001Second. >> I call to order the West Lake City Schools regular board meeting for Monday, September 22, 2025. Roll call. >> Call to order at 6:05 p.m. Mr. Craft >> here. >> Not >> here. >> Ben >> here. >> Lamb Sinski >> here. >> Would you please stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and as we gather tonight we recall our mission we educate for excellence empowering all students to achieve their educational goals to direct their lives and contribute to society as well as our vision city school district will provide provide a dynamic student centered learning environment. Our district will be characterized by high achievement, actively engaged learners, mutual
002respect, shared knowledge, pursuit of new skills and capabilities, collaborative learning, willingness to take action, a team commitment to datadriven continuous improvement through our strategic planning practice, tangible results. Thank you for joining us tonight. those in front of me as well as those online. I move to approve the agenda. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Discussion. >> Roll call. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> Penukin, >> yes. >> Lamb, >> yes. >> Lazinski, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> We're going to move right into recognitions and informative reports. Dr. Gagan, the superintendence report. >> Great. Thank you very much. Um, report is we are in full swing. Uh kids are back, staff's back, buses are rolling, sports are happening, everything is is uh in motion in our buildings. It goes by very quickly. We are already
003at homecoming week. Um this is uh um a lot of fun just watching at what's happening in the buildings. Spirit days. Today was monochrome day at Westlake High School. I did not know what that was, but I guess monochrome day is where you dress all in the same color. Um, so that I saw pictures uh on parents square about that. Seemed to be a lot of fun. And Mrs. Williams. It was PJ day today at the >> Brown Day Thursday which is always exciting. Our alumni association having a beautiful night recognizing uh some prestigious alumni from Westlake High School. We have our homecoming parade, our game, uh, our football game, and the Rose Arch all on Friday, which is fun, and our dance on Saturday. Tonight is the powderpuff game at the at >> West.
004Okay. Well, it was supposed to be tonight, but um, the point is, uh, schools are open. A lot of fun happening. Big week this week. Um, the only other thing I'd like to mention is uh the behind the W should have hit your mailboxes this weekend. Hopefully you had a chance to look through that. We're very happy with the product. Uh, thank you to all who contributed. Katie Een was a huge part of that. Um, being able to put that together. Uh, we believe it's informational. Um, and you know, our goal with that is typically to whether you want to call it, um, pulling back the curtain or opening the doors of our school, uh, our schools in order for our community to be able to see what's behind the W, what's happening, um, who
005are the people involved, what are the good things that are going on, and even some parts we make sure we put a financial part in there as well, which I think uh, presented very well. So, um, hopefully people are getting a lot out of it and getting to see inside our schools. Um, other than that, I'll just go through my agenda items when >> Super. Thank you. Any questions or thoughts for Dr. Gagan? >> I just had one thing. Uh, Dr. Goagan, uh, on the academic services report that you sent out last week. Uh, if you need any extra hands, uh, to help out with the, uh, Lego education, please don't hesitate. Yeah, >> like Lego >> there may be a better two. And what I but I will say and I'm glad you brought
006that up because >> you know Amanda and Paul academic services they've really put a focus on getting hands-on things for kids and um they started the tech education in the elementary school um a few years ago but building on that and actually being able to do the the hands-on Lego component because a big a big thing that we try and balance is screen time. >> Um, a lot of parents when they send their kids to school, they they want them to learn uh about technology, but they want us to be mindful of screen time. And so we think that uh that that Lego component is really good and it and it and it and it fits inside what we're doing with problem solving at PEP and that sort of thing. And then hopefully building into
007our project lead the way programs that just started this year as well. But I agree. It looks like a lot of fun and but there's definitely structure behind it as well. >> Yeah. >> Anything else for Dr. Gag? >> Mr. Hopkins, treasures report. >> Thank you, Mr. Craft. Um I do have a a little bit of to go through tonight. So try to screen so we have a available for people who watch online. So, uh, we we spoke a little bit at our last meeting, uh, about some changes that are going on within the state right now, uh, or changes that were in effect with the budget bill. Um, and one of those changes is the forecast. Um, our forecast had traditionally been a five-year forecast. And uh way back yonder, a good couple decades
