001bring the >> meeting to order. Oh, nice. Um, could we stand for the pledge, please? I aliance 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. >> Beth, roll call, please. >> Mr. Bur >> here. Super here. >> Mr. Manfred >> here. >> Mrs. Stone >> here. Mr. Townsen >> here. >> And Mr. Watsworth >> here. >> Okay. I need a first and a second for approval of the agenda. >> So moved. >> Ryan, >> I'll second it. >> Linda. >> Any discussion? >> Before call, please. >> Mr. Burman. >> Yes. >> Mr. Manfred. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Stone. Yes. >> Mr. Townson. >> Yes. >> And Mr. Wadssworth. >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh John and
002Beth, could you please uh begin the school finance discussion? >> So, we're going to start with a a short review about the current track tax structure for the Berkshire schools. We are on the 20 mil floor. So that means as property values are increasing, real estate taxes, um revenues are also increasing to the district. We have a 1% earned income tax, a 2.45 mil bond levy. In 2023, the reappraisal update showed that home values increased 29.73% and the re the PI renewal uh failed its it the renewal in November of 2024. Really quickly, I want to um just talk about the 20 mil floor so we all have a common understanding of what the 20 mil floor is. The 20 mil floor was implemented in 1977 and it was to ensure that school districts would
003receive a minimum of 20 mills of effective operating property tax. kind of like it acts as a floor that limits the reduction um of tax rates as property values rise because in the in I believe 1976 House Bill 920 passed which prohibited inflationary growth on property taxes. Um and at the time the state had a 23 mil charge off where they assumed all districts could raise at least 23 mills. Um, and so in order to protect districts who weren't putting additional levies on the ballot, they set a floor or a minimum level of funding that they thought uh would be required to operate a district. Um, because of the fact that we haven't passed new operating money since 2007. Um, that's one of the reasons that we're at the 20 mil floor. So that's um
004that's what the 20 mil floor is um and kind of where we've been sitting and about a third of the districts in the state of Ohio have been there. Um one of the reasons school districts go back to the ballot on average about every three years is because of the the House Bill 920 uh reduction factor because when a when a tax levy is passed it's passed for a specific dollar amount. So, if you pass a levy and and we'll see. Um, Mrs. McCaffrey C, can you tell us what Bergkshire's a uh voted millage rate is right now? >> Sure. Our voted millage is 52.25 mills and it's currently collecting at 22.45 mills. >> Okay. So, voted millage in the district was 54 and but because of the roll back each year it's collecting at
00522. Now what happens is when there's a reappraisal that 22 rolls down but if it goes below 20 then the state rises us up to meet the 20 mil floor and that's how we see growth when property taxes increase. So that's that's what the 20 mil floor is. That's that's kind of why it's there. So just wanted to to point that out so that everyone kind of has a common understanding of what we're talking about. So, there's four pieces of legislation um that that are is going towards property tax reform. Um House Bill 129, it restores fixed sum levies and includes them in the calculation of the um school district's millage floor. This one does not affect Bergkshire. House Bill 186 caps the revenue growth to inflation for a 20 fil 20 20 mil floor
006district which this will affect us and we'll show you in the next slide. House bill 335 limits the revenue increases from inside millillage due to the reappraisal and house bill 309 gives more authority to the local budget commission. So, all three of these four of these bills were passed in December of 2025 and take effect in March of 2026. So, House Bill 186 is the one that affects Berkshire the most. It will limit how much the school property taxes can increase when home values go up. It also doubles the homestead and roll back credits to the homeowner, which is a good thing. Um so you will see some relief on your tax bill. Um we will be made whole for the takeback that's going to happen um for 23 through 25. So the bill is
007retroactive and it's going to take money away that we've already collected. So the district will see reductions between 1 million and $3 million through 2030. So basically what this means that districts that are already at the lowest tax level are going to get hurt the most because they're at the 20 mil floor. And I I want to emphasize this bill was just signed in December. We do not know exactly how it's calculating. We have an idea what that first year is because they put simulations out and it's about a million dollars. So, we're going to lose a million dollars and be um made whole with those million dollars as a reimbursement, but we do not know the calculation beyond fiscal year 27. So, 28, 29,30, we don't know yet at all. >> Beth, when would
008we have a better idea of what's going to affect an 89? So the department of taxation has been charged with coming up with a calculation and we are being told that we should have it by midappril. >> Okay. >> But as you know they changed the forecast schedule. So you'll have to approve a forecast in February. So, this graphic compares the district's 5-year uh financial forecast with and without property tax reform or essentially October 25's forecast to October's or February 2026 forecast. So without property tax reform, you can see the district's cash balances steadily declining and becomes a negative in fiscal year 29, continuing to worsen in fiscal year 30. With property tax reform in place, the revenue growth is more limited, causing the cash balance to fall faster and turns negative in one year
009earlier with significant larger deficits in fiscal year 30. Overall, the graphic shows that property tax reform accelerates the district financial challenges in increasing the urgency for spending reductions or revenue generation. So, this graphic shows how the district is doing compared to inflation. So you can see our revenues in 2026 is keeping pace with inflation and our expenditures are much below. In fiscal year 27, our expenditures are right at inflation, just slightly below. And our revenues are no way keeping up with with that. And that's because of House Bill 186. And it's that piece that we're not being reimbursed for. And then in fiscal year 28, I put the inception in here that that our what we're calling the clawback is going to be about $715,000 for 28 through30. So you can see revenues in no
