001Call the meeting to order. Roll call, please. >> Mr. Nichl, >> here >> uh join me for a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance. to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Item five is public participation in this evening. That brings us to item six which is approval of the agenda. Second, >> yes. >> Mr. Atkins, >> yes. >> Mr. BS, >> yes. Mr. >> Yes. >> Item seven is the superintendenc. >> Okay. Good evening. So, we are winding down with our construction um especially in the middle school and high school. So, I just want to give you a little update on where we are. We'll start with the tracks. So, the
002surfacing has been put down and the striping is down the track. So, the outdoor athletic project is complete. Um, it looks great and receiving a lot of positive feedback on our field and our track and our throwing areas. A softball contract is signed and I have a meeting with Garmin Miller to start moving that project forward on Thursday. So, >> they pulled in with those today. >> They pulled in with their dozer today. Perfect. >> So, do those. >> Great. So, we're going to work on a timeline and then I'll be able to report back a timeline to the board on that project. Um, we'll also have just some safety um concerns that we'll work through with having traffic on campus, you know, equipment on campus and then the elementary school students will get another
003show. They look out the window and watch the big dozers out there doing their job. But we want to make sure that we keep our elementary school students safe. So, um, when Garmin Miller and I work meet together, we'll kind of work through that as well. As far as some open work items in the middle school high school, uh the coran sinks will be installed in the high school public restrooms. That is scheduled for Saturday, October 25th. We replaced or are replacing a drinking fountain in the high school. So, Albert is working on that for us. Um they installed the back hallway locker banks. Those are now installed. And then the front hallway locker banks still need to be installed, but that should be completed soon. We also have the display case and the high
004school vestibule that is in and delivered and set in place. And then the vendor is going to come in and put in the glass shelving. So that is scheduled to be done. Um there's some lock and key that needs to be done in the high school office. So we are working on taking out the construction sets and putting in the real lock sets. So, that is in the works right now. As far as the boilers, they are working on them this week. Um, right now they're running at 40% capacity and the vendor is out working on the boilers this week to get them to 100% capacity. So, I should have an update on that this week where we are with the boilers. also with our automated building system where we can control the HVAC system
005through a laptop. Um, we're working with our IT department to get a VPN so that that system can be controlled anywhere. You don't have to be on our school Wi-Fi to be able to control it, but our maintenance um person Jim would be able to control the HAC system through a laptop. So, we are working with our IT department to be able to get the VPN so that he can do that. So, and then people will receive training in how to operate that virtually from a computer. So, that's it for the construction update. As far as school safety, on October 9th, all grade levels participated in safety drills, and that included a practice evacuation. We're grateful to the Union County EMA and the Union County Sheriff's Office who were with us that day. They observed
006our drills, provided some feedback, and they were very impressed by the investment of our staff and our students in those drills. As was I. I think our staff showed tremendous care for our students and making it um an important activity, but also especially with the elementary school students, making them feel safe and empowered and what to do if we had to leave a building for any reason. So, I was very very impressed by our staff and the student behavior couldn't have been better because Fairbanks kids are amazing and um they all took it very seriously and did a great job. So, next for our school safety is on November 4th, which is our staff PD day. Our entire staff will participate in safety training with the Union County Sheriff's Office. And then we are also
007going to go to our reunification location, walk staff through that building, show them where if we had to do a reunification site, um, evacuation, how we would use spaces in our reun reunification site, and also really important, the different roles staff may need to play if we have to take students off campus and then reunite them with their families. the Union County Sheriff's Office is going to participate with us as well as the Union County EMA and going to the reunification site and um watching us talk about our drill and how we would run that process in the event that we need to. >> Where's the reunification site? >> Um at a local local school. Yeah. And then as far as um property tax legislation, I've been spending a lot of time learning about this
