001Okay, it is now 6:00 May 20th, 2026. The Talmage Board of Education meeting will open. First order of business is a pledge of allegiance. 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. >> Okay. Next order of business is roll call. Mr. >> Here >> next order of business is welcome to the visitors and oh we got a whole gaggle of them. So so thank you very much. Uh your time will be at the conclusion of the meeting at the tail end of the meeting. You'll have three minutes. What I'd like you to do is step up to the microphone, state your name and address for the record, and then um then then talk
002to us. Okay. Next order of business's approval of the uh previous minutes. It is recommended that the board of education approve the minutes of the April 15, 2026 meeting. Uh, minutes for all meetings can be found digitally on uh on the line. >> Motion. >> I'll make a motion. >> I'll second. >> Motion in a second. Roll call. >> Mrs. Ross. >> I >> Mr. Pelli. >> I. >> Next order we get into is 4.1. It is recommended that the board of education approve the three-year contract between two >> 2.1 >> I'm sorry >> 2.1 jumped ahead. Uh it is recommended that the board of education approve the agreement with the Summit County Education Service Center for uh treasurer surf search uh service. The total cost not to exceed $7,500. See the attached U contract?
003A motion. >> A motion. >> I'll second. >> Motion and a second. Roll call. >> Any discussion? >> Discussion of any type. >> No. >> Yes. Um so we have met with the Summit County Educational Service Center to uh begin the process and learn more about the process. Uh it is been um communicated to us that at this time uh treasurers in the state of Ohio are very rare and uh we could be up against a difficult search. But our timeline is the posting is open until June 5th and then the week of June 8th through the 12th the board will begin interviews with the candidates and then we will proceed from there based on um the the quality and ava a availability of uh those interviews. So got a couple weeks to work through
004some things but that is kind of where we are at this point. >> Good. Thank you for the update. Thank you. Anything else? Roll call. >> Mr. Davis. >> I. >> Mr. Lowry. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Platis. >> I. >> Mrs. Ross. >> Hi. >> Mr. Paselli. >> I. >> Next. 3.1. Monthly financials. It is recommended that the board approve the monthly financial report for the month of March and April 2026 as presented and those two are digitally online. Motion >> a motion >> second >> conversation. >> Yeah. So uh I [clears throat] just have a question for Mr. Hostettler actually. Um, so the earnings rate on like the general fund, cell phone insurance, that kind of thing shows 3.79. Um, being kind of in that world, I know that that's a pretty good return
005right now. But I just wanted to know like how often we shop that around or if we ever try and >> uh that is the current STAR rate. Uh, Star Ohio is a multi-billion dollar investment pool for governmental entities in the state of Ohio. And it's liquid. I mean, I can pull it any day, move it around. So, uh, I've compared it to CD rates in the past and I've not found anything better. And, and by law, we're uh, limited as to what investment vehicles we can use as a public entity. So, most, uh, nearly all of our monies are parked in Star. We have some to cover bills at Huntington. Uh but for payrolls and things, I move money that day from Star trying to keep as much invested as as possible. >> Okay.
006Thank you. Anything else? >> I will say we're a month and a half less now than than that from fiscal year end. So, I mean, we're coming down to June 30, which is the end of fiscal year 26. We'll take a real in-depth look at the finances at the end of the fiscal year. Things there are still variables uh moving parts that make it difficult to to nail down, but we're on track from uh for this year what what we we thought. So, are really no big surprises. Any other questions? Okay. >> Mr. Lowry. >> Hi. >> Mr. Davis. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Platis. >> I. >> Mrs. Ross. >> Hi. >> Mr. Perelli. >> I. Okay. Now we're at 4.1. It is recommended that the board of education approve the three-year contract between TCS
007and Akran Children's Hospital for Nursing Services. And that contract is also attached. >> A motion. >> Motion. >> I'll second >> and a second. >> Yeah, this is uh we've [clears throat] worked with Akran Children's Forever. So, this is just uh we're finishing up a three-year agreement. So, this is just a three-year renewal. Uh [clears throat] we currently um uh staff an RN um who also works out of the high school and then we have three medical assistants. So uh we pay an hourly rate for those. Uh the the our end is uh about a $2.50 increase per hour on this new three-year renewal. The MAS are um about a dollar and a quarter. >> [clears throat] >> What percentage is it? >> That's a good question. Um, I don't know. It's in the contract,
008the the hourly rate. >> Thank you. >> I'll say that Akran Children's Hospital is a is a does an amazing job for us. They really do. So highly regarded by our families. Um they handle everything from just that daytoday kids not feeling well and you know I will tell you that our nurses rooms at each one of the buildings are busy. Uh they also handle meds for us. Um so a lot of different things. So um just thrilled with this partnership. >> I've had experience with all three buildings, all three nurses. They all do a great job. >> Yeah, they do. And it's more costefficient to contract with Children's Hospital than to hire someone directly. Sure. >> Okay. >> Call >> Mr. Davis. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Ross. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Palis. >> Hi.