008ago, it was done in October and May. They then moved it uh about 8 to 10 years ago to November and May. So we do the forecast in November and an update in May. Now uh they've made changes to the forecast. So we'll call it a financial forecast instead of a five-year forecast because it's only four years going forward. And um and instead of doing it in November um moving forward, it will be required to be done in August and February instead of November and May. And this year because the implementation obviously August is well passed. Uh so this year it has to be uh reviewed and board approved no later than October 15th. So is this our regular meeting? our last regular meeting before October 15th. I do have the forecast here for the
009board to review tonight. Um I know I've done through gone through some PowerPoint presentations in the f in the past. Um I think I'm just going to walk through it a little bit and talk about the forecast. We had a a great meeting uh with my finance uh committee, the treasury committee uh for finance uh with a couple board members and uh worked through uh work through the forecast, but we'll go through it here with the full board. If you have questions, please speak up uh and step in. Um for people uh out in YouTube world, um this information may be small on your screen. Uh it is available on our board docs website publicly shared both the forecasts and my assumptions. Um I always say that you really can't understand the forecast without looking
010at the assumptions. So uh you know if you're going to take the time to look at the forecast I strongly encourage you to look at the assumptions as well. Uh if at the very least it will help you fall asleep. Okay. Uh well as we look at the forecast here the forecast broken down in two sections. You have your actual uh data. We have three years of actual data. start fiscal year 23, 24, and 25. And then we have our forecasted data. Uh fiscal year 26 is the year that we are currently in that we started on July 1st of this year. And then three additional school years uh fiscal year 27, 28, and 29. Um, as I typically go through this, revenue is a piece that I generally choose to not forecast. Uh, revenue
011is a tough piece and and I don't want to go driving around the community looking for renovations, new construction, and try to guess that what tax uh value that may bring us. uh I focus more on what taxes we actually collect uh and what's on our tax duplicate. So going forward uh I try to tell the the board where I'm uh conservative at and you know revenue as I'm generally going to be conservative. I won't count it on the forecast until we actually see uh the tax money coming in. So this forecast here, you'll see our revenue uh going down this fiscal year from last year slightly by about uh a half million dollars in the first line, which is uh property taxes. Uh and then slightly increasing each year by a very anemic uh
0120.5% uh annual increase. Um our next line that has cash value in there is our unrestricted uh state grant aid. This is your foundation funding. It's really combined with the two both your unrestricted uh state grants and aid and your restricted state grant and aid uh as they require some of the money that comes in through foundation to be restricted money specifically for poverty based assistance. Um and there's another uh one that we we put money in but it's directed by the state. And so when we look at that uh around the three or I'm sorry the 4.3 million uh this year was around 4.5 million. I'm using the first foundation payment here in uh this school year, the first one in September. Um that uh to make those estimates that may increase slightly uh
013I don't think it will really decrease. Uh it is based on our enrollment. Our enrollment is a little bit uh different than last year, but it doesn't have a major change. So, you know, I kind of see that the same. Again, I'm putting in a little bit of uh cushion in there uh or or a little underestimating in there from this past year. Additionally, when we apply for catastrophic cost reimbursement, this is money that we spend uh specifically for students with high excess. And so it may be a student who's required to go to a uh placed at the autism school autism school. Uh we can apply for some reimbursement. Last year we applied for well over a million dollars worth of expenses. We got $181,000. So it's not a huge amount of money that
014comes back. Um but it is some uh and I hold that number much lower because it can vary each year. That's just on our expenses. The pot of money set by the state. They don't tell us what it is. And then it's based uh what we receive is based on what everyone else including us uh put in for reimbursement because the pot doesn't change. They just divvy it up based on the number of people who put in and what they're expensive for. We move down uh to the next line uh with a tax value in there. We have our state reimbursement for property tax credit. This is the homestead rollback homestead exemption. Um it it can vary each year. Uh it does not have I can essentially put any number in there as long as
