001Hello everyone. Okay. All right. I would like to call our February 4th, 2026 L City School Board meeting to order. Please call the role. >> Here. Mr. >> here. >> Okay, if we can all uh rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you. I'm going to introduce our board up here. I have Mr. Brent Parker to my right. Mrs. Annie Karst Starfin to my left, Len Hower at the end of the table, and I am Elaine Seuin. All right. So, we do have board recognition tonight. >> Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. I should introduce our superintendent, Ann Slash, and
002our treasurer, Colleen Abolt. All right, moving along. We do have some board recognition tonight and it's actually um quite a impressive one. The board will recognize two food service employees whose swift response and life-saving actions aided a citizen in crisis while they were on duty. So, whoever is doing that, it's Amy Higgins. Yeah, Miss Amy Higgins. Okay. Um, folks in the back, I think we need a mic, uh, setting up here on the superintendent and treasures table. >> Can you hear me? >> Okay. All right. We'll get that going. But, um, good evening, members of the board and community. We'd like it to take a moment to recognize an extraordinary act of service that took place at our campus during last week's bitter weather conditions. Our schools and everyone else's schools um were closed multiple
003days last week due to frigid temperatures and sub-zero windchills. Yet, several of our food service employees came to work at Ayria High School to receive a food delivery. It was very early in the morning hours when they were there, among the coldest hours of the day, when they heard noises of distress in the distance. Rather than ignoring the situation or continuing with their duties, these employees chose to investigate. What they discovered was an individual in a critical state who had been exposed to the extreme cold for multiple hours. Without hesitating, they called for emergency medical services, and they provided care, keeping this person safe and warm until help arrived. Their quick thinking, courage, and compassion quite literally saved a life. It's our privilege tonight to formally recognize these outstanding employees. I would like to invite
004their supervisors, Lauren Smith and Brian Kokai, to join us on stage to introduce them to you and to present them with certificates and something else to recognize their heroism. >> All right. Thank you, Amy. All right. I am very proud to honor two of our food service employees for their selflessness and heroism last week. Without their actions, the outcome could have been tragic. Their presence, vigilance, and swift action exemplify the very best of service and compassion for others. When I spoke with one of the drivers the next day, she simply stated, "We didn't even think about it. They saw someone in need and sprung to action." Please join me in recognizing Amy Smith and Courtney Odell. So, in addition to uh their recognition here publicly at the meeting, Courtney and Amy will also be receiving
005the Yria City School District challenge points which symbolize uh service and commitment and going above and beyond to help the citizen in need. So, congratulations. if you can. Uh, Superintendent Treasurer would like to shake your hand and then make your way over to the board. >> Thank you very much. Quick little picture together. >> Oh, you guys are stars. >> I'm stand next to L so I look tall. >> Give them the spotlight. Awesome. >> Everybody smile. >> Thank you so much. >> All right. Thank you, Courtney and Amy. Uh, moving along, we're at visitors comments. The school board encourages and appreciates citizen interest in meetings of the board of education. Normally, the board will meet twice during the month and will make accommodations to allow public participation. Persons wishing to address the board up
006to five minutes may place their name on a sign-in sheet at least 5 minutes prior to the start of the meeting indicating the topic they wish to address or make a written statement to the treasurer's office one week in advance of the board meeting to speak for up to 10 minutes. Each meeting participant will be invited to speak directly to the board so that the remarks may be clearly heard and questions may be asked. In order to asssure that the board is able to conduct its business in an orderly and efficient manner and to complete its regular agenda, the public comment time period of the regular board meeting shall be limited to a total of 30 minutes. Okay. We have two individuals who signed up today. So, uh, Linda, uh, you're first. would you like
007to approach the mic and just tell us your name uh address and topic? >> Yes, my name is Linda Ainyaga, Northwood Middle School teacher, President Seuin, members of the board, Superintendent Schlloth, and Treasurer A-HOL. Again, my name is Linda Aginyaga, president of the Yria Education Association, and I am here tonight on behalf of nearly 500 certified educators who serve the students and families of Lyri City Schools every single day. Since we last addressed this board, the financial reality facing our district has become even clearer and more alarming. The treasur's February 2026 financial forecast report confirms what educators have known have long known. Yria City Schools is not facing this crisis because of irresponsible spending or poor decision-making. We are here because of a state funding system that continues to fail districts like ours. According to
008the forecast, Yria is on a path towards severe deficit spending and a catastrophic cash shortfall. By fiscal year 2030, the district is projected to see a decline of more than $75 million in cash balance compared to fiscal year 2025, resulting in a negative 43.8 million negative $43.8 million. Days cash on hand are projected to fall into the negative by fiscal year 2029 and worsen significantly by fiscal year 2030. These are not abstract numbers. They represent a system being pushed past the breaking point. Most critically, the forecast makes clear that state funding is the biggest driver of this decline. While expenditures are projected to grow largely due to unavoidable costs like employee benefits and purchase services, revenues are projected to decrease by more than 1% annually. State funding alone is expected to be more than $2.2
009million less per year compared to historical averages. Even under the fair school funding plan, the problem is undeniable. The calculated base cost to educate students in Ayria is approximately $44 million in fiscal year 2026. Yet, the state is projected to provide just over $24 million. The local share continues to increase, shifting more responsibility onto a community that has already been asked again and again to make up the difference. By fiscal year 2030, the local share is projected to exceed 55%. This is not fairness. This is abandonment. Tonight, as discussions continue about potential budget reductions, the Yria Education Association must be absolutely clear. We do not want to see any position cuts. Not one. Over half of the general fund is tied directly to personnel. Cuts in this area will land squarely on the classrooms, on