009>> Mr. Lowry. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Mr. Paselli. >> Hi. Next item 4.2. It is recommended the board of education approve the contract between TCS and Total Education Solutions for the 2026 to 27 school year for the master education placement and related services. And you can see the attached motion. >> A motion. >> I'll second >> motion and a second. >> This is another >> one of those agreements with um alternate placement options that we have. Total Education Solutions provides a variety of supports and services, but they do have an academy that um from time to time uh we partner with um if we have a student that has that need. They kind of specialize in autism and uh we currently have one student attending. >> So, this is just an annual renewal. >> Any
010significant cost increases? Uh, that one's about 2500 for the year, but it is a year- round school >> option. >> Okay, [clears throat] >> very good. >> Mr. Davis, >> hi. >> Mrs. Ross, >> hi. >> Mrs. Platis, >> I >> Mr. Lowry, >> I >> Mr. Perelli, >> hi. >> Next is 4.3. It is recommended that the board of education approve the agreement between the education alternative and TCS for the 202627 school year to assist in helping students to meet the FA requirements and that is also attached. >> A motion >> a second. >> Motion and a second. another one of those agreements, an alternate placement um in Kaga Falls, F uh FAPE, the FAP that you mentioned, just uh in case people are wondering that that just means free and appropriate public education.
011So, one of those fancy acronyms that we use um no change in uh the contract for this year. So, we pay a daily rate um at at Educational Alternatives. And how do you choose which of these services we use? >> Um a variety of ways. Uh one is uh each of them kind of specializes in different areas of need. Uh educational alternatives tend to um have an expertise in um behavioral, social, emotional need. Um they do depending on their locations because they have several um do have different programs that may focus in other areas like autism, but there are definitely programs that are more more focused in more severe autism um versus like I said EA is the LEAP program that you guys have approved in the past also tend to focus in behavioral and
012social emotional need. Um also the types of services they may provide. Some are more uh their philosophies are more um behavioral modification. Other programs are more cognitive behavioral. They'll have psychologists, you know, on staff or um they can work with parents and and students uh separately through that. Some families don't have the opportunity to take their children after, you know, outside of school hours for supports and therapy. So, uh, a number of these programs may offer those opportunities during the school day that so that students can get, um, the therapies that they might need, you know, in those settings. Um, sometimes, to be quite honest, Miss Pilates, it's it's a matter of, um, availability to. Unfortunately, like a lot of things in Ohio, um, resources are tend to be very limited and they're getting more
013and more limited. um organizations like Summit, DD, OD. I mean, they're years out now for parents to get resources. I mean, funds are getting cut across the board. Um so, you know, a lot of districts are vying for, you know, available Yeah. available seats. Yep. >> Yep. >> Anything else, Mr. Davis. >> I >> Mr. Lowry. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Pottis. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Ross. >> I >> Mr. Paselli. >> Hi. >> Next item 4.4. In consideration of factors established in OC 3327.02, 02. The Townage Board of Education declares the impracticality of transportation based on both on the number of pupils being transported to the non-public schools and also the cost of providing transportation in terms of equipment, maintenance, personnel, administration, and the students on the attached list. There is an attachment to this
014So >> a motion >> motion second and >> a second. >> So this is something excuse me this is something the board approves every year. So students that go do not go to town city schools are still entitled to transportation by law. So if they would have been eligible for transportation as a student of Townage City Schools, um we have to either provide them with transportation or provide what's called an inlu of payment. Um for most the great majority of our kids, it ends up being an inloo of payment because we have a relatively small number of kids that are bust or would be busted to um to one of the uh private schools. Um an exception to that is we do provide transportation to CVCA because of the number of students that go to
015CVCA. So for the other schools that we do not transport to, we therefore owe those families and in lie of payment which is uh most of which is reimbured by the state. Um that amount is declared by the state every year. I think this year I haven't seen the number seven or $800 for the year roughly is what that cost is. I'll mention now that since we are cutting significantly busing for next year, none of our high school kids that are attending um non-publiclix would be eligible for in lie of next year. Uh likewise, any student living within that that one or you know roughly two mile distance from the K8 campus also would be not eligible for and in lie of payment next year. Okay. >> So, just for clarification, would we still bus
016the CBCA kids next year because there is no high school, >> right? There will not be we will not be doing any transport to non-publix for next year. >> None at all. Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Davis. I >> Mrs. Ross. Hi. >> Mrs. Pottis. Hi, >> Mr. Lowry. Hi, Mr. Pelli. Hi. Next item 4.5. It is recommended that the board approve the service agreement with ESC of Summit County for the 2026 to 27 school year. The primary agreement service selection and option A addendum are attached. There's three attachments in there that explain that. >> Yes. I'll discuss motion. >> Sorry. >> I'll motion a second. >> There you go. >> Um so essentially we use we use a Summit County ESC. We use that every year. It's a key partner for us. And
017the best way to look at them is we we kind of um time share, if you will, some of the resources for things that we need in our district that we don't need full-time. So aologist is an example of that. We don't need a full-time aiologist in our district, but we do need kind of a part-time person. So we share with multiple districts, and the ESC is the vehicle for sharing those resources. So, uh, it's a key resource for us to for those types of physical therapist, occupational therapist, aiology, um, etc. The big change for the board this year, we have cut significantly some of the curriculum supports. Typically, they also help us with like a math specialist or an ELA specialist. We have cut all those resources for next year. So, this is a
018a lower cost than typical for the for the board. Just for edification, why do we have to offer these services through the schools? It would be part it would be student services for special ed. It'd be special ed requirements meeting to meet Ohio Revised Code for and and federal law for some of the needs of our children. Okay. Mr. Lowry, >> I >> Mr. Davis, >> I >> Mrs. Pottis, [clears throat] >> I >> Mrs. Ross, >> I >> Mr. Paselli, >> I. Next items 4.6. Uh, it is recommended that the board of education approve the service and school building lease arrangements with the Summit County ESC for the provision of services for preschool children with disabilities for the 2026 to 27 school year. Uh, the agreements are attached and there is two attachments. A
019motion >> second. >> Motion and a second. >> Similarly, uh students that are not yet kindergarten age uh but uh have been identified as students with special needs, we are required by law to provide preschool services to those students. We partner with the Summit County ESC down at our David Bacon facility. So, they use our facility. That's where there's a lease element to this as well. Um, and this is a partnership that works really well. It has grown. The need the number of students with needs has grown. We've grown from two two classrooms to three classrooms now down there. >> Is uh is that the one that we also feel like may help us in the future because the earlier we can catch some of these things, we can kind of get things started. Okay.