015it balances with the first number of our property tax. Those two lines together are what we get certified in property taxes from the county. Whether the state puts it in as a reimbursement for a property tax credit or it's received directly from the homeowner, we receive it from one of those. And then finally is our other revenue. And other all other revenue has a combination of pieces. Uh everything from when people ask about pay to participate, where does it go? This is where it goes into a general fund. Uh this can be our uh tip agreement uh through the city for American greetings and that uh block property over at Crocker Park. Uh this is also where interest income goes into and one of the uh significant drop that we've seen uh over uh the
016past couple years um is interest income and I project it decreasing again uh this year. Well, our overall um cash flow, our overall uh financial picture is similar. So, the money we have in the bank is similar to what we had last year. It's not a huge drop. Uh with interest rates projected to go down, we've already seen a quarter% uh decrease u last week. Um I have a general feeling we're going to see another one before the end of the year. Um, and you're probably going to see another one or two even before the end of this fiscal year. Um, I could be off on that. That's just these are my assumptions. Uh, so if you disagree with that, I fully understand. But that's where I've kind of built in there seeing some decreasing
017in our interest income that is based on on the market. Um, all things considered, we're looking at this year having u revenue of 58.6 6 million coming in when we consider returning some advantage that I'm asking the board to return tonight uh and some other revenue that that uh uh comes in because of the way things are receded. It's 59.3 million for this year. The next part the next section of the forecast really breaks down into our Expenditures I try very much you be as accurate as possible. So there is not a whole lot of play built into our expenditure. um our the the first and foremost we we want to reiterate this over and over again. We are a people business. We do not make widgets. We educate students. And in order to do
018that, we need to have faculty in Okay. And so the vast majority of our uh expenditures are for uh uh for salary investments. And so when we look at that piece, that's where your money is tied up in uh and it rightfully so tied up there because again we are educating students. We are not making wages. So when you look at our uh salary and benefits, we're looking at a salary increase uh this year uh between a negotiated increase and step increases. Uh I project them to be around four and a half%. That is what our three-year average is. Uh benefits are up u about $900,000. uh that tied directly to 11% increase that were uh have been notified through it's really 12% uh increase that we've been notified through uh SHD our consortium sour
019health consortium of the increase in uh healthcare cost um so that's going to drive a lot of that um going forward you'll see that I continue into next year roughly another four and a half% increase in uh salar in salaries but benefits of going 11% % increase uh each year and that may be small. Um again last year I carried 11, it came in at 12 this year. Uh benefits are are tough right now. Benefits are very very tough. >> What what have they said to you in your in meetings that you've had the concern? >> Uh I mean when we sit around at our our meetings we have not only the school districts that are are part of the we have our um consultant uh from a third partner who we contract with. We
020have Anthem who is our uh healthcare provider. Uh and then we have Express Stress who is our current RX provider. Um what we're overall hearing is you know two things are driving our healthcare. Okay. >> overall two things are are driving and remember we're in a pool of all districts. It's not broken down for Wednesday. It's just 17 districts that participate 15,000 schools on the plan roughly. Okay. And so when we look at that, they're saying that usage is driving it. Okay. So, uh, and we we know during the pandemic, people stopped going, people stopped using elective coverage. Uh, we know I know we're a few years out of the pandemic now, but we saw that really starting back up in around 22 as people started going back uh uh to appointments, started uh going
021back to elective procedures um or elective procedures. um and then inflationary cost. Uh those are your two driving factors. The other piece that when we look at prescription uh cost increasing is they've made some breakthroughs that provide a uh uh really some lifealtering benefits to people, but the cost is insane. So, um, that's really where you're finding your your increase in cost. Uh, overall, our FHD runs on around 90 to $100 million a year, uh, for a healthy 127 district. Um, you know, when you have a a prescription that costs a half million dollars a year, uh, but it's doing some sort of genetic therapy, it's can be lifealtering for that individual. But, you know, a half million dollars a year for one uh one person, one prescription is a large hit to a even