008and attending webinars and inerson training on this. So, House Bill 186 passed the Ohio House and is going to the Senate. House Bill 186 introduces a growth cap credit. This limits increases in property taxes due to rising home values. This is intended to provide relief to homeowners by capping the growth of their tax bills to a percentage based on inflation. So districts would not get with House Bill 186 the po full property tax increase but rather they would get the rate of inflation increase which is around 13%. So it is somewhat expected that House Bill 186 that has passed the House will also pass the Senate. So, we're expecting to see that. And while Fairbank supports reasonable tax relief, especially for fixed income disabled residents and veterans, it's important that the public understand how we
009arrived here and the potential impact to our schools. So, I would like to share some information from the Ohio Educational Policy Institute. Um, they site four forces that are driving Ohio's property tax prices. One being the fact that home values have skyrocketed. So, home values are up nearly 46% on average in the state since 2020, which is pushing tax bills well beyond wage growth. Ohio's per capita income is just 88% of the national average. So, our wage growth is slower. State funding shifts over the past two decades of tax cuts and poly policy changes have shifted more of the burden of local taxes onto the residents and local taxpayers who now pay 67.5% of the burden for school property taxes which is up from 46% in 1991. Also with House Bill 920 there's been levy
010fatigue as more schools are having levy campaigns. We've had nearly 13,000 operating levels operating levies in the state since House Bill 920 was adopted in 1976. So just kind of recap that we've seen a 46% increase in home values since 2020. The share of school property taxes now paid by homeowners is 67.5% compared to 46% in 1991. The value of abaded property in 2024 was 26.6 billion. That's up from 5.7 billion in 2004, placing more stress on homeowners. So, homeowners are taking more of the property tax burden and businesses are taking less of the property tax burden. And we now have more districts on the 20 mil floor because um of all the shifts in funding and also the decrease in state funding to the schools. So why this matters to us? We believe in
011protecting our seniors and veterans from unmanageable increases. We believe in some property tax reform. However, um it's important that we still make sure that we invest in our future and in education. So, you will see that the Ohio um or the Union County Superintendent published a letter last week in the Mary'sville Journal Tribune and the Union County Daily Digital where we're calling for reasonable and balanced tax reform to make sure that we continue to support education. And the Ohio legislature can still bring forward vetoed items um through December 31st, 2026. So, not just through the end of this calendar year, but through the end of next calendar year. um those vetoed items can still come back. And there are currently 38 House bills um involving property tax floating around out there. That's awesome. Thank you.
012Information. Uh item eight is the treasures report. >> Um just a quick update. um on the forecast to give you a hard copy in front of you. We did meet as a finance committee uh Friday. Um and I did have to give I have to give a state update this uh this um I'm sorry um in October. So um right now there's really hasn't been much change since the May update. Uh we're still waiting for some of these House bills uh that are out there to finalize some of these recommendations. So, we're still not really sure how this is going to impact our forecast. Um, right now, everything's pretty stable. You can see the highlighted areas. There's really no concern of our forecast. Everything's pretty much uh stable for the most part. Um, but just
013comes down to how these House bills and some of these recommendations and proposals are going to shake out. So, um, there probably will be some change uh to the forecast. Uh but we probably won't know until December. So um we're just kind of in a waiting period and see how these things uh end up being finalized. But u right now uh without those any future changes, we're still in pretty good shape financially. So still feel good about the short-term financial situation of the district. Any questions on anything? It is now it's becoming now a four uh year forecast now instead of a fiveyear it's going to be a first uh initial year budget and then three years in forecast basically. So it's pretty much a fouryear forecast now >> that that's passed all the way