010class sizes, student supports, intervention services, mental health resources, and the adults. our students rely on every day. Educators are already stretched thin, facing increasing student needs, escalating behavioral challenges, and expanding mandates with fewer resources. Cutting positions will not solve this crisis. It will deepen it and permanently damage the educational experience for our Larry's children. We have lived through devastating cuts before. The scars from 2008 and 2013 are still felt across this district. We cannot repeat that history. Therefore, we ask this board to commit to the following. Publicly and persistently advocate with Ohio state legislators for the full and equitable funding of the fair school funding plan. clearly communicate to the community and to lawmakers that the financial crisis facing Alyria is driven by state funding failures, not local choices. Exhaust every possible alternative, including retirements,
011attrition, restructuring, and long-term financial planning before any consideration of reductions and force. center transparency, collaboration, and respect for staff as these decisions unfold. Recognizing that real livelihoods and real students are impacted, we appreciate the continued transparency, transparency from the treasurer and superintendent, and the acknowledgement that fear-based communication helps no one, but transparency also must come with resolve. The message for malyria must be unified and unmistakable. The solution is not fewer educators. It is fair funding. Our educators show up for this district every day. We ask that our district show up for us now, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its employees, and fight alongside us in Columbus for the fully funded public schools our students deserve. Thank you. >> Perfect. Perfect. Okay, thank you, Linda. We have one more speaker that has signed up for five minutes. Melissa
012Gor uh Melissa Gorski. >> Yes. Okay, that's going to be a tough one to follow. Good job. Thank you. Uh my name is Melissa Gorski. I am an Alyria parent of two children, one in elementary, one in middle school. Um, and if anyone knows me, I'd rather be up there singing to you all. Speaking is not my thing. Um, I'm going to ask you all to please think a little more locally. Like she said, we we can't lose our paras, our teachers are they are invaluable. So, in October, I did a public records request into an afterchool club that is at Ele School. I'm not sure if they're at any other schools. and the numbers and my mind just kind of wandered over the course of the last five years that we've been back open
013since co this club operates one day a week and my records request showed their contract for their use of our school which our public schools are public property in that respect. Um and I I inquired as to what schedule they are charged for the use of our schools and I was told that they are a schedule C which according to our policy book says that schedule C is a nonprofit Ayria based youth organization partnered with Ayria athletics with no revenue activity. This is not a group that partners with athletics. It's a nonprofit uh Bible club, which doesn't matter what the club is. I just wanted that. I wasn't it wasn't clear to me why they are not schedule B, an organization inside Ayria City School District boundaries, but has no affiliation with any activity that
014is supported by Ayria schools is what what I understood a Bible club to be, much like Girl Scouts and stuff like that. If I'm wrong, please correct me. So, with that being said, the response from the email was, "The community group is classified as a schedule C. They're not charged." This is common practice for all groups. We try I try very hard not to charge any group, I'm sorry, anyone engaged in nonprofit community- based activities. That's kind. That's appreciated. But they could be bringing in money to our schools for the use of our facilities. Um, I also looked into their contract, which is the use of the school gymnasium, and I inquired as to why they were also allowed. This was before I knew that they weren't even being charged for the gymnasium. I inquired
015as to why they were allowed to use the cafeteria as well. That should have been on the contract. And I was told that activities should be confined to the areas that are being reserved and reservations should be updated if the use is expanded. That said, we don't require every space to be reserved. For example, you don't have to reserve the door you use to enter the building. With that said, crunching numbers conservatively and not conservatively, for the past 5 years, this group has been in our school for two and a quarter hours once a week, that is $258 for one time a week. If we go conservative conservatively with 15 Tuesdays out of a school year or if we go extravagantly and we go 20 minus all our snowies, right? That is $19,46 to $25,875
016one school in the last 5 years, one group alone has lost. That's our Paris. That's our help. I know it's a drop in the bucket to the millions you just referenced, but those are the small decisions we could be making for our teachers and our staff and our children. So, I would encourage you to please look inward as well. Look inward where we can control things. This is a control. We can control this. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Thank you, Melissa. All right, moving along. Uh board members, the meeting minutes have been posted. Do we have a motion to approve? Um last the last um January 21st board. So moved. >> Second. >> Madam Treas, do we have questions on them? >> No. >> Madam Treasur, please call the role. Mr. Parker, >>
017I. >> Miss Garfin, >> I. >> Mr. Hower, >> I. Mrs. Seuin. >> I motion carries. Uh we have no uh board of education items at this point, but we do have some treasure action items. >> Yes. Thank you. We have one to acknowledge and express the appreciation to the following gifts and donations. Thank you very much to Lyria Friends Church, United Way of Greater Lurine County, Mr. Dan Clark, and Community of Faith. Thank you for your donations. >> Okay. Do we have a motion to approve the treasur's action items? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion or questions? >> No. >> Then Madam Treasur, please call the role. >> Miss Christophan, >> I. >> Mr. Hower, >> I. >> Mr. Parker, >> I. >> Mrs. Siguin, >> I. Motion carries. Uh, treasure. Other.