010way keeps up with inflation. Expenditures, we're we're lowering our expenditures as much as we can at this point, but revenues not keeping pace. So, what you can see in this graphic is that um the district's spending is is growing slower than inflation. So, we're not we're not spending up to inflation. Um and the gap is still widening over time. So, the problem isn't how we spend, it's that the funding um is capped, but our costs are not capped. We've tried to do our part to be careful with taxpayer dollars. And House Bill 186 makes it harder um even for districts that are very well-managed to keep up with the realities that that are beyond our control. This uh graphic shows the percentage of state funding that Bergkshire receives as opposed to the percentage of local
011funding. So you can see we're 31% of our funding comes from the state and 69% of our funding comes locally. So roughly um you know our local property taxes is what funds most of the local. That's 70% coming from here. It's supposed to be a shared venture between state and local. And if you look back in the past and and back in 1997 when the state's funding formula was declared unconstitutional at that time the state was funding 47% and local was was asked to fund 53%. that was found unconstitutional and the state was asked to fix it. But you can see the shift over time and now the state is funding 31% and we're funding 69%. So our revenues aren't outpacing inflation. So it it's not really a spending problem. It's it's a math problem.
012whereas we're getting roughly the same amount of money, but when the state decides we we don't they don't want to send um a bigger amount that leaves the local to pick up for that amount. So essentially the issue is the state um shifting the balance of who's going to fund education from from their end to our end here locally. And that's that's what causes us our issues. And um you as local taxpayers see that your tax bill is increasing um and most of your tax bill goes to the schools and so a valid assumption would be the schools are getting more money. In actuality the schools are getting more of your local dollars but then they're getting less state dollars. So the schools are getting roughly the same money. It's that shift from the state
013to the local that's causing the issue. And that's if anyone cared to share this with your representatives or your senators, that would be the thing to share. Why is the state shifting the burden from their share? I mean, to me, a 30% is not really a share. 50/50 you could maybe consider a share, but like I said, back in 97 when the state was funding 47, that was declared unconstitutional. And the way to fix it was to shift it even lower. So, I want to just quickly address some things that we've heard um some things that some people have shared with me and some, you know, some some posts that people make us aware of and just address those really quickly so we can kind of get those out of the way and then get
014back to the uh the issue at hand. So, first, you know, didn't we just pass a $30 million bond issue and now they want more money? So, the bond issue was to build this facility that we're in that none of that bond issue goes to operating costs. Um, and yes, we did pass that that bond issue. But what I will tell you is Bergkshire is the only school in the history of Ohio that funded the the construction of this building through the USDA. And by doing that, right off the bat, we were able to secure a 3.65 millage rate to build this facility, which saved over the life of that 30-year loan $4 million. So you can see in 2019 that miller rate was 3.65. It holds pretty steady. In 2022 we refinanced. Mrs. McCaffrey
015and I did a lot of work with with Moody's. We got the district Moody's rated. The um interest rates dropped. We refinanced. It dropped the millage rate down to 3.29. Saving the taxpayers money. So we did just what we said. We were going to build a new building. We weren't going to ask for more money for the building. In fact, we came in at budget and and we have each year that we've been in here reduced what individual taxpayers have to contribute. The building is now the the the bond is now collecting at 2.45 or $85.75 per $100,000 of of valuation, which is $42 less than when it originally passed in 2019. So, not only did we build a new building and build it under budget, a little bit off schedule, we were about a
016year and a half um longer than we thought we would be, but we are actually we have saved money. That refinance saved an additional 4 million um on the life of that loan there. So, so yes, we did pass that $30 million bond issue. We're absolutely grateful for that. But we have not stopped trying to find ways to make that even more affordable. Another thing we heard um how about we discuss taxpayers finances and we are acutely aware of those struggles and those pains which is why we always look for alternative revenue streams. It's why we built the preschool which now has a revenue stream coming in. Um, and the fact that we don't have to outsource our preschoolers to county programs has saved us about $400,000 a year. Um, we chase about every grant
017we can get. I think in the past two years we've we've brought in about $1.8 million in grants and we that's an all hands on deck. We we have uh Mrs. uh Dr. Povive who writes grants constantly. Mrs. McCaffrey gets grants. I get grants. Our principles write grants. Our teachers write grants. We're constantly looking for ways to drive down um our costs here. We get donations from um wonderful partners like Preston, like Great Lakes Cheese. Um we have business partnerships where, you know, we're starting workforce development pathways and those things. All those things to try to support programs without adding to um the taxpayers's burden. and the fact that the I I'll stress again 2007 was the last time we asked for any operating um money in the district. And in an era where districts
018are on the ballot at an average of every three years and we've gone nearly 20 years without asking for operational money. I I think that's a pretty strong um vote to what we've tried to do. >> John, let me um t on to what you're saying on the uh earned income. When we had the income tax, it was 1995. In ' 07, we converted it to an earned income tax and it went from three/4ers of a percent to [clears throat] 1%. While you say it was an increase to the taxpayers, it technically wasn't really an increase to us because of the people that dropped off paying that income tax because of being earned. people like seniors, which is what we strive to do. It was Lee Imhof that that really taught us that mechanism that