020>> Absolutely. >> The the question was does this Does this uh is this one of the things that if we can catch these children that have severe needs early enough, the earlier that we can start working with them, the more it uh relieves maybe like some backlog later trying to play catch-up if we can get out ahead of the problem. >> So you said we've increased number of classrooms from two to three. How many kids approximately are in each class? Uh we currently [clears throat] so the way we run the program is uh Monday through Thursday half days. Um so there's an AM and a PM class. >> Okay. >> So uh we run what's called an 88 classroom. So it's uh eight students with disability up to eight students with disabilities, eight peers. So
021we do run a peer model. >> Um we do have some what's called itinerate support. So there are some instances where we bring services to students not in our facility. Um but if you add that up uh we essentially are 4848 so 96 kids >> push through our preschool. >> Yeah. And then a couple itinerate support. So we're about 100. >> So is this just a one-year preschool or >> uh we're required uh from their third birthday. >> Okay. on uh through their fifth uh through age five. >> Okay. >> So, >> yeah, they're all it is it's Talmages program. Um and then obviously a number of those students both both students on IEPs and peers, you know, come to our kindergarten program. So, we have a process for transition, >> but that preschool opportunity
022is basically a 35 program. Go ahead, >> Mr. Lowry. >> Hi, >> Mr. Davis. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Platis. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Ross. >> Hi, >> Mr. Perelli. >> Hi. >> Next item, 4.7. It is recommended that the board of education approve the contract between LLA therapy and the Talmage City Schools for the year 2026 to 27 school year. Uh there is an attach a single attachment for this. >> I'll make a motion. >> Second >> motion in a second. >> Still talking. I think that's the last one. Hopefully the last day. >> All eyes on me tonight. Um so LLA therapy is is a therapy provider that again we use for a variety of services. Mostly speech and language services. Um but they do offer a variety of other services. Um similar to
023how we use the ESC for some services, we use LLA, we use star therapy, which you guys have approved in the past for OT. Um uh you know based on cost and uh and then also availability of therapists to be able to to support students. LLA provides a a very small service within the district so that we stay under our weighted uh numbers for speech language pathologists. We don't have enough numbers to add a whole another speech language pathologist but we have a a smaller case load of about 15 to 20 students that can be serviced. Um so we use LLA for that. Mostly LLA um provides um services uh if we have students who are alternately placed and they have related services, LLA provides that um and they also um support our non uh
024our students on scholarship that are in non-public scholarship programs. So, if the board remembers um you know, families can take uh a scholarship like the John Peterson or the autism scholarship. Uh and then uh we receive uh state and federal dollars. If you remember, we do receive idea funds, um special education funds. Uh a portion of those have to be allocated towards non-publiclix. It's required to be allocated toward non-publiclix. So that money gets used uh that federal money gets used to support the the non-public students. So we're not paying out a general fund for the non-public students. It's being paid through the grant. Um but we use LLA to provide it. >> Makes sense. >> Similar >> uh structure. Yeah, it's about a just over a dollar increase per hour on that. >> Okay. Um
025it's uh I think it's coming in at about yeah about 7650 I think is in the contract >> but most people are pushing well over 80 into $100. It's getting expensive. Well, so so [clears throat] you're saying we do this in lie of like hiring our own person full-time and that's >> Yeah, we're always weighing like uh you know if we get to a threshold where it makes sense to have someone inhouse for that we provide that sometimes with the contracted service because uh it depends on where the location of those services are and it's a matter of whether people are traveling to those locations or or we use providers that go to those locations because we have students in different places. >> Got it. >> Um >> that that's part what I was trying
026to figure out because it's saying the professional services rendered and travel time and I'm like >> man $80 an hour maybe >> crazy >> start doing this you know. >> Yeah. [laughter] So all right. >> Yeah, good question. with all these services like estimation of how many students are using all of these >> we have um at year end uh in district if you're talking about students on IEPs all categories >> um all eligibility categories in district we're at 399 so 400 uh if you're uh adding all the students that we have to account for in EIS Um, so that would be students on scholarships, that would be, uh, students that are in non-public schools, um, but but are eligible. Um, it would also include students who might be open enrolled in other districts, homeschooled
027students, um, so there's a variety of students that get captured in that extra. Uh, but we're about 520. >> 520. >> Mhm. >> This, it just reminds me, if you remember at the community forum when uh, Mr. Pastor Elli said about how different school is these days from when we were in school. >> And you don't think about the cost and the the laws and everything that we're, >> you know, mandated to provide that we wouldn't have thought about when we were in in school. And >> um I think that's that's important for the public to understand that there's so much more to schools now than just >> writing and math and you know the three Rs. So yeah, >> thank you for all that. >> Sure. It's a combination of uh increased needs. There's
028there's greater and greater challenges within our environments. um uh co you know all districts saw I we keep a fiveyear well I could go back further but we always keep a fiveyear total on that and I think we're we were about 363 like uh post just postcoid and then so now 399 so that gives you an idea um so there's there's just a it's also awareness um there's also things like the dyslexia law that the state has put in play So there's there's just a variety of things happening. So >> okay, >> Mrs. Ross, >> hi. >> Mr. Davis, >> hi. >> Mrs. Battis, >> hi. >> Mr. Lowry, >> hi. >> Mr. Perelli, >> hi. >> Next item is 4.8. >> Mr. Per, you uh it might make sense to do a motion to