018>> No other. And I will wait for the report for the presentation. >> Okay. All right. Moving along. Superintendent action items. >> Thank you, Madam President. First of all, to approve the Eyera High School student fees for the 2627 school year as deta detailed below. Also to approve the Lorraine County Community College credit plusou for the 2627 school year as detailed below. to declare the impracticality of providing transportation for the following students involved as listed below. To approve theou with vision to learn and city school district for the rest of the 2526 school year and that concludes my action items. >> All right. Thank you. Do we have a motion to approve the treas uh superintendent's action items? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Any uh questions? If no questions, please call the
019role. Mr. Hower, >> I. >> Mr. Parker, >> I. >> Mr. Surfin, >> I. >> Mrs. Seuin, >> I. Motion carries. All right. Well, it looks like we have uh several personnel action items. >> That we do. First of all, to approve the appointment of the following classified staff as described below. To approve the unpaid leave of absence for the following classified staff. to approve the resignation of the following classified staff as listed below. To approve the following athletic supplemental contracts for the 2526 school year as detailed below. Also to approve the retirement of the following classified administrative staff member, Mary Wright, who has been with the district for 28 years as the executive specialist to the superintendent. uh retired as of February 1st and I can't say enough about Mary and what she has
020meant to the district and we wish her well in retirement and thank her for the wonderful 28 years she dedicated to a city schools and that concludes my personnel action items. >> Okay, thank you. Do we have a motion to approve the personnel action items? >> So moved. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Madam treasur, please call the role. Miss Karpen. >> I. >> Mr. Parker. >> I. >> Mr. Hower. >> I. >> Mr. Siguin. I. Motion carries. Uh, do we have a superintendent report? >> I'm going to defer to the presentation tonight. >> Okay. All right. It looks like it is time for our presentation from our superintendent and our treasurer. >> Thank you, Miss Siguin. Uh, first of all, I'd like to thank uh both Linda and Skorski for your your
021comments. Uh um this is a very difficult time and I'm going to uh start by um reading something to you because I want to capture it all. So I apologize for reading to you. But thank you for being here tonight as we we know how serious this moment is and how very real impact these decisions will have on our employees, our students, our families, and our community. Our district is facing serious financial challenges after two levy failures last year and continued cuts to federal, state, and local funding. The bottom line is that public education needs thoughtful, meaningful, sustainable funding and real tax reform. funding that doesn't keep shifting costs to property owners or forcing local districts to make up the difference. Because of these financial realities, we are facing a $9 million budget deficit this
022year that we must take immediate steps to correct. These are incredibly difficult decisions and we approach them with care, transparency, and a deep commitment to protecting students, maintaining equitable services and access to programs and being responsible stewards of our public funds. That's kind of an overview. Uh, I just paraphrased and and gave a little bit, but we can move to the next slide. >> All right. Thank you. I'm going to go right into why are we here and how did we get here? Majority of it is the property tax reform. On June 30th, 2025, House Bill 96 was signed by Governor Dwine. It included a provision that allowed the county commissioners to adapt a lo to adopt in a local property tax exemption that piggybacks on homestead exemption and related owner occupied credit. In November
02319th, 2025, the Ohio General Assembly passed five property tax bill reforms. House Bill 124, 129, 186, 309, and 335. Governor Dwine signed these December 19th, 2025, and some of them started in effect this calendar year. The intent of the legislation was to limit property tax increases for taxpayers and the effect was reducing the amount of funding that school districts have received. All of the bills that are affecting school funding are included in the slides that I have that I will post onto the website, but all the bills affect school funding. I will be only touching on two of them during this presentation. Some of the effects are easier to quantify than others. The full financial impact cannot be determined without knowing the full future potential tax rates. However, it is clear that the anticipated future
024revenue growth will not be available for school funding. Another thing to note is the timing of these. For a levy, you have to be able to have months in advance to have two resolutions to go to the county auditor and to go to the board of elections. Here, when they do these provisions, it takes the money overnight. So for an example, when we put the levy on in May and we put one on in November, they both failed. But in November, we had to have the resolutions done in the amount known by July. So even if the levy would have passed in November, these House bills were not brought up till November of 19th and they were not signed until December of 19th and then took effect right away. So the fact that bringing on
025new revenue takes from months to over a year and a half by the time it's collected, but taking away revenue on the state, they could be doing it overnight. So that was harmful. I'm going to go right into the two of the tax bills, like I said, the all of them were important, but two that can be quantified is House Bill 29 and House Bill 96. House Bill 29, there were fixed sum levies being included onto the floor. We were a floor district. We are not a floor district. I will not get into the weeds and that unless you would like me to. I would love that. But what does that do financially? You could see in the second um line in calendar or in fiscal year 2028 the district will lose $428,000 and then
026in fiscal year 29 and 2030 it's over a4 million. To make it even more confusing, the tax goes on a calendar year and we go on a fiscal year. So we are from July through June. there from Janu January through December. So that's why you see when our hits our school year, we hit it half of it in one year and then the full in the next. The piggybacking homestead, the provision that was added in House Bill 96, what that does is it gives the taxpayers an extra credit, but it takes it away from the school districts. So this current school year overnight, we and that's a little dramatic, but that's what it felt like. we received like a week after they proposed it. We got a letter in the mail saying that this fiscal
027year we would be $700,000 that we will not be be collecting and next calendar and next fiscal year it's $1.5 million. Um just a little fact about that. Um four out of the 88 counties signed the owner occupied tax credit and 10 out of 88 counties signed the piggyback homestead. So not every county did it. Lraine County was one county that did it and did it for both of the tax credits. What that does to Ayria is about $2.4 million annually, but communively com together alto together. Um, as you go through it, it's over about $9 million throughout the forecast. I, like we said, like we said earlier, I will be combining the five-year forecast presentation into this budget plan. It is kind of one of the same thing. So I'll be going over the
028revenues and the expenses in our bottom line. So the revenues I broke up to the three main categories. The local revenue, the state revenue, and then the other revenue. I honed in on this current fiscal year and next fiscal year just for this presentation and to do an overview, but I do I feel it's very important and I think that Linda did an amazing job going over my five-year forecast. If you want to do my presentation next time, I think that would be amazing. But there are 29 pages and I want to direct you to this because this will have every line item spelled out. But for an overview, um, from this year to next, we are losing 1.7% of local revenue. We are losing over 1% of state revenue and then about 1.8% of