019by doing it, you're taking the seniors to where they don't have to pay on the income they would get from their social security, for example. So, as far as new money, it may have gone up for a taxpayer like myself, but as far as the gross dollars that the district would get, it really didn't jump because of the because of who was actually paying the tax. >> Another thing we heard was, you know, it would be one thing if our outcomes were improving, but they haven't been. Um, I've got right off of the Ohio Department of Education website. Our performance index data is a in direct conflict with that statement. Uh the the performance index is a collection of every state test taken by every child in the district. And you can clearly see that
020this is in a graph I created. This is a graph I pulled off of the state's website that in 2021 it was 76.8. In 2022, 82.8. In 2023, 84.8. 8 2024 85.9 last year 87.2 that's increasing every year. Is it where we want to be? No, not yet. But it's going in the right direction. So to me our outcomes are improving. The other thing we've added advanced manufacturing workforce pathways. We've add added industry 4.0 with smart automation credentials. We have a mechanical technology pathway in in partnership with Preston, an aggraus and production systems pathway in partnership with Great Lakes Cheese. We are currently working on a material science pathway in conjunction with Duramax Marine. We're going to continue to expand and that's and we're not asking for more taxpayer dollars to do that. We're just
021doing that and th those are all indicators that those are outcomes that are improving. We were selected to participate in in Battel's manufacturing pathways pilot program. We were one of only 10 high schools in the state. We were the only high school in all of Northeast Ohio. They don't pick people to do these pathways and they don't pick the only one if they're not seeing improvements or things aren't increasing. Our indic outcomes are definitely improving and definitely moving in the right direction. We've also heard admin to student ratios and studenttoteer ratios are increasing while literacy rates are decreasing. We have 10 administrators. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce data on similar districts say that similar districts to us have 13. Our [snorts] studenttoteer ratios at the elementary are 20 to1. 20 students to one
022teacher at the middle school 25 to1. at the high school 24 to1. Um and then a as I showed I don't see how anyone can think our our our rates are decreasing. I mean this is a combination of all tests. Um it's clearly increasing. Um it seems like funds are being misappropriated to me. Uh we hear that often. Um everything we do is an open book. All of our finances are on the website under the treasurer's um page. And in addition to that, we are a part of the Ohio checkbook that we are one of very few school districts in Ohio that participate in the Ohio checkbook. You can go to checkbook.gov. You can search every everything we do, every bill we pay, every check we write is on there for the public to see.
023We go through a full audit by the state every year. Not a partial audit, not a not, you know, not a we'll check here and there, a full audit. Um there is nothing misappropriated. We we are we are spending at the levels um that support the model we have in place. We also heard um if this levy passes um I would be paying just under $1,000 a year to the school. Um, and I I just want to point out really quickly that uh the average per pupil expenditure in Ohio for all districts, all public school districts is $17,6924 a student. That's average. I think $1,000 sounds kind of like a a deal. If you look at tuition at Hershey Monasuri, the elementary school tuition is $15,000. The middle school tuition is $23,000. The high school
024tuition is $30,000. At Notre Dame, preschool is 6,000. Primary is 7250. Um, elementary school is 7726. Middle school is 8425 and high school is 17,750. Very close to the average expenditure for pupil >> [snorts] >> um by public schools in Ohio. So I mean just to get an idea of uh you know of what we're talking about when we talk about you know what we're paying. So all all that's to say that our our spending isn't really the issue. This is the issue. I'm going to go back to this. It's this shift in the burden from the state to the local and they're kind of pitting the community against the school district because uh it's reasonable. you see your tax bill go up, you see that it comes to us, you know, that's the easiest
025connection to make, but it is very clear what this shift has done and and that's really the big the big thing that's that's gotten us into this issue. So, uh I want u Beth to really talk a little bit about what's happening to our cash balance um over the next few years. So you see in fiscal year 28, we're going to be in the negative. That will put us into a precaution with the state of Ohio. So we'll be required to file a 60-day plan as to how we're going to rectify that. And then this final slide shows days of cash. So you you can see we're ending um fiscal year 27 with seven days cash. So, what's next in all this? Um, there's no magic silver bullet. There's no one thing that's going to
026that's going to do it. There's no one thing that's going to help. But but what we definitely will have to have is we will have to have some expenditure reductions. So, without a doubt, there will have to be some cuts. Um, our strategy will be to start as far away from the classroom as possible and then work inward. Um, we think that our model is is designed really well. Uh, it's getting pretty good results. So, we're going to do the best we can to protect that model. But after a while, you know, you once you cut too much, um, the only choice you have left is to start um um changing your model from a useful instructional model to a bare minimum model, which we we don't want to do. We want to avoid. But
027all that to say, no matter what happens, expenditure reductions will be a part of the plan. There will be there will have to be cuts and our commitment is to start those cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. We will also have to add some revenue to replace that lost revenue. What what is the only way or one of one of the few ways schools have to add revenue? That's a levy. So, it's not popular. I understand. Um, I don't, you know, I don't like paying taxes either, but it's it's it's the hand we're dealt and we're going to have to uh do what we can or or or at least give it a shot. Um, the other thing that we're going to have to try to do is add more revenue streams.
