believe a new middle school is non-negotiable,” he said.

This is the third time Canfield voters have voted down a bond issue.

In May 2022, a 6.9-mill levy that would have generated $107.8 million and then a 7.5-mill bond levy in November 2023 to raise about $105 million were voted down.

The latest attempt would have raised about $64.2 million over 35 years.

Board member Matt Campbell said many wanted to place blame for the situation on the national, state and local levels. He said the people are turning to social media instead of coming and talking to board members.

“The biggest losers were our students and staff,” Campbell said. “This [levy] requires a financial sacrifice. People want access to a great education but don’t want to ante up. If it gets back on the ballot, we all need to look within.”

Board member Steve DeMaiolo had a different approach to the vote.

“We did close the gap,” he said, “but before I make a decision, I need data. I am a data guy.”

He offered the idea of having an exit poll as to why people voted no.

Board member Betsy Ahlquist said the board cut the original first levy in half. She said the numbers say only 21% of Canfield voters have kids in school. Some of those without kids could be older citizens on fixed incomes.

“We need to do something else, maybe an income tax,” she said. “I respect those on fixed incomes who can’t afford it. An income tax would help ease the burden on those [residents].”

Superintendent Joe Knoll told Ahlquist and the board that an income tax could not be used to fund a bond levy.

He said income tax goes up and down and is not a sure thing. He did say one could be combined with a certificate of participation that could work, but the process is very complicated.

The final board member to speak was Traci DeCapua. Her concern was over the effects the bond levy had on the community.

“I see a fracturing, our community is taking sides,” she said. “I think there needs to be a reviewing process before we can move on. We need time to heal our community. We would like to know that our community came together [in the end].”

Knoll informed the board of the deadline for the next election in May 2025.

He said that placing something on that ballot would require passing two resolutions by the end of January 2025. The board could put a special election on in August, which he said would allow for time to get a new cost for the new school.

“We need a new middle school and we will have to figure this out,” Atway said. “Clearly we won’t solve this today. We need a work session to discuss this.”