029the other revenue coming in. Those are based on historical trends and current legislation. On the flip side, the expenses that we have, the majority of our expenses are salary and benefits. That makes sense for most school districts because we are a service focused. We have a 3.6 um change. We are going 3.6% higher from this year to next year. That is mainly due to the negotiating agreements and the health insurance costs and the things that we have um in place. Purchase services are increasing 2.1%. Um the I believe the current inflation right now is 2.6%. So we are a little under the current inflation but purchase services will be go going up and I think everybody feels that that would be our gas, our electric, all the stuff that we have to service on the
030outside and our other expenses we are decreasing from this year to next. um mainly due because that are things that we could handle and we could handle right now that we could that's the immediate cost for um supplies and items like that where I think the teachers have felt it once the levy passed some of the requisitions for supplies have been not been coming through. So when you put that together, you have the revenues that are in blue, the expenditures that are gold, and then the cash balance line. You can see the revenues going forward are slightly decreasing throughout the forecast. The expenses are slightly increasing throughout the forecast. So when you put that together, the cash balance is declining and that is not sustainable. That is the graphical view. But if you want to
031go to the numbers in fiscal year 26, we are currently deficit spending $4.7 million. We are still at a healthy cash balance at 29%. The GFOA standard is uh 30%, so we try to stay around the 30%. But our policy is we cannot go below 20. So when we hit fiscal year 27, we are deficit spending $9 million and we will have a $17 million cash balance and we would not be buying by our cash policy because we would be under the 20%. Um $17 million does look like a huge number if you look at it, but our expenses are about four to um $7 million a month. So it doesn't get us very far monthly when we go through and it's not a healthy financial place to be in. So, here we are in
032the conversation and I will >> one question, Colleen, about the cash balance. Um, >> had you I I I remember you saying this. So, if it drops below a certain amount, then the state can >> Oh, yes. Thank you very much for bringing that up. Yes. So, if it drops below a certain amount, um, you have the high department of education and you also have the state auditors. We are currently the third year in the forecast are still positive. It may not trigger Ohio Department of Education coming in to do a reduction plan, but if you hone in on this fiscal year, we are deficit spending more than 5% of our revenue. Sometimes they use different factors of of what triggers Ohio Department of Education to come in. It may trigger them to come in,
033but what they would do is they would want to see a reduction plan and what would we do? And we are a step ahead of that and that's what we're doing right now and that's what we're presenting that. Yes, that's a great question. Um it is not for sure they can they will come in but it does hit one of their flags. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Does anyone else have questions directly related to Colleen's piece? >> Not at this moment. >> Okay. But >> all right. Okay. Before I jump into the personnel recommendations, I I kind of want to what I often do with Colleen is I try to summarize what she says in what I call layman's terms. Um, but so the key takeaway from what I heard Colleen say was the way
034the state is approaching tax reform is not helping public education. We all saw that our local valuations went up over the last year or so and many and you've seen this um posted or in the newspaper that many think that that additional money comes to local school districts. The reality is the more local taxes that we get, the less the state gives us. And that's that's often the part that people forget. So, it's kind of like this always a game of this to where they they come back together. You will also hear many times um it said that the fair school funding plan is fully funded but you have to understand that fully funded yes they're fully funding it but at what input? So the input they're fully funding it at right now is 2022
035numbers. What we know three years later is things cost more and we've all seen it at the grocery store at our on our electric bills. So what they're funding fully falls short of what it costs us to educate children right now. So those are just some key takeaways I got from all of what you said. >> Thank you. And I think one thing to point there with the fair school funding, there's two inputs. You have the revenue, the expenses. They updated the input for the revenue. They took into effect the new updates for reappraisal, but they did not update the expense side. So, they're still saying it cost this much to educate a student back in 2023, which we all know that three years earlier it was cheaper than items that are now. So, not
036only did they not update the expense side, but they decided to update the other side, which is >> convoluted. Don't press that. Uh before we we press the next button, I just want to say that the the next slides are difficult. They're devastating actually. Um I've been in this district I always say 55 years or well no 54 years because I've been here since I was five. I've worked in this district over 34 years and I've been through, as Linda spoke earlier, the 2008 and 2013 cuts. They don't come anywhere near to what I'm about to show you. And I want all of you to know this is not what we want to do. It's the position that we have been put in by decisions being made in Columbus. So, I'm first going to start
037with certified. Certified are basically anyone that a teacher like a speech pathologist, a psychologist, um school nurse, they're all part of the certified um uh association. So, you will see that we've put numbers next to all of these positions. Um to clarify a little bit um with support services that's the counselors, the psychologists, the speech language path. The information on this slide could change based on enrollment, state mandates, uh retirements and resignations. And none of these numbers reflect the 14, for instance, the 14 certified retirements that have already been turned in. So um we did not put that in these numbers. These are positions that are being reduced based on a 25 to1 classroom ratio. Uh other things that have changed uh you know with we have three three different options for students at the
038high school level. So career tech is is much more popular now for a pathway for a student to graduation. So we have students that go to the joint vocational school. We also have students that go out to our early college program and then we have students at Ayria High as well. So looking at these numbers and again they are devastating numbers but they they also could change based on any additional retirements and the 14 retirements we've already received. The next um association is the classified and uh classified many of the classified employees are hourly employees. So the easiest way for us to quantify the reductions was the number of hours and as you'll see it divided with maintenance IT information technology and custodial also paraprofessionals safety associates and receptionists. It's a reduction in the number