028Um, so preschool tuition is one revenue stream that we've we've added already. We're going to have to expand those programs and try to get more more people in there. More business partnerships to help add revenues to that. more seats in our workforce pathways. We we currently have sold a few seats in our workforce pathways to outside districts. We'll continue to do things like that and more seats in our vocational program. We've done that as well. That's probably been our most successful um revenue generator. So far to this point and then looking for other revenue generating programs that we can offer that other people will pay um to to have those services. So th those are the things. It's going to be a combination of all of those things. We're going to have to do some
029some things from all those and then depending on, you know, what happens. Um how successful a levy is will depend on, you know, how many more additional revenue streams or how much uh cutting we have to do. So, with that, I I'm just going to turn it over to questions um from the board for for Beth or for myself and for board discussion. >> Um When the PI >> Am I on? Okay. Sorry. Uh Beth, when the PI did not pass, my recollection is we were collecting about $480,000 a year with the PI. Does that sound correct? >> Correct. >> Okay. So, um we had myself I'll say was led to believe if we had passed that PI, we'd have had the money. we've needed to run the district and we wouldn't see bread. But
030based upon what I'm looking at and what you've been giving us here lately, that's not accurate that we still would have to replace that somehow or increase it because it isn't enough. >> Yeah. essentially the the our general fund has had to pick up those PI expenditures of of about $480,000. So that becomes a burden to the general fund >> and and it's a lot easier to cut around the edges when it's not millions of dollars. >> When we [clears throat] moved into the building, John, we went to one bus schedule morning and afternoons. We did that because I mean there were several reasons, but one of the reasons we did that was we wanted um to be able to reduce the amount of spending per mile if you run less miles and run less
031buses. We agreed that by doing that we would still pick up within a two-mile radius of the school and we would pick up the older kids which if we went to a state minimum in busing, we could we wouldn't have to pick up within a two-mile radius and we wouldn't have to pick up the older kids. Is that accurate? It's It's accurate, but we'd be driving past them anyway to get to and from the others we picked up. >> Yes, I understand that. But all I'm saying is when you when people talk about state minimum busing, we technically are doing it with the exception of the houses that we pass that are within two miles of the school. We pick up kids and the older kids we're picking up. It could be siblings or it
032could be we're going past those houses and we're picking up those kids because that's a question I was asked. Why don't you go to state minimum busing? Well, we kind of did that when we moved into the building. >> We're pretty close to state minimum busing already. >> Okay. So, I just want what I want the the people to know and and people that may be listening online, these are things we've been doing all along. It's not something that, wow, we better do this right now because if we don't, um, you know, we're we're going to be in trouble. The the we look at every one of these avenues to try to save money for the district. And when the other thing I want to mention and I did this last meeting was our janitorial,
033our snow plowing and mowing and our busing. None of those employees are district employees that there's a reason for that. when we put the numbers to it, we believed at the time that we made the decision and now it's been proofed out that because we don't have those employees, we save on their benefits as well. And we also have in in the busing side of it, we believe better training because first student brings their whole staff and their departments in to do the training. Whereas before we only used to have a coordinator that had to do all that. And whether or not that person was qualified, that's another qu that's a question we didn't want to have to answer. So that's the reason we have gone to contract services in those areas. We don't have
034contract services in our cafeteria. But Beth, answer me the question in our cafeteria the way it's being run. How is she doing as far as managing money? So, in past we've had to subsidize the fund and and she is self- sustaining right now. >> And we're still feeding our children in the morning, are we not? Which we were not necessarily doing >> when we weren't in this building. Okay. So, um, I'll leave the other board members to ask the question, but the last question I'm going to ask Beth and John, it sounds like to me we should wait till after April, uh, the middle of April before we make any decision on how much of a levy that we need to put on the ballot and go in November because the problem is we really
035don't know how deep it is. We're not saying we don't need a levy or um an earned income tax increase. All we're saying is we're not sure the amount. One other uh one last thing too, Beth, I had mentioned this to you um and I wanted the board to hear this along with the folks. Is there a way we can implement uh the earned income in progression versus having it all hit at once? In other words, um could we, and you'll have to find this out legally because I don't think you can answer me tonight, year one, people would pay 1.1%. Year two, 1.2, 2 and then you would max out if we were going for half a percent 1.5 whereas it isn't such a burden. I realize that we're going to play, you know,