029take 4.8 to 412 as consent. It'll be the same conversation. Yep. Uh >> I'll motion >> motion. >> I'll second >> and a second to combine 4.8 to 4.12 which are all overnight out of town field trips. >> Yeah, these are all traditional trips for us that happen during the summer athletic camps. All of the cost of the programs are paid by the families. Um, historically there are three programs, the cheerleading, the basketball camp, and cross country where the district has provided transportation in the past. This year our boosters club will be supplementing that effort. So it really will cost the district nothing this time around. >> Mr. Lowry. >> Hi, >> Mr. Davis. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Platis. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Ross. >> Hi, >> Mr. Perelli. >> Hi. >> Next item or
030personnel items. Um, I would like to take a motion to merge 5.1 to 5.18 uh together. >> A motion. >> A second. motion and a second. >> Great. So, lot lots to cover. Um, so I think I think first we'll start by um just talking about and I will be going over this a little bit more during our central office report that net for next year we we will have eight less teachers in the district due to the reductions that um we're going through. So um uh couple with that naturally there's a lot of attrition in the district folks that are resigning moving on to different things or retirements. So let's let's start by celebrating some retirements. I'll let uh um Mrs. Davis talk about uh pretty special retirement. >> I'm going to pull out
0315.8 an Canudi. Um we celebrated her a little bit last night at graduation. 36 years of teaching in our district. just an incredible educator and an unbelievable human being. Um she will be missed. Um she touched many many lives throughout her 36 years here. Um but I know I talked to her last night at graduation. She's looking forward to the next chapter and spending time with her grandchildren. So congratulations to an >> great and there's another special retirement. She's not a teacher but a par profofessional at Townidge Middle School. Mr. Manion. >> Yeah. So, uh, Diane Straoud is, uh, hanging it up and, uh, I think she's been here for more than 10 years, but I cannot tell you the amount of work that she does for us at the middle school. Um, not only
032does she run our library and does it incredibly well, uh, but she also is like our frontline tech support when kids can't figure out computers or a button comes up missing or you name it, she's handled it uh, and done it with uh, just a lot of grace. I I always kind of make jokes about how small our middle school library is, but we would compare to anyone with a giant library in terms of the amount of books we get in kids' hands, both in print and digital. Uh, and she does a fantastic job. I also just wanted to uh kind of go back to 5.3 as well, Courtney McVicker in the one-year um contract. So, Courtney came to us midyear. Um, I have been incredibly impressed with her work in our MH classroom at
033the middle school. um she does a fantastic job and I just really think the world of her. So I'm happy to see that uh we're we're getting her hopefully back in that classroom uh for next year. So and we have a number of resignations this month, folks that uh you know are pursuing other opportunities or moving out of education and they've done an excellent job for us overall here at Tomage City Schools. So I'll I'll mention Chrissy Cartwright, Elani Livce, Jan Kidd, uh Faith Kello, Stacy Po, Mars Vasco. So um really thankful for them, their hard work and wish them the best going forward. So that turns to some really cool news and we have um our newest member of our teaching staff. So, with the number of resignations we've had and and folks moving
034on that there is an opening um at our elementary school for a grade level teacher. And um Eric Brown, who uh is sitting back here, Eric um Eric's been a a sub for us. He's pretty much in our buildings almost every day. I think he's helping coach our middle school uh track team as well. has really done an amazing job and we're very very thankful to um to welcome and and recommend that the board hire Eric tonight to be uh one of our new K5 teachers. Eric, now's your chance to uh introduce yourself if you'd like. [laughter] >> Yeah, sure. >> Okay. Well, hello. Uh, as mentioned, uh, my name is Eric Brown and as they also mentioned, uh, I'm a substitute in the district. I only sub within Townage between all three buildings. And
035as also mentioned, I essentially, uh, sub every single day. Uh, I'm mostly at the elementary and middle school. Uh, I have spent a little bit of time here at the high school as well. Um, I've done every grade level in the district. I've also done uh like MD MH between middle school and elementary school. As also mentioned, I uh coached the middle school track team this season and had uh four runners on one team and then had two individual runners qualify for states and place within top five uh within region A for our state. Um I've also done like lunch duty as a job. I've done and actually I just uh talked some of the secretaries in at the elementary school to let me sub for a custodian tomorrow. So [laughter] cuz I've done just
036about everything. So I always joke with them like let me sub for a custodian because I've done professional cleaning before and they finally concede it with two more days left within the district. So, um, it's really just been an amazing experience being able to be in the district pretty much every single day. Uh, because I really get to interact with the kids in a way that, you know, maybe their traditional teacher doesn't get to. And even though sometimes I come in and maybe I'm like, I'm not entirely sure what your lesson plan says, but we'll figure out something. Um, it's really helped grow me as somebody who just graduated from college. to help grow me as an educator, to learn about flexibility, learn about uh professionalism in terms of how to interact with students and