039of hours per day. That could mean that some employees are uh going maybe from 6 hours to 4 hours. It could also mean that a 4-hour employee may be um being reduced in force. So there's a variety of what these numbers mean, but this gives you the ex exact number of hours that we are reducing in each category. The next slide is administrative um operations administrative positions three central office administrative positions three building level administrative positions two and central office administrative positions for um we will follow the process that's set forth by the Ohio Revised code and our attorney's legal opinion on the reduction in force process also with administration. Um I think it's important to mention we are always in all three of these groups we are always looking for ways to streamline and
040cut costs. This isn't new. We look at these cost reductions every single year. But with what's going on right now in public education, obviously we had to look much more extensively, >> excuse me, >> due to the levy failures basically. Yes. >> I do have a question for you. Uh and I believe this is more for the treasurer. Um I just want to know for the personnel, have you factored in um the implications of unemployment compensation? >> Can you talk a little bit about that? Yes, thank you. We have been talking to unemployment. They are aware of the situation and then once we get final numbers and final um people and names that we will be contacting unemployment and then we could get the full effect and then I could let you know the full
041effect on the unemployment. Any other questions before we move forward? So the next section is the non-personnel and contracted services recommendations. First of all, um we looked at materials, instructional tools and services that we use and all of uh the staff use each and every day. And when we we looked at this, we had to there's no one saying that these aren't good tools, useful tools, and good for our students. But in looking at the fact that we have to cut $9 million, we had to look at everything. So, as you see, some instructional software materials will be eliminated. Um we also will look at um some of the other things we do uh in the curriculum such as field trips uh camp invention um reducing crossing guards contract. Um we have a the early
042college program that we worked with our partner Lorraine County Community College in reworking how that is funded and it it helped out. Um, we also will reduce our contracted services with outside entities. This could be any agency or group we work with them and pay a contract to. Um, that's also known as purchase services, contracted services for some of you might. Also, we will probably limit most of our uh professional development that costs money to bring people in or send people. That will be just statemandate mandated professional development. The next section is transportation. Transportation obviously is a big need in our city and county and for many years we've addressed many of the barriers by providing extra additional rides to get students to school. So, for instance, right now our bus um we bus up
043from 1.25 miles and closer or further. Um 1.25 miles. Uh and the state says we have to do a two-mile radius. Um and that is what will change in the for K8 in the 2627 school year. The reason it does not mention high school is high school busing is not mandated. Uh we also are worked with GGNC about reducing bus monitors, adjusting uh the bus that goes out to early college that saved us a bus route. Um right now we have um we've been busing some of the co-curricular transportation um to and from like for instance middle school students that get bus to the high school after school for either athletics or robotics or something of that that would be eliminated or reduced. Uh reducing the community-based specialed vocational experiences. Um it doesn't mean we're
044not going to have any, but we're going to uh reduce some of them. And also we're going to restructure the preschool transportation um that we have right now. Supplemental recommendations. We went through all the supplementals, athletic and not athletic, and are going to reduce uh the number of some of those positions. Um not um you know uh mostly the head coaching but the num maybe the number of assistant coaches in a sport or the number of advisors in a club. Um and that that has been looked at and also um for obvious reasons of not h we probably won't have a whole lot of uh firstear teachers next year with reducing staff because of callback rights. We were able to look at a reduction in the RESSA mentor program. Again, not taking them all away,
045but knowing that we won't need as many as we've had in previous years. Then across the board for building and department, a 10% cut in budgets. Um, which will, as you can see, um, and I probably should have mentioned this. I'm sorry. Every page kind of has the reduction amount. And I know we're going through this rather quickly, but this will be posted on the website so that you can look at it more extensively tomorrow. Now, to kind of go over um the big picture of what I just went through, um this is the budget reduction summary page. And as you can see, we get to 9.025274 million, which um a little bit over what we um were given. Um but uh you know I I feel like we've been somewhat conservative in our numbers
046um and what we've reported. Um someone had asked percentages as far as um the cuts and if you look at all certified staff positions. Uh we have around 515 certified staff and uh the cuts represented about 13.8%. If you looked at administrative staff positions, um we have 57 administrators and with the cuts it was about 17.9%. Um it was hard to quantify with a percentage the classified because some are reducing hours and some are reducing positions. But at a later date once we know um what that looks like we'll be able to generate a percentage. But there's there's more intricacies with with the classified staff as far as um the numbers and hours and everything. back to me. Back to you. >> Okay. So, if this plan was adopted and start being in implemented, the
047new 5-year forecast would look at fiscal year 27 with instead of deficit spending over $9 million. It would be less than it would be about $800,000. It would bring us back up to a cash balance of 30% with 26 million. We would still be deficit spending in fiscal year 28 about $6 million. And then we will still also be our cash balance in 28 would be about 21%. So it necessarily won't trigger violating the cash balance but it would be in my opinion triggering a a conversation to see what we could do to move forward because it would not be sustainable. Um in full transparency the financial forecast that I am filing that will be asked to be approved and that will be filing for department of education would be the um forecast that does
048not have the reductions in there. I don't feel that between the timeline of approving it and then implementing these things that it I feel like that needed to be done first before I could actually put it in the forecast. So, the forecast will probably be refiled in May when some of this stuff has been implemented, assuming that it's been approved. You want to say at this? No. No. Go back to you. Good. Is it? >> Yeah. Are there any other questions from the board? >> Uh, not at this time. So, um, so we'll do our questions now before we do the five-year forecast, our our visitor comments or comments. >> Yeah. So, at this point, if you would like to do visitors, open up to visitors comments and then after that, we have two approvals.
049One will be the five-year forecast approval and then one would be the reduction plan. >> Okay. I'm going to read a resolution and then uh those that which which wish to speak will be able to um come up to the microphones >> for 30 minutes. put the time limit out there. >> I think it will probably in here. Okay. Whereas the board of the Ayria City School District is considering a resolution to affect a reduction in force plan pursuant to revenue code 3319 uh.17 at its regularly scheduled board meeting on February 4th, 2026. Whereas the board encourages and appreciates public interest in the meetings and issues coming before the board. Be it resolved that in an effort to permit public participation in the decision-making process on the reduction and force plan, the board will permit