036it's we're going to play hell catching up because we really need the money sooner, but at least the families can be prepared that it'll be gradual versus all at once. >> So, could you look into that? >> I will. I will ask legal counsel. >> I I think personally my recommendation would be that we find out in April what this calculation is and then we have to put pen to paper a combination of expenditure reduction additional revenue streams to try to make any potential levy as low as we can make it. Um and and I I think that is the I think that is the most responsible thing to do. not not just say we need a half a percent or say but let's find out exactly what the calculation is midappril and then take
037that calculation and look at the combination of expenditure reduction additional revenue stream and potential um levy campaign which we wouldn't be able to to run until November at the earliest that that would be my recommendation because we we just don't know what we need to ask for and I don't want to ask for too much and I don't want to not ask for enough and I don't and and I want to make sure that we've done everything we can so that we're confident that that we're you know that we're not over asking or overreaching or not doing our jobs first. >> Can I ask a question please? >> Sure. Can John can you for the benefit of the audience and everybody can you talk about vouchers versus open enrollment? When we open when we were
038planning this building 2018 one of our funding methods was open enrollment. So John if you could speak to that. >> Yeah. Um so in 1920 and 21 we were really strong open for open enrollment and essentially the state would um would fund us $6,000 for every student that was open enrolled to us. Um and that and that was a good um business model for us. It it it brought us in good revenue streams because more kids were coming to us than were leaving. We were we we were a net positive. So, I think we were in the neighborhood of $690,000 positive um when open enrollment happened. In 2022, when the state shifted to fair school funding plan, they removed um open enroll. So, they stopped funding open enrollment. Um, and so that I mean that
039now they didn't take all that money away from us, but they they essentially put us on what they called the guarantee. So they they looked at the amount of money that we were pulling in in 21, and they said, "We'll guarantee that you won't bring in less than that, but for every new open enroll we would take after that, we would, you know, we it would be no net benefit to us." Um, and at that point we put more strict kind of uh parameters on what open enroll we would accept. And so we've we've set like caps at each grade level um as to what we'll accept. Um the difference now with the u with the voucher program, we don't we don't qualify for the voucher program. So, um, an elementary school student that go
040that that decides to leave a public school district and go to a private will get, I think it's $5,500 and a high school student will get $8,500. So, but if so, so, for example, if if if I leave Bergkshire and I go to Notre Dame in high school, the state's going to give me $8,500 to go there. But if I leave Bergkshire and go to West Giaga, the state's not going to give me anything. And our contention and when I speak to legislators and I speak to our representatives, I say if it if it's school choice, why does choosing a different public school not count the same? Or why wouldn't that same voucher follow? if competition is what we want and we want the strongest to survive and we want the you know you know
041I feel like we can compete really well and I know that if we received a voucher for every open enroll student we wouldn't be in a financial situation. Um so that that's my that I mean that would be a quick fix for us. It wouldn't be a quick fix for other districts that don't do as well in open enrollment. But um to me that's what that's what I tend to argue for. um treat us the same as the privates when it comes to vouchers because the difference is we're accountable to the public. We we have Freedom of Information Act requests. We have to provide everything. But once that voucher money goes to someone and goes to a private school, they're not accountable to any any of that. You you can't see what they spend that
042money on. You have no rights or no access. So my thought is if it's taxpayer dollars going to support that, it should be they play by the same rules, at least the same financial rules. Y >> So my thoughts, >> so the state's not even trying to hide it anymore. They want 88 schools or so, right? So every county gets a school. So I don't know about you, I hate paying taxes. I'm with you. Um but the one thing that we can control is our local area, right? we can have a voice in what goes on in your community. We have a great school. Um, I brought up the vouchers because I think we can compete with any uh private school and I I've seen our test grades. I've seen our kids graduate and we
043uh we are doing our kids great justice and we're putting them in the world prepared. We we need to get our voices heard. Um, this is this is coming. It's coming and they're throwing it at us and they're pitching you guys against us, the school district. They want us to fight. They want us to argue about the taxes and they want to be left alone out of it. So we either we either got to get loud or uh we got to find another way to fund this or we are going to we are going to see schools one county school and you're not going to have a voice in that school you're not going to have a real voice in that tax collection and a lot of the students are going and if you think
044the tax is expensive try going to Hawin or Gilmore and seeing what that cost is. Um just my two cents. I have a quick question. So, um, the state does give us a little bit of money for our students. About how much do they give us? So, about your kid in high school can get $8,500. About what do we get for our kids from the state? This year, we're getting about $4,200 a child. The the part part of the issue is that the the state has a formula where they they use property values and incomes and some other metrics to judge the wealth of a community. And even even though we know and you know and we've explained these state um these state uh these house bills these new state laws have restricted growth. the