037with staff members. Um, I've learned many different uh techniques uh for classroom management. And it's just gotten me really excited to step into my own classroom and uh be able to really uh put my feet here because uh I really have a heart for being in this district. Like I said, I'm here basically every day. Um I love I love even as a sub, I love my job. I love being here. uh get my full effort to pretty much everything that I do and I hope to do the same as in a full-time position. [applause] >> Great. Thank you, Eric. Um and uh just a couple other things I'll pull out real quick. So the first item on here, district career tech um coordinator. Uh so this Taylor Lane, who is our high one of
038our high school counselors been has been doing this work already. She's already recognized amongst all the six district schools as being one of our true experts in career tech. She is doing this work already. This is a a nocost just giving her a title, an additional title thing. Um she'll still do her counselor work. Uh we're giving her the title because Taylor is working on administrative license. So that helps her with her licensing and then she's also going to be able to do some special projects with with the six districts. So, uh, happy to recommend this, uh, no cost title for for Taylor tonight, just so the board knows that. And then additional days for Mr. Manion. As you, as you know, we we eliminated three admin positions last year. One of those positions was
039our our business manager role. So, um, there's been a lot of us here in the central office have been wearing a lot of hats. Uh, and and Jeff as our middle school principal has been doing a lot of that. Uh, he historically does not work this summer. His contract is not as through the summer, but we're going to give him some days. Actually, I need him some days during the summer to help out with uh some of our maintenance um projects to ensure we keep our buildings in good working order and ready for the next school year. Um those are the main we have some, you know, uh regular contracts, tutor contracts, our fall sports coaches. Um you know, excited to recommend all this to the board tonight. How much do school principles typically work
040through the summer? >> They typically it's um their total calendar is how many days? Forgive me you guys. Two I think it's the the high school principal is maybe a 220 day >> 224 middle school I believe is 220. Um and assistants are like 204. varies a little bit, but a few weeks after school, a couple weeks before school starts is usually the range. So, >> uh, usually principles are not working through July. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Davis. >> I, >> Mrs. Ross, >> I, >> Mrs. Pottis, >> I, >> Mr. Lowry. So, um, I'm going to abstain because 5.4 includes a family member of mine and since they're being taken collectively, I just abstain on the whole thing. >> Mr. Pastor Elliott. >> Hi. >> All right. Next item
041is central office reports. >> Yeah. Why don't we uh you can bring up I have a slideshow, Kurt the good stuff. So, I just wanted to uh kind of highlight some things. is we'll finish with good stuff. Um, but I wanted to talk uh unless the I don't know if the any of the um directors have anything they want to cover in addition tonight. So, we have a lot to talk about with the levy results. Why don't we jump right into levy results. So, Kurt, if you can go to the next slide, please. Okay. So, just a reminder for folks that um the board put on uh here in May a levy 5.6 mil levy uh for uh current operating expenses that would have raised about $3.6 million for the district. The next slide, Kurt.
042And why did we do that? Um combination of capped local growth. We because of House Bill 920, our uh local revenue does not grow with inflation. And that combined with shrinking state aid, you basically can't keep up with inflation and our state aid is shrinking. So the next page, um folks in town decided against this levy. So it was a 54 to 46 uh spread in in the results. uh it was improved versus November, but still pretty significant gap between folks that were supportive of the levy. Next slide, Kurt. So, what does that mean for the district as promised? And you're going to see some slides here that we've been showing at board meetings really this full year um in terms of what happens if if the levy does not pass. And it really comes
043down to the the board is in a position where we cannot run a deficit. We cannot run into the into the red. So we therefore need to make cuts to keep from fiscal emergency and and state takeover of our schools. So what are those changes? The next level of changes are transportation, personnel, and athletics. So we'll go to the next slide to talk about that. So this tells you a little bit about the pinch that Townage City Schools is in already. We are already one of the lowest spending school districts per pupil in the area. And this we will continue to move to the left on this diagram as we um are already one of the lowest spending and will continue to fall as we make the cuts that I'm just about to talk about
044for next year. So um next slide, Kurt. So from a staffing and personnel state um level, we'll talk mostly about teachers. This would also include some of our uh some of our support personnel as well. But really, you know, town city schools over 80% of our spending is personnel and uh so unfortunately when you have to look for cuts, where do you you unfortunately have to cut teaching staff. So we will be reducing our teaching staff by eight eight people next year and that comes down to five at the high school and three at town elementary school. We will also be reducing transportation. Uh historically has prov provided transportation to all of our community members. We will be going to state minimum required transportation for next year. Therefore, our Townage High School students will not
045be receiving transportation and uh any student within about two miles of the KA campus will not be receiving transportation uh next year. That will eliminate we have around um 27 regular routes. That will eliminate 12 of those routes for next year. As we've talked about in the past, a typical bus route cost net around $60,000. So, you're looking at around um you know, $720,000 in savings by reducing those 12 routes. In addition to that, for next year, um we are substantially increasing pay-to-play fees um for next year, which will um basically bring additional $32,000. Uh and then we're also cutting field trips. So that'll u bump up our savings overall by that amount. Next slide, Kurt. just to give give a sense to the to the community and and the sta and our um board,