050additional public participation time for questions and comments relating solely to the reduction and force plan at the February 4th, 2026 meeting only. The additional public participation time shall be governed by terms and provisions board policy BDDH modified as below. The total time limit for the additional public participation time shall be limited to 30 minutes. Members of the community wishing to comment or ask questions shall rise and stand before one of the two microphones set up for their use. The board shall call upon the first person standing before the microphone to speak, alternating between the two lines, until the earlier of one, no more public speakers being present, or two, the total additional public participation time having expired, and each person shall be permitted to speak for a total of three minutes. Any member of the
051public who is not able to give their public comments as a result of the maximum public comment time being reached is invited to submit a request to speak at a subsequent regular board meeting pursuant to the standard provisions of policy BDDH. So do I have a motion to approve the adoption of the modified public participation? >> So moved. >> Second. Madame Treasurer, please call the role. Mr. Parker, >> I. >> Mr. Starfin, >> I. >> Mr. Hower, >> I. >> Mr. Siguin, >> I. Motion carries. So, we can start our public participation. If we have anyone time starts now. Well, should we start it when someone comes up or >> does that does anybody wish to speak for the >> regarding Madame President? Can I make one more comment please? Um I neglected to say
052this. Um I was asked this by someone earlier like if if we're going to find out tonight if our job is still there. And if you you noticed, we were very intentional by not putting too many details to where you would figure out who the people were because it is our feeling that this is not where people find out about their job and those will be very private meetings at later dates. So that's why it's very um general. Um that was purposeful but I wanted to make that comment because it was asked of me earlier. >> Okay. So uh we have nobody that wishes to speak. Okay then we can um move along. >> I think there's someone >> Oh okay. Someone's got to break the ice. Hi, I'm Levi Mohar, 951 Rosewood Drive. Um,
053I was thinking that, uh, maybe, uh, in order to increase revenue, uh, we could implement something like a paytoplay for after school activities. So, um, yeah, we actually were going to bring that up. We had a question. Um, Len Len was going to bring that up, so I don't know if you want to say anything at this point. >> Yeah. Yeah, actually. Um, it was just something we asked you to look into, not including it in our savings or adjusting the revenue of the district at this point, but just looking into it. You know, we came to the recognition that in our conference, for example, the Southwest Conference, uh, all of the participating schools with the exception of Yria City Schools and I believe Homestead Falls Schools, and I think they have some sort of
054special grant or funding program, uh, but all of the schools, but our district have some sort of payto participate, uh, policy. We've been fortunate not to do that for our students that participate, but uh we did ask that maybe you would look into that, run some sort of numbers or some sort of model based on a per activity family cap. It's different in every district. >> Sure. >> But it would be good to know what that would mean to our financial picture. >> Sure. And um when that came up, uh Mr. Mr. Molnar, we already have started looking at that and that can be presented at a later board meeting. Um, we're gathering the data from other districts to look at numbers, look at how many it affects. Um, there's so much into it, multiple
055sports, multiple clubs, multiple activities. So, we have begun that um >> data digging and research and it will be coming up at a later board meeting. Um but uh that has already been initiated. So very good point. >> Thanks. >> Hello everyone. My name is Darion Wimberly. I am currently a senior here at Ayria High School and I would just like to address the issue that was brought up about transportation and it said within a twomile radius that busing was not required. Correct. >> Yes. >> So um I was asked the teacher that I was next to to confirm to make sure I was right. That would be like me walking to Eastern Heights from like two streets away. I live on 10th Street. I went to Eastern Heights in um middle school and I
056made that walk and I had to make it in the cold one time because I missed the bus. It was cold and no one should be walking in those temperatures that much distance. We can all agree on that. And I know that this is a tough decision for you guys to make. But is there a plan to help students, especially from lowincome households, which is a lot of the students that go here, get a be able to still get to school? >> Um so, um obviously it's not ideal and that's why we had the 1.25 mile radius. We have recently met um our operations department and uh Mrs. Higgins and myself met with Lorraine County Transit. They're really trying to do some different things throughout the city that might help some very purposeful routes. Um,
057I I don't know how else to put this other than um when we're making the cuts, we have to look at mandates from the state and everywhere else. None of this is what we want to do. Okay, again, I'm going to use that word devastating because I truly believe that's what it is. Um, and there's there's no one that wants to have five-year-olds walking two miles to school. At the end of the day though, um, we keep getting cuts from the state and the only way to make ends meet is to cut things um throughout the district in in what in our expenses. So, um, what I'd like to say, Darian, is that let's go back to, uh, what people need, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be important necessarily in how they factor in
058the House bills and taking money away. >> Thank you. Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen of the board of our administration of our general public. My name is Savvi Fragapane. I am a custodian here at Ayria High School and I would like to ask one question and bring up one thing if we have time. My question is, is there a plan for how reductions in non education programs will be carried out? For instance, we have athletic versus non-athletic. Is there a current idea of how the reductions will be distributed amongst them or if one will be prioritized over the other? I I'm not sure I'm understanding your question, but as far as are you talking about us telling people what's being reduced or are you talking about how we prioritized? >> I'm asking about how you
059prioritize what will be reduced. So we had a lot of meetings with a lot of people, a lot of um uh departments and um looked at what I always say is it's about the kids and tried to stay as far away from the kids as possible and programming um and making sure our staff was taken care of as well. um we have to look at when you look at things what's mandated as opposed to what we just do because we think it's better for kids. So there's a lot of different things that come into play when we do the research. All right. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Savvi. >> Of course. And then what I would like to bring up is something that makes me really scared and makes me want to just
060run back up into the corner, but I think is important that I voice it not just for myself and like my small group of co-workers, but for everyone who is employed by this district as a whole. I believe that in times where I'm about to be 24, I haven't been alone here for long, but it is occurred to me what I've seen is that regardless of what group you are in, you are very fearful of any reductions or cuts of getting hurt. And so that there can be negative sentiment against other groups in for instance administration or athletics. If you're not, if you're like food service or custodial, I believe that everyone here who is in a different group would like to see that the reductions whether it is in positions or hours is commensurate
