The Logan County Board of Developmental Disabilities is facing another round of difficult financial decisions following the failure of its November levy request, leaving the agency to consider additional reductions to services and programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Voters turned down the measure 10,039 votes to 7,702 votes on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, General Election ballot, according to unofficial totals from the Logan County Board of Elections.

The proposed 2-mill levy was presented to voters as an opportunity to stabilize funding and preserve services that reach hundreds of Logan County residents.Its failure means the board will continue operating under significant financial constraints, with the possibility of additional layoffs and program reductions ahead.

The board was already in a state of fiscal emergency following the failure of its earlier levy request this spring. Since then, reductions have included staff layoffs, attrition, building consolidations and the elimination of other operating expenses.

During interviews ahead of the November election, Board President Bridgett Hawkins and Superintendent Krista Oldiges discussed the difficult choices facing the agency if voters again rejected additional funding.

At that time, officials indicated there was little left to cut from existing operations without affecting services. Additional layoffs remained a possibility, and nonmandated programs would need to be evaluated as the board works to address its financial situation.

Among the programs potentially facing reductions are Special Olympics, Tiny Toons and other community-based services.

More than 100 Logan County athletes participate in Special Olympics through the board's recreation programming. For many participants and their families, these opportunities provide more than recreation. They offer social connections, a sense of belonging and the opportunity to participate in activities alongside their peers.

Tiny Toons, a music program serving young children, had already been discontinued following the earlier levy failure. Other programs, including Discovery Days, an open gym program for children birth through age five, have also been eliminated.

In a Nov. 4 statement addressed to individuals, families and community partners, Hawkins and Oldiges acknowledged the disappointment surrounding the election results while reaffirming the agency's commitment to those it serves.

"Our commitment to the people we serve has not changed," the statement reads. "Our mission remains the same, supporting individuals with developmental disabilities in living, learning, working and thriving in our community."

The statement also acknowledged the financial challenges ahead, noting that the board will "carefully evaluate how to sustain essential services while operating with limited resources."

While the agency expects continued challenges, officials emphasized that services will continue "to the best of our ability with the resources available."

The financial challenges facing the board are not new. As outlined in the previous levy discussion, the agency has not requested new operating funding since 2005, despite increasing service demands and changing needs among the individuals it serves.

With voters declining the November request, the board must now determine how to continue providing required services while making difficult decisions about what else its budget can support.

"The road ahead will not be easy," the statement acknowledged, but officials said they remain committed to supporting the people of Logan County.