045state in full understanding of that still uses that valuation and s that that's why the percentage is less them and and more us because they know we're not collecting that but they assume on their end we're collecting that so they send us and that that's what hap that's why the shift happens so we need we need to push back on Columbus to say you need to you need to pick up your end so that we don't have to pick up such a heavy end. >> And um John, for clarity on the open enroll students, uh we don't we don't take every child that we could get and we don't kick out every kid that we get through open enrollment. It's a real tricky way of doing it because the state if we didn't take some
046open enroll children here and our numbers would drop the amount of guarantee we get also drop. So we get penalized to send those children back to the districts they're from. Conversely, we can't take every child in open enrollment because we just can't afford it. So, we so um you know, we look at it at the kindergarten level, we look at it when they get into middle school, and then we look at it when we get into high school. Um typically, we do not accept children um throughout high school. It's usually ninth grade depending upon um let's say a a parochial school. They only go through 8th grade. So we may accept a few of their children when they come into high school. U but generally speaking we just can't not take the open enroll children.
047We have to take some. John, correct? >> Correct. >> Yeah. in order to stay on the guarantee, we have to we have to take some um but we try not to take we try to keep the number. It's it's essentially almost like a frozen number from 2021 and that and so if X number of seniors that were open enrolld, that's the number of new open enrolled students we can take. >> Okay. >> Are you guys just totally confused? Isn't it like crazy how it's so complicated? It shouldn't be that common. >> That's intentional. >> Yeah. Yeah. It shouldn't be that. >> It's almost impossible to figure out if you're looking at it casually. And that's in that's completely intentional that there it's a system to try to hide exactly what's going on. >> And you
048know, I and I thank you all for coming out tonight to listen to it at the very least. Um, and it takes theseformational sessions to try to get this across. And even when your head's spinning, at least you can start asking the right questions. Um, and no matter what is decided or whatever happens for the rest of the night, um, and you could be vehemently opposed to a levy, which is fine that you're right. But get a conversation going out there with with your your coffee buddies or your uh knitting circles or whatever you're part of. Uh that's the important part because when discussion gets going and people are more informed that's when change can happen and Columbus seems like this big you know scary monster that nobody can touch and there's a little truth
049in that. Um but it's going to take systematic change. We're not the only school that's going through things like this. We're getting hit harder than than a lot of them. Um, but it there needs to be a wakeup time and [clears throat] I think we're at the point where that that has to happen. I did email our two representatives about coming tonight because I thought it would be helpful for all of us to hear their take on all of this and I did get I talked to their their people and um you know they acted like maybe but I wasn't sure but I did get a response from one and she said well if you have any questions just email me. So um that's their input here for that. So, please write them. But I
050have a couple qu or a couple things I want to ask um to Beth and John. We've been adjusting because we are try I've always tried to be financially responsible. Can So, can you tell me some of the things that we've done to cut our expenses already? Yeah, we we brought programs um especially special needs programs in house so that we could serve the students here um because it's very expensive to send students out and um we have about 215 total special education students about 14% of our population. Um, so the more that we can serve here and not have to to to send them out, that it doesn't bring revenue to us, but it saves us from an expenditure. Um, the the workforce pathways, which, you know, we're we're opening up to other districts
051who want to participate. Um, and and it's not just trying to get other districts to pay us. Sometimes it's uh trading a seat for like okay X district you have a seat in your construction program then we'll trade for a seat in our mechanical tech program. It's looking for opportunities for students that that doesn't that don't add expenses to um uh to our bottom line. But we also have um we I mean West Giaga sends two kids to our mechanical tech program. They they pay for those two seats. Um, and so we're looking at things like starting an alternative program for for for students who need some types of therapy or who struggle in a regular school and housing that over at the workforce campus and um using that as a re as a revenue
052generator, but we won't start that program unless we know that we're going to have placements in there because we don't want the expense. Um, and then business partnerships like we're we're partnering with Rockwell Automation and Great Lakes Cheese and Duramax Marine and hopefully in the future Hexpull and Burton um and uh just trying to to establish those partnerships um which helps our kids get in line for better careers. Um, also it puts it puts our kids in in placement where uh at Great Lakes Cheese, even even at Preston, they'll pay for those kids that to continue on in college. So, it's not like they have to, you know, forego their college experience. So, we're trying to get them as many opportunities as possible. And and the the partners appreciate that. They see that we're helping