022a hundred million dollar uh program like we have. >> When they say usage, more people using it typically. >> Uh I don't think people uh usage can either be, you know, when you think more people, you're saying more people on the planet, but it could be you might be using it more. You as an individual may be using it more time. And so whether it's more people using it or more individuals using it more uh >> either >> you know it's being used >> is the uh the ratio of claim claims stay about the same >> um I would have to go back and look. Uh I know the claim costs are up and again that a lot of that is inflationary increases. Um, >> and you see, >> you know, it it's I will
023tell you we we it came a little it be it was alarming to me the other day. I was watching the news and Metro Health. They had a story about Metro Health uh on Fox 8 News uh talking about their struggling with the increase in cost of health care for their employees. And I sat and I thought about that for a minute. Okay. And I'm like, if they're the health care provider and it's overwhelming for health care and then they're cutting back on their free services that they're providing because the cost of healthcare has gone up so much. I'm not if if the healthcare provider is complaining what are we to do as just you know you you do of a healthare program and so healthcare right now is in a in a calendar salary
024that is our biggest uh >> health care alone runs us around uh 8 to9 million a year >> it's the consortium looking at any way to potentially reduce costs so they're We've talked a little bit um you know last year last year we changed from medical neutral to anthem uh in hopes of reducing some of our cost. We've seen a uh not necessarily reduction of cost but we've seen a slowing of the growth. Okay. And then this year uh the consortium just voted on uh changing uh effective January 1st our prescription drug provider from script to our and so we are looking actively looking for ways to control costs as much as we can. Uh but as a consortium uh you know we're limited on how we can So when will the president's pledge be
025to reduce drug cost by thousand window? >> Can you do that in July? I I I am not aware of that having effect on our but we are you know I will say u uh in their due diligence and uh looked at several uh RX providers. Um, we made the decision uh with Smith RX based on uh both an inert interview with the Smith RX team as well as follow up with uh other Smith RS act customers who are of similar size to our consortium. Um, Smith RX is more aggressive in their uh in their work to reduce drug costs, including uh working with uh importing international uh uh drugs. So, uh that's something that's not currently being done and may have an impact for us. You know, we'll see how that plays out. So,
026we we do feel we have the provider that will be more aggressive in helping reduce those costs. Well, having served in fairy parking now luck, I appreciate your diligence on it because I know that it's ever changing and you're on top of it for us. So, thank you. It >> it's it's a struggle and and Mr. Maver here uh you know runs our benefits for the district is part of that uh SH consortion meeting it's challenge. >> I'm curious there 17 district in the consortium. Uh are are there other consortions around or the other districts are just on their own? >> No, there's a number of consortiums. >> Okay. >> Yeah, there are different ways you can uh find healthcare. Uh we do it through a consortium. You can be self-insured. Uh some of your
027larger districts are self-insured. Um >> I believe Westfield was selfured at one point. >> Uh you can be fully insured. Fully insured is going to an insurance company and saying here give us the price to insurance. you know, if you're if the costs are exceed that on the insurance company. If they, you know, if they don't exceed that, they're probably something um you know, they're reasonable. Um there are uh the council of governments is another type of consortium. Uh so there's several ways that you can, you know, try to find healthcare. We've looked at uh other uh consortiums. We've looked at the possibility of of changes within our own consortium. Again, trying to find what's in our best interest. Uh right now we feel uh efficacy staying with efficacy uh is in our uh but
028we have looked at those other >> regarding personnel services for particularly staff in you do not build in any retirements if I'm correct. >> I generally do not. Um now some of it um uh an example of step increases I use a uh 2% increase. That's not always the case. Some people are stepped out, some staff are at higher uh uh ratios. So by not building in retirements, uh it it keeps a little bit of a cook. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um moving on from salary and benefit, uh your next major talk is services. Um, and this can be a whole host of items from u students we we may need to pay tuition for to out outplace them uh due to their federal need. It can one of the biggest costes were last