061with each other group including administration, custodial service, etc. >> Been three minutes. I'm so sorry. >> It's okay. Thank you for your comment. >> Of course. >> Thank you. >> Hi. Um I'm Bri Holmes. I'm a teacher at Elie Elementary. When you were going over the cuts and the positions, um Mitch, last you'd mentioned that you purposefully kept it very vague. >> Has it already been decided who was getting cut? >> No. No, >> no. Um, we once the plan is approved, the work starts on the WHO. Um, so uh as you know the um collective bargaining agreements in both unions uh dictate how that process is. And I will tell you and it was it was done this way previously and Linda would would say that we invite um your leadership in to see
062the process in place while we're doing it. We have not done any of that as of now um because um we wanted to wait until it was approved in case there were any changes. >> Okay. And when will we get those answers? So, they're coming at different times. Um, it is, if I'm remembering correctly, everyone that um will be reduced or reduce hours or what have you, it will be before um spring break. >> Okay. And um Oh, I had another one and she flew away. Oh. You said that when we find out it'll be a very like personal meeting. So, I'm assuming it'll be our building principles having the talk with us um like to who's staying, who's leaving. >> Um it they will be there. There could be others there as well. I
063know. Um Linda, if I could speak for you, Linda has asked that a building rep or someone from the um as well as the ESS support staff um Jackie had asked the same thing. Um there will be several people there. There could be a central office person as well, but we're working together to find the best way to do it um for each staff member. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, Bri. >> Hi, I am Brooklyn Freeman. I am a alumni of High School. I graduated this past May and now I am a instructional pair professional at Westwood Elementary School. I am also the volunteer um middle school competition cheerleading coach and we did just get fourth place at states this past month and I thank you. Um, I was coming with a question
064because when it looked when I saw the plan for sports coaching salaries, um, nothing was said about head coaches, um, just removing assistance. But as I was looking at the actual salaries of our varsity head coaches who um, the prog, sorry, I said that wrong. When I was looking at the varsity head coach's salaries, they were extremely high compared to middle school salaries. Um, and I was confused in why that is a thing because the workload is not much different if at all. Um, so I coming from a a position where I did it for free the whole season, I am just confused in why we are not look taking a look at how much those coaches are actually making. Um I there is a lot and when we compare the results it is just
065a little bit of confusion and I'd love some clarity on that. >> So Brooklyn thank you. Um so the first thing I have to say is supplementals are negotiated um in the collective bargaining and and the rates were all negotiated items. That's not something that's just set by uh one group of people. It is a negotiation that happens. Secondly, I and if I if if I said this, I apologize. Those positions represented um the like the number of assistance they could have. I didn't say it was just assistance. Um that was an example. So, I apologize if that was unclear, but understand too, we do have to follow the collective bargaining agreement on all of that. So, >> understood. Could you adjust that the next time that the position is released? >> You can absolutely
066talk to your um membership or someone who's who brings that to the table for negotiations. Absolutely. Okay, thank you. >> Hi, I am Can you hear me? >> Yep, we got you, Gracel. >> All right, I am Gell Rivera and I'm speaking today as a parent of two high school students in the school district of Valyria. When I look at the numbers, uh, certified staff is being cut by roughly 17%. When I look at administrative staff and I did the calculations, it comes to about 4%. I asked the board to please look, certified staff are the faces that our students, our kids, our families see every day when they come through those doors. So when you're cutting that high of a percentage of certified staff, you are directly impacting our students. So I ask you,
067where is the equity in 17% versus 4%. So I ask you that before you make your decision tonight to think of the faces of every single student that comes in there and you prepare your answer to them. Where is the equity? Why are they directly being affected? Thank you. >> Um Greselle, if I could clarify something because I did give percentages. So the certified percentage was 13.79 and the administrative percentage was 17 plus%. I am more than happy to show you my calculations later. Okay? But I just want to make sure I clarified them because I did say those numbers earlier. >> Okay. >> Because when we look at the numbers, this is what we did. So, I ask you to please take into consideration the direct impact you do for every single child that
068comes in through the Liry City School doors from preschool um all the way to 12th grade. Thank you. Thank you. >> Hi, Heaven. >> Hi, I am Heaven Yearly. I am a teacher at Northwood Middle School and I'm a parent um of fourthg generation Alyria students. Um, I'm coming to ask that in this presentation and afterwards you mentioned that paytoplay wasn't into this yet and that that could be looked at at a later point, >> but my understanding is that you're voting on whether or not we're going to approve this tonight. So, shouldn't we hold off the voting on this until we have all the options, including those that are things like paytoplay and the other options that we have before we start looking at reductions in staff. >> So, um we don't have to
069include it right now. We can vote on that at a later date. And it was something that came up. It wasn't in the initial plan um as we were digging through and making um recommendations, but it was something that was asked of us. We've been researching it. So, just because it's not in the plan yet doesn't mean it won't become part of the plan. >> Yes. And a majority of the plan was for the 5-year forecast for the general fund and athletics is its own fund. So even though it would help the general fund because the general fund does have to transfer sometimes the to the athletics funds to cover them, it would it would be a savings but it wouldn't be a onetoone direct savings. So even though it is important and something that
070we're looking into, it will be if it were to happen, it would be implemented next fiscal year and it wouldn't be necessarily right away a direct impact to the general fund for this current year. Yeah. So, my recommendation is to the board to please consider looking into those options before we vote on something and put it into writing that we agree with a plan. >> Hi, VK. Hi, my name is Michelle Vroomman Kennet and I'm stopping in as a um an advocate for extracurriculars that are offsite. Um when I started here as a GIS um in the gifted department, there were certainly a lot of competitions and things that we liked to attend and at that time we attended them with parent transportation. About 2 three years ago, there was um a plan made by
071the board where bus transportation was far uh more chosen than parent transportation for some of these competitions that are very niche. They're small. Um sometimes they're during school, sometimes they are uh on the weekends or whatever, but these were small groups. And so what I noticed is that as we would plan those activities which enrich uh the life of students who are maybe hopeful that they're going to go to Ivy League or that they're going to uh do something, you know, at a very high level of their um post-secary education. I want to make sure that these kids have a chance to see the outside world. But what happened was when we were doing competitions, we were then told now you have to take a bus. Well, that increased the cost of that activity dramatically.