014through this. >> Yeah. >> Has anything been decided on like the general fund balance carryover? Well, they're putting out the 100% now, but we're we're in the 40 to 50% range. So, that won't that won't impact us. So, I think they are there is something along the 100% uh cash reserve balance, which wouldn't of course impact us. Originally, they started at 40%, but now what they have some out there for 100%. that you can't put a levy on if you have 100% of your cash reserve expenditures >> operating. [Music] >> Well, you can put a bond levy but not operating. Yeah. >> There any other questions for Mr. Johnson? If not, is there a motion for the financial report as present move? >> Second. >> Mr. H. >> Yes. >> Mr. Phelps. >> Yes. >>
015Mr. L. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nichols. >> Yes. Item nine is consent agenda. And this evening in consent agenda are item 10 uh which is minutes from the September meeting A and then B which is minutes from the September 29th special meeting. Item 11 are administrative guidelines, bylaws and policies. There's one new one and multiple item B is multiple updates, replacements and technical corrections. Is that because of the one word that they added in front of everything >> or they combined a couple together? >> Item 12 is athletic contracts. Um K is just some changing some uh percentages around. Um item two is the same way. Item three is the same way. Item four is the same way. And then B is just approving following athletic contracts for the 2526 school year. Item 13 is
016a certified contract for home instruction. Item 14 are classified contracts A, B, C, and D. Item 15 is a independent contract. Item 16 A is supplemental contracts for 256 school year. Item 17 A and B are both resignations. Item 18 is proof of camp intervention for June 26th. Item 19A is Medicare reimbursement service contract. Um item 20 A and B are item 2A is a uh trip for student achievement affairs. >> What are they going to be presenting at the >> They have the monuments memorial. So they made that >> authentic the >> looks like a Washington memorial but with their own memorials. >> Good. And then item B of that approves monthly trips for selected students in the milk market. Item 21A is FFA trip and then item B is the varsity softball trip
017to Pigeon Village. Item 22 approves a resolution for paying new transportation and that is in the consent agenda. Are there any questions? If not, is there a motion? >> I'll make motion. I'll >> second Mr. Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nichol. >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Um item 23 approves the Ohio Department of Education workforce and special education model policies and procedures for uh children with disabilities 2526 school year. >> Is this a new policy? >> Yeah, we were required to adopt it. >> Okay. Um, and then it's just a continuation from here on out of the same policy unless until we're told we need to make changes and accept a different policy. We just kind of upload this every year and say here's our policy. >> I'll second Mr. Phelps.
018>> Yes. >> Mr. Lea. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nichol. Yes. >> Yes. >> Item 24 approves a $2,000 donation from Impact 60 for the Panther Market. >> I'll make a motion. >> Is the Panther Market up and running? >> It is. So, I think they have their official opening on like 27, but um it is like they have it open like stocked. The students have put the shelving up and stocked the shelves and so I think that they're going to start taking orders very soon. Um it was open during parent teacher conferences where people could stop in and check it out. So the click list will go up and then both students in our schools and then the community at large can fill out a click list that our life skills students will then fill
019for them and bag for them and then we'll distribute the bags to students and community members in a confidential way so that they can have food if they're in need. >> Did we end up putting it in the room by the cafeteria? >> No, >> because that room cannot be um conditioned so that we're afraid that food could melt or whatever if it got too warm in there. So, it's back in its original location. So, it to provide safety around the stack of servers that are in there. We have a cage that goes around it that is locked. So, it can still get ventilation, but it is safe and secure from anybody doing anything with it. Plus, no students can be in the Panther Market without a teacher present. And then it's locked when uh
020people are not in there. So I think we were able to meet the spirit of both our security for technology that nobody can get to it in that cage and then also providing students that room. >> Very good. And thank you to Impact 60. >> Super grateful to impact 60 for providing those funds to be able to launch our market. >> Mr. Live. >> Yes. >> Mr. Nickel. Yes, >> Mrs. Dick. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Atkins. >> Yes, >> Mr. Ps. >> Yes. >> Item 25 is for the Huntington Learning Center contract. Title one. Go ahead. >> Mr. Nickel. >> Yes. M. >> Yes. >> Mr. Phelps. >> Yes. Mr. Lear. >> Yes. Item 26 is for remote learning for climate days as presented. >> Mr. Buick, >> yes. >> Mr. >> Yes, >> Mr.