046you know, what we've already done in terms of staffing efficiencies. The these are our staffing changes over the years. I think there's always a lot of questions around we consolidated our elementary schools from, you know, 15 years ago we had three elementary schools. Now we have one. uh we've consolidated our elementary and our middle school onto one campus. So, how did the district benefit from that? Well, the the orange line shows our reduction in enrollment over the last 15 or so years, and it's around a 7% reduction in enrollment. That's been accompanied by about a 17% reduction in the total number of staff to support those kits. So we've already made efficiencies taken advantage of efficiencies to res reduce staffing. Next slide Kurt. So it doesn't um you know it's with when you um don't
047have money uh again like I mentioned before you really got to look at um as we talk about and we've talked about with the board before we kind of start with noncore activities and you continue to cut unfortunately until you start hitting some core activities. So from a staffing standpoint, um last year, last school year, at the end of last school year, we eliminated six teaching positions and three administration administrative positions. For next school year, we'll be eliminating another eight uh teaching positions. The what's the downside of that? What's the impact on kids? There will of course be an impact on kids. Several of our core classes at the high school will jump to having over 30 kids per teacher in some in the classroom. And our elementary school class sizes will hover right around
04825 kids, which is really where we hate to go beyond, but in one grade level, we will jump slightly above 25 kids per teacher. We'll go to the next slide on transportation, Kurt. So, this is what I talked about with transportation. again, no high school busing next year and no busing for students within the K8 campus. So that will create a hardship for some of our families. Um that will result in savings for the district of around 7 to $900,000. Our goal and the gap we're trying to stay ahead of running out of money essentially is to come up with close to $2 million. So between these two things and some other efficiencies in the district, we're getting close to $2 million of savings for next year. I think we're right at about 1.6 1.7
049right now. Go ahead, Kurt. Next slide. This is the uh paytoplay fees. What happens to paytoplay for some families? So um we're jumping from $75 per sport to $125 per per sport. For some families, that'll um their cost will jump to about $450 for a family. At the middle school, uh it's actually a bigger increase. Um typically, we we limited it to about an $80 family cap at the middle school. That'll jump to a $300 family cap at the middle school. the additional revenue based on this year's numbers. I don't know if it's going to deter some of our athletes from participation next year or not, but if our same number of athletes participate next year, it's about $32,000 of additional revenue to help cover the cost of our athletic programs. Next slide, Kurt. So,
050that I think the, you know, the next decision for the board and the discussion for the board is what to do next. Um the um you know the voters spoke pretty clearly both uh in November and uh here in May. Uh property taxes are something that is uh has a spotlight shined on it now in the state of Ohio. There's a lot of conversations around property taxes. Um, I think the the next step for the board is to kind of get together, learn from these election results and and I know that you are doing that already talking to some other districts. Not many districts had success uh here in May. Our neighbor Kent is one of the few exceptions. Uh they passed a 9.8 mil levy uh pretty easily, remarkably. But most most of the
051other districts really struggled with um with uh with levies. and their levies, most of those levies were higher than ours as well. I think we're the lowest property tax levy in the area uh that did not pass. Um the from a timing standpoint, if the board decides they want to go on in November, uh our our time is not there isn't much time to make a decision. And the board really needs to have a second resolution to proceed uh or resolution to proceed complete before the 5th of August. That's 90 days before November 3rd, I believe, is election day this year. So really, the board has between now and the first week of August to make a decision around what to do. Uh and I know that's a that's a difficult decision for all for
052all of you. I got a feeling that's also the reason a lot of our folks are in the audience tonight. Um, so that's um that's the levy conversation. I don't know if the board wanted to talk a little bit about the levy uh now before I talk a little bit about good stuff. >> Do you know what the percentage was in Kent? How well they or how much they passed? >> They were they were about two two yeses for every one no. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> They were definitely the outlier. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. >> And their and their spending per pupil, as you saw on that slide, was is significantly higher than ours already. [clears throat] >> Well, I I think we're going to have to do our homework, a little more
053homework, and then a work session uh to brainstorm what it is we're going to do. Um, I will be out of town till next Tuesday. Uh, I don't know what everybody else's schedule is, but I' I'd really like to do this within the next couple of weeks. Is that acceptable? You think >> I'm fine to get it on the calendar now if everybody wants to? >> I am unable to look at my calendar. >> Okay. [laughter] >> Well, >> okay. Well, I think we also have to be cognizant of doing interviews for the treasurer. So, >> that's right. >> Yeah, we need to I think be more intentional in looking at time blocks. >> Yeah. >> And we also have negotiations >> and and negotiations. So, the board has a lot going on right now.