072>> Um, and it was something where we had to find money and so there was always nervousness in trying to recruit kids to do this activity because if we couldn't find the money for a bus, >> well then we were stuck. Um the board I believe changed a rule and it probably is related to a legal issue about safety. Um, but what I would ask is as you are looking at all of this, please make sure that you are not as a board creating a rule or a law or a plan that hamstrings us in terms of the ability to carpool or do what we need to do to get kids to where they need to go. >> Thank you. Uh, VK, just so you know, that is um, a lot of that's dictated by
073insurance. So all right, good evening everyone. My name is Elizabeth Hadzimma and I am a special ed para profofessional at Eastern Heights Middle School and my question for you guys is looking at the reductions in staffs and teachers and looking into reducing the hours of paraprofessional positions. I just wanted to ask how is that going to be determined? Are for example for teachers are you guys looking at evaluations is it seniority and on paras is it going to be how many hours that you work because there's seven-hour positions there's six hour and six and a half hours what is that going to look like for for us and our teachers that we work with. >> Sure. and and as you said, you're a special ed pair professional, so a lot of the positions there are
074dictated by IEPs and things that have to be in place. As far as others, it is we have to follow the contract, the negotiated contract. So that is how we determine. >> Thank you. Thank you. Hi Christie. >> Oh, people are so tall. Um, hi. I'm Christy Krinski. I'm an intervention specialist at Northwood Middle School, also also a GIS. And um I am just uh voicing my concern um to echo with what Michelle VK just said is that um when we're looking at redistributing what um extracurriculars that we provide to our students, I am concerned that it will seem very attractive to cut um programs for our younger students and and just as VK says, what happens um at the younger age that it becomes bigger and bigger and becomes um possibly a job or
075a career or a campaign. I think of my own daughter now who is accepted into Cleveland Institute of Art and is you know that that's going to be her career which came from an art camp when she was in second grade. So I am asking and and I know you do but I I am just voicing my concern that um please keep in mind the younger our younger kids. Thank you. >> Thank you. I I HAVE A COMMENT um that this is this would probably be the time to ask it or just comment on it as a followup to Melissa Gorski's when she talked about the facility uses. You and I have spoke about this recently and I think it's great for the public to use our facilities but I don't think it should cost
076the school money whereas even if it's electricity or uh janitors or you know I know people have to be in the building. So I do think that and maybe we do and I'm not aware of it. I think we need to um establish more policy around that and make sure that we understand what that is. So when people are coming to the board to use the facilities, you know, whether we need to charge them or it shouldn't cost us anything. >> I will make sure Mr. um Kokai puts a packet together so you can see um what we have now and how it's determined and if there's any changes the board would like to change make. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. >> Is this the last one? >> Sorry, I didn't know if I jumped
077in front of you. >> No, I jumped. But you're already talking. >> Okay, we still have time. >> All right. So, uh, I'm I'm Scott Wallace. Uh, I have a daughter, special needs daughter, and she goes to Murray Ridge. And I'm not sure exactly. I missed a few things at the beginning and throughout this, but she requires an aid all day long. Mhm. >> And with some of these things that are being, you know, taken away or being voted on to take away, I'm just wondering how that's going to affect my daughter cuz she needs it 100% daily. >> Sure. >> And she has nurses and she has speech therapists and uh physical therapist there. So, I'm just wondering how that's going to affect her. >> So, I assume that's all part of her um
078education plan. >> Yep. Or IP. >> So, by law, we have to follow that. >> Okay. Um, so I think if you get in touch with right next to you is Mrs. Blat and Mrs. Bodnar, they will probably echo what I just said, but um, we have to follow mandates. So, >> okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Motion. >> Is that okay? All right. So, it's everyone has spoke who who would like their time. It appears that's way. So, now do we do the five-year forecast or do we motion for this? >> Yes, please. A motion for the five-year forecast. Okay. One second. >> Well, you have to present it or >> um She did. It was part of the plan. Oh, you just did those few slides. We're not doing as
079>> I can go through every 29 pages if you like. >> I got it. I got you. All right. Do we have a motion to approve the 5-year forecast and assumptions for the Liry City School District? >> So moved. We have a second. >> Second. >> Miss Garfin. >> I. >> Mr. Hower. >> I. >> Mr. Parker. >> I. >> Mrs. Seuin. >> I. Motion carries. All right. And then we're on to the reduction plan. So, um, do we have a motion to approve the, um, board of election reduction plan? >> Board of education. >> Our board of education reduction plan. >> So moved. >> Do we have a second? >> Second. >> All right. Do we have questions, fellow board members, or >> I mean, taking all the information that we were the questions
080that were asked, I think there was a lot of good um questions, honest questions um that can be looked at. Um I think the uh the the ratio administration to to uh certified staff. I think we have campuses that can be the whole idea of using resources on both sides. I think we need to look into that. Uh whether it be administration, whether it be I know we use it for nursing and stuff like that. I think that's a a a an area that we could look into um uh for saving money. Uh we have these campuses. Let's let's use them the way they were designed to be to be able to save money and and use staff on both sides. Uh but thank you very much for the the the comments. >> Any comments,
081questions? No, I I do want to say um that I appreciate the treasure and the superintendent's uh clear communication uh with me as a board member and with the board. It's been very difficult. I know we came back to you with a lot of questions, needing a lot of information, very difficult decisions. Your communication uh has been really good and I I appreciate that because it's very very difficult. >> Thank you. >> Very difficult. So, I appreciate that. We have a wonderful community. Of course, my kids all went to L City Schools. Our community has always gone above and beyond when it comes to supporting the schools. We had a tough time with these last couple of loveies for various uh reasons, but I hope that we can continue to work together as administration, amazing
082uh teaching staff and and a community to go forward despite what challenges we seem to uh get thrown our way from uh whatever's happening with the legislature in Columbus. uh you know this our hometown so I hope we can all work together on it. >> I just want to say that we all understand that this is a very difficult situation but I do want to thank all of the employees, the staff, the administration. I think you all are doing a marvelous job. I I couldn't commend you anymore and our superintendent and our treasurer and our board. I think we all work well together and I think our students profit the most. And I I have students, grandchildren in this district. I wouldn't want them to be anywhere but here. My students, my two children went
083through this district and they're doing very well. I love it here and that's why I'm sitting where I'm sitting right now. And I think you're doing a great job, everyone. >> Amen. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yes. And thank you to everybody uh everybody that came today and uh all teachers, administrators, classified certified staff. Thank you. Uh but thank you to superintendent and treasurer. Um like Len said, I know that you guys have worked really hard on this plan. You considered everything um all the steps necessary to unfortunately come or arrive at a a dollar amount that you needed to arrive at. Um, what I'm hoping is that the the community realizes um, you know, how hard these reductions were to make and that they're on board and will back us to know that
084our our district is really acting responsibly by doing this. So, so the motions roll call. >> So, um, roll call. >> No, nothing else. Okay. >> Roll call. Miss Carsarin >> I >> Mr. Hower >> I >> Mr. Parker >> nay >> Mr. SEEK >> MRS. Seuin >> I >> Oh, motion carries. All right, let me find this. So, we have no uh any other board of education items? >> No. >> If none then we will adjourn. Do I have a motion to adjourn? >> So moved. >> Do I have a second? >> All right. Mr. Surfin, please call the role. >> Miss Garurfin, >> I. >> Mr. Hower, >> I. >> Mr. Parker, >> I. >> Mrs. Siguin, >> I. Motion carries. Thank you everybody. >> Thank you.