The Vandalia-Butler Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to have the Montgomery County auditor certify millage for a 5-year emergency levy on the May 7 ballot that would raise $3.9 million annually.

The board plans to meet Feb. 4 to place the issue on the ballot. School districts have until Feb. 6 to do so.

The levy size is similar to the 6.99-mill levy voters defeated in November and two earlier elections, but those levies would have run for a continuing period of time.

“This way in five years the board can bring it back to the public if they determine they need a renewal. The voting public will have a chance to weigh in on it,” district spokeswoman Bethany Reiff said.

About 200 people attended a community meeting before the board’s regular meeting and heard district Treasurer Dan Schall and Superintendent Christy Donnelly answer dozens of questions that people in the crowd submitted regarding the district’s finances and potential for returning to the ballot.

While Schall outlined scenarios for four different levies, ranging in millage from 6.99 to 14.9 mills, board member Brian Boyd said after the 5-0 vote that school officials were not sure they could pass a larger levy. He said they chose “a similar amount to stabilize our revenue.”

The district faces a potential $7 million budget deficit by the end of 2014 without new revenue, Schall said. Without a levy, the district would be operating at state minimum standards by 2015.

District officials have said passage of a May levy could restore some programs that are slated to be cut as part of the district’s two-year, $10.9 million cost reduction plan.

The first $3.5 million phase of cuts, which took effect this school year, eliminated 32 positions. Those cuts also eliminated high school busing, reduced middle school and elementary school busing, reduced gifted and summer school programs, froze technology spending and implemented pay-to-participate fees for athletics.

The district still must identify $7.4 million in cuts for 2013-14, which include an additional $3.9 million because the November levy failed. School leaders have said they are waiting to outline those specific reductions until April because they’ll have a clearer financial picture after Gov. John Kasich comes out with his proposed budget.

Vandalia resident Mike Broyles, 62, who has two children in the district, was among nine people who addressed the board. Broyles said he opposed the past levies and intends to vote against this one because he’d like to see an across-the-board pay cut for employees.

“The idea of selling fear and doom has been popular in the past but it’s not an effective means of motivating people for support today,” he said.

Officials said before the November election that levy failure would result in elimination of up to 60 teachers, support staff and administration positions. Some student programs would be eliminated, compensation and benefits reduced and more cuts made to athletics, those officials said.

Heath Hale, 35, a Butler Twp. resident with three children in the school district, asked the board to do what it can to avoid making deep cuts impacting music and other programs. He voted for the past three levies and said he’ll vote for the one in May.

“You got my vote no matter what you go for,” he said before the board’s vote.