021B. >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Yes, >> Mr. Nichl. >> Yes. Item 27 is transportation. This approves an hour hourly compensation for Beth Woff and James um for trips that can't be filled by fulltime self. You have that many trips or just people turning down? >> Well, we are short to drivers currently. So, we do have some additional trips like the middle school golf has added some trips. Um, but I think that for the most part our drivers are covering it and this would be a main event that Andy and Beth have to step up and do some driving. So since 2021, Beth has only done that for about 12 hours. I think Andy's done it for about 30 hours. So it's few and far between. Um, but they don't want to they don't want
022to see students not have a trip. So they're like willing to drive if they have to drive. Um, but it's not their first choice. And we are working on filling this. I think we have another new driver online and then a potential interest just today of driving for us. So hopefully we'll fill those funds. Andy and Beth are both driving routes right now as well. >> A lot. >> This is just for the trip. >> This is just for trips that can't be filled. Yeah. >> And Janelle shared with us the other day that trips are up about >> she said about 25 additional trips um this year. >> So I think our Panther Paws uh group has taken some trips. We've had a few more athletic trips. Um, so yeah, they have it. >>
023I'll second it. >> Yes. >> Mr. CS, >> yes. >> Mr. >> Yes. Mr. >> Yes. >> Item 28 is discussion items. That's an update tomorrow. Okay. So, I sent you all the uh USBA plank, all 1200 lines of it, all 72 pages of it. >> I'm sure you all went through that diligently and looked at all the changes. >> Just looked at all the bold face stuff, >> bold facing cross. That's all you had to. >> So, I just want you to all have a chance to look at that. Those are the changes that voted on. There's also a chance to discuss it. There's a chance right now to additional points to it if two of the voting bodys do that. There's also legislation in this that says no that doesn't work anymore. Long
024and short the way I look at it from my personal view point what view is that this is the most aggressive I've seen business in terms of return control I haven't been here for separate you taxation taxation funamentality [Music] doesn't come out and say that we've given a billion dollars a year away for the last couple changes. >> And you said you said you might be a little bit late to our next meeting just depending on how long that >> because there's so many changes in there. I can see this meeting being a long one and we have school boards. Yeah, >> I'll give you I'll I'll give you a pass if you're still down. >> I drove you home. >> You want me to drive you? I can do that. I can get you
025back. >> I will. The other thing I did want to mention about capital conferences, we do have group presenting at the student achievement affair. It's memorial monuments group and Matt Humphre is going to be teacher support with those kids. We have three kids that are going to present that be there for questions. Thank you. Item 29A is >> Yeah. So, it was attached in uh the board documents, but uh we got a fivestar rating um on our report card. So, we celebrating that. And we just had our fall advisory meeting with about 300 different business advisors that came in. Um we met with our instructors. Um, and I don't know if you guys heard, but our adult education was officially accredited at TOLS um, this past week or two. We celebrated that in our meeting.
026Um, so that's a that's a big push for us and we got a six-year um, thing. So, it doesn't have to be renewed for at least for another six years. So, and then we added all their classes are full. They have weight lists for everything currently. And we just opened up a LPN course for adults as well. So we're going on there. And I was talking to these guys. We're looking to the next phase with that being accredited to like transition kids who graduate from tolls to go from tolls there to actually continuing education through the education programs. Um using grant funding and stuff like that, helping them to figure that out. So more no college debt. again once again. So, and then also mentioned just uh next April is the board appreciation dinner. Um
027and then there was an attachment for the enrollment. We do we are down a little bit. Looks like quite a few people cut out, but that's normal during the first part of the school year. And then our weekly construction update. Um they started pulling footers back there, so they're moving dirt. Thank you, Angie. Item B is the legislative report, right? >> I think Mrs. Chapman covered most of it. >> There's plenty of to go around out there. >> There is they the House and U they came back from their from their recess and they've been they've been relatively busy um from the from the first week of October. the update uh from the governor's activity. Uh Governor DeWine announced the creation of Ohio school bus safety grant program. Um this grant will pro this grant
028program will provide 10 million in competitive grants to eligible applicants for the repair, replacement or addition of authorized school bus safety features to school buses and active service or for safety enhancements added to purchase of new school buses. I think that all came back from the school bus safety committee and whatnot. Um, in the house, the house passed HB129 uh with a vote of 8116 and along with this bill, it would do the following. It would require the current expense fixed sum levies be included in the calculation of the school district's 20 mil floor or joint vocational school district's 2 mill floor for property tax purposes. The following types of levies will be included in the 20 mil floor calculation. Emergency substitute conversion growth and fixed sum tax coupled with an income tax levy included.