053build their workforce, which is helping uh make the county stronger, which is keeping people in the county. and um and we're really targeting what their needs are. So, they're they're they're providing us a little bit of financial support with that as well. So, I mean, we're we those are some of the things we try to do. On top of um we procured with with the help of Senator O'Brien, we procured a $915,000 grant to renovate that um workforce campus. And then because Preston donated $750,000 for us to purchase that facility and they pay us rent every month to be in in that facility. So they're they're a great partner in terms of providing us with revenue streams, providing a place for our kids to go to get good jobs and and just being a good
054partner. And it's it's kind of a a give and take. We both we both have things to offer. That's what we hope to build with more industry and and with more um businesses around here. Um, >> and our new teachers, >> John, am I correct, too, that Preston is paying rent on the property. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, they pay [clears throat] they pay utilities and rent. Um, so they any building that they occupy, they're also paying the utilities in. Um, uh, it's they've been a great partner. Um, it's it's really it's really cut down any, you know, most of the expenses we would have had. We've we essentially launched two new programs over there on a 5 acre campus for about $14,000 and those programs are generating the one program generated more
055than $14,000 in in in revenue. So that that's a that's a you know a great program, a no-brainer. But we we have another grant in the works to uh with the state to renovate the the garage between here and Kent and turn that into a vocational training center and then that could become a hub and we would have a a mobile food pantry and a and a consignment show. We would essentially move the Shire Shack into there as well. >> [snorts] >> Um, and that would um that would make our program more um attractive to other districts that would want their kids in a program like that. So, that will help. Um, and and then Dr. Po is, you know, in her two years here, I think she's brought in more than $600,000 in in
056grants. And her target now is um find ways to supplant expenses we have in the general fund. So, go out and look for grants that will pay for the things that are in the general fund so that we can kind of pull those things out. And then you know we we're [clears throat] that's what I mean when I say we need to we need to see this calculation so that we can then target what we can what we can fix in grants and what we can get through cuts and what we can get through you know before we have to decide what we have to ask for um with any type of levy. >> If you had a bet would you say that it would come out in April that calculation? I I my understanding
057is it's written into the law that taxation has to provide it by April. >> They have to. >> So we'll do a May forecast update. >> Okay. >> So >> we can't say we were to put it on tonight, we would not understand what the whole impact was. And if we waited until April, whatever, we can't put it on in May. >> Correct. Correct. I my my recommendation would be not to put it on in May. We just don't It would [clears throat] be like shooting in the dark. Yeah, we wouldn't know >> if you put it on a may, you would have to pass something tonight. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Seems like there's too many question marks. [clears throat and cough] >> Any other questions from any board member? >> Okay. Um and
058and I did mention that I I think it's prudent for us um to wait till after the April um information that we will be receiving. Hopefully we will be receiving because sometimes they have delayed and it and it makes it more difficult. But Beth, I I believe if we were doing something in November, we'd have to have it initiated by August. >> Correct. In 90 days. >> Yep. >> So really we hopefully from the time we do get the information and say that's by May 1st. um you have May, June and July to really um be able to see the numbers. So um with that being said, it sounds like we are not going to act on that this evening. Any other conversation from any board member? >> I thank you both for putting that
059together. That was very informative >> and easy to digest. So that that was very helpful. >> And just um what Dan reiterated too, it's time it'd be helpful if people would start writing to their legislatures because there is talk of consolidating schools by counties and you know they make a decision about um a bill and all of a sudden it's done. So um it's nice to be aware of that kind of stuff too. Um, and I think there's sites you can go on if you have like things you want to be concerned about with education. I think there's something Mrs. Edberg, so check with Mrs. Edberg. She was the one who told me about it that you can go to. And so the things like that are related to e education when those bills come
060out, you can find out what when they are going to vote on them in case you wanted to write letters or make a call. The other thing is when you are talking, make sure that you know the facts because a lot of things like John put out today are not necessarily factual. So if you have questions, you know, email or call one of us up here um and if we don't know the answers, we can find the answers from somebody. but rather than just say things about stuff and then that's what gets out there. Then people get all angry and you know it gets nerve-wracking and and stuff like that. So that's just the word for the wise. >> If you see it on Facebook it's probably wrong. So yeah, ask ask someone who knows
061what they're doing. The five of us were elected by the folks that are out there and we want to do what's right for everyone, but especially the students because that's why we're here. So, I just bring that up because we we can't be adversarial. We we've got to find the answers. And um it's pretty difficult. I will not I will tell you I've been doing it 20 years and the last five years have been more difficult than the first 15. And it's not because we built a new school. We should be enjoying the fruits of our labor. But right now, we're just fighting off our backs to make sure that we could fund educating these children. So, I I really just wanted to bring that up that that's that's the five of us that sit