029year we spent a little over $900,000 on electricity. Um, you know, your utilities are all built into there. Um, anything any type of service maybe if we need something referred, we bring a contractor in. any type of service that you pay for uh is going to be built into this 7.15 million. And then your last two lines um are your supplies and materials and then your uh equipment. I generally combine them and my some people you'll see I can combine them. Uh but your uh supplies and materials are a little higher uh this year than in the past. Um going further back if if the board uh will note back in fiscal year 23 we started the re reintroduction of textbook adoptions and then um again in 24 and 25 we're continuing that here in
03026 uh and certainly 27 um and then I think we're done with the adoption after 27 Mr. Wilson. Is that about right? Uh but we'll then figure out when we're going to time the next, you know, starting it over again or do we have a break in there again as well. So we'll work on that, but I have it uh going forward for your supplies and materials. And then your equipment uh is other equipment that could be uh equipment classroom, could be equipment that's purchased as part of a a textbook adoption. That's certainly our uh um educational uh technology uh that Dr. Gray oversees. uh at the number of pieces of and then finally as you go down a little farther I use a $900,000 number uh for this your other object that's going to
031be the majority of this is the cost of collecting tax. So when tax are collected we uh get charged by the county uh to do that by the auditor by the county auditor's office county treasur's office uh a number of pieces there um in order to fund their operations. So that kind of falls in there as well and it varies each and every year. Um when we're on the ballot for uh like this year we have board elections. So we the district pays a portion of the election cost. So it it gets thrown into that lineup. Um you're looking at about 6 I'm sorry 64.85 million in expenditures for this year. Um we have advances and transfers in there as well uh that show a total of 54.9 uh25 million just under $65 million bud
032uh plan budget for this year. Um as we discuss at each of these uh uh uh conversations I try to be conservative in my numbers. Uh right now it's projecting a $5.5 million deficit. Uh, I'll be honest, I don't think we will do that, but we did deficit spend last year by a little over a million dollars. Uh, and I do expect fully to uh, deficit spend again this year. Uh, most likely, if you had to pin me against the wall uh, for a number, I'd probably say that three to$4 million mark. Uh, but we are now crossed over uh, into deficit spending. And we will, you know, uh, uh, continue to do that unless we make some changes. Uh last year when you're looking at this uh sheet here, you'll see that last year
033we duct spent uh by $11 million. As a reminder, uh the board of education uh under my recommendation moved $10 million to a uh continuous improvement fund uh for capital improvements. I'm sorry, not continuous, a capital improvement fund for um capital improvements, a future capital improvements uh that's currently sitting over in a separate fund. your 070 fund 070 your forecast generally give your 001 fund and so it shows that expense but so we didn't have to spend by 11 million last year we did a transfer of of 10 million over to that continuous improvement capital improvement fund and so we were about a million dollars deficit spend each year going forward we're going to show uh deficit spending uh on the forecast ultimately the bottom line shows us uh in the black this year, next
034year, and then negative for the final two years of the forecast. When we take into uh consideration that capital improvement fund, if the board would choose to resend uh all or part of it, uh that would have a significant impact on where our numbers are. Uh but uh your final year, you're going to be, you know, in the negative no matter what. uh as we look and we talk about you know options that are available uh you know generally speaking there's only two ways you can pick budget options you either raise your revenue or reduce your expenditure that's the way it happens so when we look at uh revenue we have not successfully passed an operating levy since 2006 um you're not going to be on the ballot this year in November it can't happen
035at this point uh so you're looking at uh 20 years from the last time that you passed would be the minimum minimum amount of time because you passed in May of 2006. So your next opportunity could be on the ballot of May of 2026 or November of 2026. Uh at this time that would not be my recommendation at all. Okay. Um and I would be looking uh possibly depending on how things play out this fiscal year uh possibly in calendar year 27 would be the earliest I would consider being on. But that's assuming no major changes from the state house, >> right? >> Well, the state house is going to be a huge factor in these. Uh but let's so m so because of the outside political corner. Okay. Um I'm not sure it would