029U another one is included fixed sum levies in the first tax year beginning in the tax year 26 in which the county the district has territory under goes a reappraisal triumph it also um it also school districts to pursue fixed sum levies in two cases cases if the district levied an emergency mergency levy approved by voters before or if it's in financial fiscal emergency watch or caution. Um in either circumstance, the levy must be labeled as a fixed sum levy, not an emergency levy, and must be for current operating expenses, may not be renewed, and may only be levied for up to five years. And uh HB129 also clarifies that the renewal of a fixed sum levy that was first approved by voters before September of 13 is still subject to property tax roll backs
030for non-b business property and owner occupied residents at 10 and a half% and two and a half% respectively. Um, and after its renewal as a fixed sum levy under the amendment, the bill now goes to the Senate for consideration, the chamber also passed HB309. This bill, if passed, would do the following. It would allow C County budget commissions to reduce millage on any voter-approved tax levy aside from a debt levy if it finds it necessary or prudent to do so. And it also defines what unnecessary and excessive t tax collections are. And it also uh would allow such actions after five years and require a commission to hold a hearing prior to reducing the amount or rate of any tax. HB309 would also limit the county budget control county budget commission authority to dre to
031reduce levies collected for the use of majority elected taxing units below what the levies collected in the prior year or for school districts below the 20 mil floor. The bill also moves over to the Senate for consideration. Um, a couple other bills that are in committee. HB462 that was, uh, introduced from Tracy, Representative Richardson. This bill would would permit the student use of nasal epinephrine delivery device. Uh the House Labor Committee has Senate bill or actually yeah the House Commerce and Labor Committee heard it second hearing on SB50. Uh this would this bill would make changes regarding age and schooling certificate requirements and work hours for persons under 16 years of age. um bills that were introduced in the first week of October. HB493. This bill would sunset the sale of delinquent property tax certificates
032on January 1 to 2027. HB499. This bill would modify the law governing county budget commissions and property taxation. This bill also allows county budget commissions to reduce property tax collections. I think that was already included there. HB500. This bill would designate a junior ROC program offered by a school district as a career technical education program. HB504 was recently introduced. It would authorize counties to temporarily exempt a portion of a property's increased value for tax from taxation following a reappraisal and to name this act the Calculated Adjustments for Property Surges Act CAS SB290. This bill would require public and chartered non-public schools to purchase and install an exterior secure master key box on each school building. In this week's uh the Senate Education Committee voted and passed SB 156. This would require school district to provide
033success sequence instruction in at least one course required for high school graduation. The committee held its third hearing on SB 144 and they admit admended the bill to revert the educator lensure grade grade bands to the bands utilized before HB33. So basically they're reverting back. I >> think they're making it they're giving them bigger windows of grade bands so that we can hire teachers more flexibly. >> PreK through 5, 4 through 8, 7 through 12 is how they're going. So >> instead of like >> kind of recall they're going back >> to what it was >> before. I I think >> similar. >> Yeah. >> Um, House Education Committee, they held their first hearing on HB500 and that was the junior ROC program. They heard held their second hearing on HBO 30 HB304. And this
034would this one would permit students to use club sports or other activities, athletic activities to fulfill the high school physical education requirement and require recess time for K through8 students. The House Ways and Means Committee heard its eighth hearing on HB 186, which would cap growth for districts on the 20 mil floor to inflation through retroactive tax credits. Uh they heard several opponent and pro opponent and proponent um testimony on that one. They also held their fourth hearing on HB335. This was the cap on inflationary growth on inside millillage. Uh House Finance Committee held its first hearing on HB476. This is the bill that would authorize online raffles under a charitable gaming law. The Senate Local Government Committee heard testimony on HB124 would modify the process for te property tax sales assessment ratio studies. And