054So, we need to just >> What week did you say is the interviews with the treasurers? >> Uh June 8th through the 12th. >> Okay. Then after that, >> okay, uh gives us a little more time to do our homework and uh interview some of those other districts to see >> how they did things successfully or unsuccessfully. >> Yeah, late June, early July, I think we can make it happen. >> Okay, >> that sounds good. >> Well, start thinking about >> I'll be in in Hawaii then, but we'll figure something out. [laughter] Yeah, I'll do that. >> Okay. Um, >> we'll work. >> I one I had one last slide on there, but Kurt, I it wasn't I I just wanted to uh end on a high note. Uh we had 187 um class of
055two 2026 graduates uh last night at EJ Thomas for just an amazing event. Really proud. First of all, I just want to thank uh the the whole high school team, and it really is a team that put on uh graduation. Mr. Her, Miss P, uh Silia Bowser was a key she's kind of the key planner for graduation. It's a wonderful event. And what I what I've noticed, uh it was my I think it was my 17th graduation that I've attended here at Townage. What I've noticed is just um this the how how well we we don't just celebrate the academic success. It it really is uh every every every student because we have a number of students. Um I I know there's a the program is available to folks online but we celebrate kids that
056are going right into right into um you know employment right into the trades. Uh we celebrate Mr. Mr. Pastor gave a great speech last night and part of that was celebrating our our students that are going right into the military to serve our country. Uh and then again all the kids that are going to um going to college and I think Mr. Pasarelli the what was it 1400? Yeah. Go ahead. >> 478 credit hours >> had already earned towards college. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's pretty pretty amazing. and and kids going to some great schools. Um, so it's really just a wonderful event, a great way to to celebrate our students and and thankful to all of them. I also I know folks probably had a little bit of hard time parking tonight. Maybe were worried
057that this board meeting was going to be really packed, bus loads of people for the board meeting, but uh we we are hosting the district track and field um championships uh tonight and Friday. Um, so I know Mrs. Ross has an athlete participating in that. So curious to know how they they do. So and and we have um some of our track and field kids are going to go to states this year. No doubt about it. So um we're excited for for that. Uh we have uh softball also won the league title this year. Shared the league title with Aurora uh and has uh is in the sectional final I believe uh tonight. And then baseball uh is also in the sectional semis I I believe on Thursday. So um a lot of success for
058our spring athletes and excited for them. Uh and that's that's what I have tonight. Thank you board. Okay. Uh this is the portion where we open it up to the community. Uh as I stated in the beginning uh it's a three minute time up to the uh microphone. State your name and your address and then uh tell us what's on your mind. >> First person. >> We can bring a mic. >> Mr. Mr. >> Thank you Kurt. I It's a William William C. Layman, 105 North Maro, right across from the high school. I see the bus drivers go out every day. I hear the cars go out every day. Uh Mr. Wood's been kind to me on a couple things. When I've complained, he's been good to me. I have no problem. And uh I'm
059here just to uh complain a little bit. I'd like to know the people on the left hand side. I know Mr. Wood. I I know the treasur. Could I Could you please tell me what who you are and what you do? >> I heard a lot of speaking over there. >> I'll go before him. Um, my name is Courtney Davis. I am the director of curriculum. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Next gentleman. >> I'm Roy Zean. I'm the director of student services. >> What? I'm sorry. I didn't hear that. >> I'm the director of student services. >> Okay. Students. Okay. That's good. Thank you. >> And I'm Jeff Manion, the middle school principal and handling some business director responsibilities. >> Okay. I um I have a hard time hearing. I'm 86 years old. I've been
060resident tell me 66 years. I paid a lot of taxes. I'm not against the kids, but I think it's time to cut back. I really do. I I'm retired. I've been retired since 1998. I live on a fixed income. I retired. I have 45 years in acne cutting meat. I uh get the same amount of money I did when I retired 45 or 25 whatever 28 years years ago. I have awful hard time speaking. And I wish you would speak more into your speakers. I can't hear you very well. It's the first school board meeting I've been to in 66 years. I can see why I don't come now because I can't hear a dang little thing. I couldn't hear anybody speaking. I served on city council for 12 years in town and every one
061of us had a microphone we could speak into. I don't know if if we don't have enough microphones up there, if they're sharing or what they're not working, but I wish you would speak up a little louder for me. That's about all I have. I' I've heard about the schools. I've been out of school for 66 years and our classrooms I graduated in Windham which was an exempted village in Portage County. They talk about the classrooms we had 45 and 50 in our class. We were exempted village. We are poor place very poor. We were most of our peers worked in in the prevent arsenal but we got an we got an education. Somehow I got challenge Ohio and I'm here and I got educated with 45 and 50 people in my classroom. So I
062don't know. I I understand things have changed, you know, the laws and things like that. I understand all that, but we aren't against the children. We want the children to my three of my children graduated from Talmage. Three of my grandchildren have graduated from town. I have nothing against Talmage. In fact, I just I I I've been here. My son's buried here. We're going to be buried here. And I hope I hope you look at the board members look at not so high. I hear out there too high. Too high. The levy was too high. I'm thinking if you come down some you might get a different uh a different results. So thank you very much for time here. I didn't take three minutes so um I took some of Mr. Brown's time. I don't
063think he spoke three minutes. Thank you very much for the consideration on this. Appreciate very much. Thank you for Oh, thank you. I'm sorry. Can I take that? I'm not >> I am Becky Miller and I'm the Townage Teachers Association president and I just wanted to share a couple awards that some of our teachers had gotten or and a citizen had gotten an award also. So, um, Northeast Ohio Education Association does a positive image award. They awarded eight this year. and Laura Wan from the middle school received um $150 for her shop for a cop program that she does with the kids. Um she's been the heart and soul of that program and um I won't read the whole thing. So, but so we're really happy for her. And then um TTA does a friend
