By Steve Kemme
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - Officials of the Butler County agency that protects abused, neglected and dependent children spent Wednesday happily looking ahead.

They can now move forward on plans to expand programs and services and to rehire some of the employees who had been laid off earlier this year. If the Children Services' 2-mill replacement levy had failed in Tuesday's election, they would have been planning to lay off about 30 caseworkers, reduce and eliminate programs, and gear up for another difficult levy campaign.

What a difference 735 votes can make. That was the slim margin for the levy, which will increase the taxes on a $100,000 home by $29 a year.

The passage by an unofficial vote count of 32,228 to 31,493 will infuse the agency's coffers with about $6 million more per year.

"There was a lot riding on those ballots," said the Rev. Johnny Wade Sloan, chairman of the Children Services Board. "It was all about kids. The funds will be committed in a way that will help the kids. We feel a very deep sense of responsibility."

Children Services has had a difficult time passing levies in recent years. After rejecting two consecutive levies, voters approved a levy in 1999 only after the agency's top two administrators resigned.

A reform effort has changed Children Services' policies and practices in the past three years to make it more accountable and open.

Unlike past levy campaigns, this one drew no organized opposition. In fact, the levy received support from Republicans, Democrats, unions, other social service agencies and churches.

"This time we were able to build a broad base of support from many segments in the community," Sloan said.

An advisory committee made of two union members, two Children Services board members and two members of management will work with Jann Heffner, agency executive director, to formulate recommendations on how to spend the additional revenue.

"We pledge we will do everything we can," Heffner said, "to maintain the public's trust and to protect the children and help support their families."

E-mail skemme@enquirer.com