035they recently introduced in the House HB510. This bill would re would prohibit any requirement that employees join or pay dues to an employed organization. They also introduced HB 518. This bill makes changes to law regarding truency and contributing to the unruliness of delinquency of a child. Uh HB520 would establish and convene a blue ribbon committee in each county to review and assess each taxing unit within the county and each county program or department to identify duplication of services and generally to streamline and improve county efficiency and effectiveness. HB523. This bill would enact the future educator support act regarding financial support for student teachers and teaching as a as an indemand job. That is that is my legislative report. I I don't know what a blue ribbon >> Yeah. Commission >> commission is, but >> kind
036of think we need start going on. >> Are you finished? >> I'm done. Kids are allowing flex out right >> for a school sponsored sport. Yeah. >> But >> so they're allowing school club sports to >> that's what they're proposing. >> So club sports wouldn't count toward the waiver. It's always been school sponsored. >> Achievement. Okay. I want to thank all the reports. Uh just touch on a couple of things at the elementary school. One of the neat things in their report is that they've added another portion of cancer portion of panthers in addition to line and muscle. They've now added panther. means that they're going to teach all the kids at the elementary to be in the right place at the right time they need attention feedback professional development that have professional development days
037on October 1st November 19th 4th authentic learning it's 106 123 and 4 and language arts is conferences last week third grade state meeting this week trunk retreat is the 25th company fall party is 31st halfway middle school. You see that first time we've ever used all that's part of this. So what's happening out of that is we'll have two two ters here three days a week working with some identified students identified as they help support they'll also be home teacher here our most risky situation first quarter award trips on October 28th there's a math booster session going on these are half our teaching sessions for students to eth grade that additional helps content high school for professional development in English language arts and math. the student voice and leadership at the city council has taken
038a much larger role and is working with them to create additional issues. Student service opported on October 5th and October 12th. Happy idea one of those days and kids put in a lot of work for that. Mostly girls painted the parking spots. Not too many guys, but I came out about 12:30 and there was 27 girls that been working for quite a while. I left about 4:30. They were still here. We haven't gone out to dinner and came back by 6:30 and they were still here working on 6:30. So I stopped and told them I was going to get a picture. So something that's it. Good job. Thank you, Mark. Voting and graves. Again, I think it's already been covered in the superintendent. Mrs. Chapman's just covering all the details, but yeah, I think they're
039going to get started on the softball field this this week was the plan, weather permitting. I know um contractors are basically ordering all the long-term lead time items so they'll be in when they're ready to to start installing. So football field track throwing area looks great. Grass is growing on the throwing area looking good. in the irrigation pulled in and started digging up some more irrigation heads. I went home to see what was going on and said heads to raise them up. They indicated that none of the heads were in the playing field. Item 30 is executive session and there is a couple reasons for executive session this evening. Uh item B is to consider the employment of a public employee or official and item O is to consider matters required to be kept confidential
040by federal law regulations or state status. Is there a motion? >> Mr. Nichl. >> Yes. Mrs. >> Yes. Mr. Phelps. >> Yes. Mr. >> Yes. We'll take about a five minute break and read. [Music] Good job. there. Goodbye.