062in front of you. So, >> I think that's the most frustrating part is we did everything right. We I mean, I wasn't up here. It wasn't we, but you guys did everything right >> because you were the treasure. >> Oh, well, yeah. Well, just we built and planned based on the information we had and we nailed it. I mean, it was exactly what we sought out to do. And then all of a sudden, with none of this in our control turned upside down. >> It's like playing a game without knowing the rules. >> Right. That's right. >> Yeah. >> That's what's so frustrating because it to the person who's not paying attention, it does look like we're a bunch of doofuses up here and we don't know what we're doing. We promised things that didn't
063come true. We we set a model that didn't work. And it's I can't blame people that that don't know more or don't have the the time or uh desire to to dig into this a little deeper. Um yeah, it's just really frustrating because I I think we do really good work here. Um everybody who comes to visit, Dr. Starter gives us updates with legislators who come in and and um other superintendent from not just Ohio but all over. And they are just floored at what we're doing here. And to turn around and and see that we're getting stripped of money >> even though we're doing exactly what we should be doing is just really disheartening and frustrating. >> But none of the five of us are quitters. No, >> I want to be able to
064say that too. We'll >> we will find a way. >> A humble brag. So my daughter could graduate this year as a junior, right? So through because of what Bergkshire provided, she's now able to take Ohio State classes this summer and then she can take college credit classes all next year. She has one [clears throat] class for Bergkshire left. So all those classes she gets is going to save money on her college and future education. So, I mean to say we're not doing a great job for these kids, I don't know where that comes from, but they they have as many opportunities as they want. It's up to uh the parents and them to pursue them, but they are out there. >> Hey, you got to listen to this podcast today [clears throat] because talking
065about the middle school things and all that they have for options. So, check it out. >> Anything else? >> Um at this time, we're going to open up the floor for public comment. We we ask that you please come up to the microphone and speak. You're going to be addressing the board. Um we need it into the microphone because the people at home cannot hear what you're saying if you don't talk into the microphone. And all we ever ask is that you're respectful to us. So anyone that wants to come up I got my daughter. >> How old is she? >> She's four. She's my youngest. >> Um, so I'm actually an administrator at another district. Um, and I just want to say we moved to Bergkshire two years ago. I've been extremely happy with
066this district and I want to say I know most of this town votes a similar way I do and I do not like when taxes increase at all. The thing is, you have to remember if you vote down levies, your property value tanks, too. When you go to resell your house, nobody wants to move to a district or an area where your schools aren't good. So, your property values will tink to. Also, voting the way I vote, I don't really care what's going on in all of the United States or what's going on in Minnesota or whatever it may be. I don't care what's going on in the state of Ohio, but I do care what's going on in my own home. And my home is Burton. So, please vote for this levy. We need
067to pass it. [laughter] Thank you. I have one question, Mr. Sold. What is your goal for the performance index? How do you just because I am an administrator, how are you going to increase it? Because you had a huge jump from 2021 and that was during COVID. We all had a jump during that. What are you going to do to complete to keep increasing that a performance index that would get the voters to want to pass this levy? >> Yeah. So, we we target it individually. So, our our goal each year is wherever a child was the year before to try to get them just one level farther the next year. So, if they scored at the limited level one year, the goal is for them to be basic. If they scored at the basic,
068the go the goal is to move to proficient. if they scored proficient to move up and the way we do that is we implemented a strategies period. So to go along with um the the literacy program that we have. So we we give a diagnostic we see where their areas of of strength and areas of weakness are and then we use that strategies period to target those areas with some extra help for them. >> Okay. And you look at state release items and I assume you do backwards design. You hit all the standards and you're doing what you need to do to to keep increasing that performance index. And one thing you didn't mention, we got a 4.5 star on the state report card and that's amazing. So I appreciate you guys. Thank you. >>
069Thank you. >> Okay. Anyone else? Okay. Um, we've already done the board discussion, so we went somewhat out of order. John or Beth, is there any need for executive session? >> No. >> Okay. >> Can I say we're going to need a uh levy committee, so if anybody's really excited about it, that would be fantastic. Let us know. [laughter] >> All right, good. [laughter] >> Yay. Um, thank you all for coming and those of you who are watching online, thank you uh for taking the time. >> Um, with that like to have a motion to adjourn. >> So move. >> Brian, >> second. >> Dan, any discussion? Beth, roll call, please. >> Mr. Manfred, >> yes. >> Mrs. Stone, >> yes. >> Mr. Townza. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wford. >> Yes. >> Mr. Bur. >>
070Yes. Thanks.