064of education award and this year it was for Matt Haulingsworth down at uh Danny Boyce. He does so much for the community and for that program. He donates they the kids go to dinner. Um even the weight staff is so excited for the kids to come. And so we went I think a week ago and Laura came and some of the police resource officers came and Maria Boyd did the writeups for both of those for them to get those awards and TTA had nominated them. So I wanted to recognize those people. But also kindergarten graduation's tomorrow. So we're super proud of our kindergarteners and TTA uh sponsored t-shirts for the kids that are super cute. and all the teachers have matching shirts and all the staff that work with kindergarten. Uh, so that's tomorrow. I
065think that's it. We have a day and a half left and it's like busy time. So, thanks. >> Thank you very much. >> Next person. Anybody else? made a senior citizen. >> Let me let me clarify one thing. These are not threats that that the board has we have to operate in the black. In order to do that, we have to make cuts right now. Uh we're we're we don't have the money. It's just like your home. Uh you don't go out to dinner every night if you don't have the money. And that's where we're at right now. So these aren't threats. They're just reality. >> Well, people that >> we are okay Mr. Layman, you've had your three minutes. I thank you for your comments. >> Okay. Uh >> can I just say uh
066Mr. Layman, I'm willing to meet with you after the meeting for as long as >> All right. >> I'm willing to meet with you for as long as you'd like. After we are out of executive session, I would like to meet with you to discuss some things. So, as much as you want to tell me about, I'll take notes and we can meet about it. Okay. >> Well, we we'd like to have you and you're welcome to sit closer if that might help in the future. They might be able to hear better. >> Well, also, Mr. Mr. Layman, we received the agenda ahead of time. So, all of those attachments and everything. That's our homework. We come to this board meeting prepared with all of that. Um, you can access those documents at any time
067yourself. They're on the Town City Schools website under the uh school board. So, you can go in and you can read all those different attachments that we talked about tonight. Well, that's Yeah, it just that's why we're saying I because we've already done our homework. >> Well, we we all get it at, you know, technology is great. We have all of this before the meeting, so we do that on our own. And I can tell you, we're going to add amplification in this room. Uh Mr. Kurt uh just just today got the uh machine that's going to help get those speakers live. This is just for our live stream. So for future board meetings in the back of the room, there will be speakers working in the future. >> Go ahead. But um my questions
068mostly were for Mr. Zean. Um I was wondering who participates in the search and recommendation of all these external companies that are chosen. If you could speak to that. Um and then along with that the co the costs. When Heidi Workman left the uh forum, she said that she would like to get with um Jeff to talk about where we had gaps in uh funding. So, I was wondering if there was any update on that. >> We we have not met yet. We spoke briefly after the meeting. We have not reconnected since then. >> And you what? We have not reconnected since then, but we spoke after the meeting about our differences in numbers. >> Anything on the calendar or >> not yet? >> Any progress? >> Okay. >> Service needs are discussed with district
069administration and then run through the treasur and then approved by the board. >> I mean, who who reviews when you said administration? I mean, I know we have a large special edum. participates in evaluating. You said the services are hard to find. We had a couple companies that were on the agenda last month or so number. It seems like contracting a lot of different companies and I just wonder if there was a way because there's so many would be worthwhile to re-evaluate whe >> Just to be clear, even though it looks like a lot of contracts, we're talking about 11, you know, in some cases 11 kids, you know, across several programs or, you know, the scholarship program. You know, we're talking about a very limited number of students. So, this isn't these aren't services
070we're providing to 500. >> We had a big gap in what our costs [clears throat] were and what we were getting from the state. So, it seemed like a really significant number. I'm not sure what you're referring to, but I >> I think where she's going with this is the tremendous amount that these students cost us versus what we get from the state >> and then what we have to pay out to these services. There is there is a huge gap. >> Yeah. I mean it look like big numbers. So when you when you cite how many students it's very alarming. >> Yeah. We don't get nearly anywhere near what we need, you know, from the state. We're not funded by the federal government or the state in a way that that fully supports student
071need. So, a portion of that comes from general general operating fund. >> These are all mandated by the state. >> I understand. So, and to that point, for maybe an a child that does cost us quite a bit and we don't recoup much from the state, maybe our net loss on that child is $50,000, $60,000. Even if it is only 11 students, that does still become $500 to $700,000 that we lose. So, you're right, it is a big number. >> He's also right, it is a small amount of students and it's also mandated. So, and with limited options. So we explore the options and we try to best place how we can and we're always going to operate a loss on that because we are required because of FAPE to educate those students or find
072them the proper education. It's mandated and then we get stuck paying for it and that's just kind of how >> life works. Um, and I know there's probably what, seven or eight different businesses that are covering for all these special needs >> and so and so that's a benefit to us because then we can direct what is most appropriate and sometimes what is maybe best for in our interest as a district as well. So we want that for flexibility. There's some contracts that we do that we then never enroll a student into that contract that year. We just have it in place in case we would need it. >> I understand that from the >> Okay. >> Just I know from dealing with contracts and things. A lot of times there's overhead built in to
073every single contract. So you're not just paying for the services, you're paying like overhead administrative built in. So, I know you're trying to service the kids. I know that. I understand that. I believe that. Um I'm just worried because >> we are too and we hear you. Thank you. >> Else anybody else? Last call to the mic. We are going to move into executive session to talk about uh personnel issues. Uh so um we will come back after that but it may be sometime. So this is the conclusion of our meeting. >> Yes. I motion to go a second. Motion in a second. >> Okay. Mr. Davis. >> Hi. >> Mr. Lowry. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Claus. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Ross. >> Hi. >> Mr. Pelli. Hi. >> Thank you everyone for coming. Thank