036be wise to be on the ballot next. Okay. We don't know what the state house is going to do. Uh the state house has 18 months to veto um I'm sorry override the veto override the vetos of the governor. So you have through next calendar year essentially through calendar year 26 to override the vetos to the governor which included that 40% cap on carryover balances. Um you also have and these are just rumors and rumblings so I'm going to pass them on. I'm not saying it will happen, but you also have a movement out there uh about putting a uh repeal of all property taxes on the ballot in in November 26. So, I'm not sure it would be prudent uh to be on the ballot in uh 26. That's just my feelings on it
037of of course to be on the ballot. Uh it takes uh two votes of the board of education uh to be on the ballot, but I don't think um I I don't feel it's prudent to be on the ballot in calendar year 12. >> And again, you've got >> it will be even more preventive because of midterms. >> Yeah, >> you know, you've got a lot going on in in 2026 there. Um I just don't feel it would be proof and we do have we're still carrying catches even though we're definitely spending I think we can push that off and then we can get a feel for what it would look like and we should have a better understanding of the political climate in 27. So uh at that point you're talking about a new
038uh bianium budget uh in the uh middle of of calendar year 27. So it would give us a better idea of what we're facing. it the citizen initiative to just get rid of property taxes. I mean, do you feel that that's going to have >> it's still active? >> Still active. >> They're collected for >> sure. >> Yeah. And you've had an alliance meetings recently. >> Tomorrow. >> No, I'm sorry. Wednesday is the one. >> It'd be interesting to hear from alliance. >> What is the uh what are the feelings, you know, about that issue? Does it have legs? A lot of people would love to not have property tax and it's an easy it's an easy yes more property taxes >> but as we have talked about it the ramifications of that are enormous
039>> and not just >> not just for us right >> so which then to say if they >> so again it's going to have to come up with solution >> how do people think they're going to fun >> they're gonna come up with other potential And I think that I mean I did in talking to just I don't know if anybody has that answer. >> Yeah. There's we don't there's so much uncertainty we won't know how to react to it until >> Yeah. And that's the point Todd was making that we can we get to we're going to do this this this but then the the the landscape under our feet is going to be dipped so much right >> that all the planning that we put in can be completely upended. But the good
040news is we do have carryover balance. we do have time to be able to kind of let kind of see who's who, you know, kind of let everything kind of shape out. >> I know. There are there are districts that are on the ballot here in November. There are districts that will be on the ballot next year in May and November. Uh I am grateful that we do not have to be on the ballot. Uh again, the board may choose to be, but we don't have to be. We're we're in we're in a good place right now uh to really weather this storm uh and see where it comes out. Uh and that is the the good news. >> As you meet with the elite, it'll be interesting to see that you know what's what's
041the barometer of uh the no property taxes route. Um also what's the barometer on turning over say the veto uh issue? So interesting here have with that I'm I'm coming back to this. >> Yep. >> And I agree with you. We are a people business and um to eliminate you know the the people equation is really to uh bless what we do as a district. So I don't I think that's a a tough one to uh to kind of wrestle with. looking at purchase services and I know that this is an extreme example but I'll try to quickly paint it so you know where I'm coming from. I work in a Cleveland building on public square that um had been on the book list um say precoid at 80 million and sold a year and
042a half ago for 40 million. And the tough part of that is wow $80 million is now worth 40 million. But the good of that is you you start to see a floor in place when it comes to real estate. And the density obviously you could look at as well gosh they have they have windfall paid $40 million bucks for an $80 million piece of property and the improvements in this building are just unbelievable. Um uh it it has to be what the Huntington building the old BP building is what 30 years old. >> Oh I think it was that BP. Uh but the improvements that they're making and it's interesting to see what this new owner is doing. Um lots of improvements all in place to try and save money uh with lighting and
043HVAC and all those types of things. So what am I getting at when I look at say purchase services that that you know larger item on uh the forecast and do we ever say a a Todd Hopkins and a Mr. House getting together and I don't know if it's to to hire a contracted entity and engineer to where can we really try to save on purchase services. Does that does that make any sense or not? >> It does and I'm happy to look through those. Now, let me you know one piece here is u uh a a a a good portion of your purchases uh do fall uh under our special ed tuition. Okay. Now, we made the business decision I made the business decision a few years ago uh to have Mrs. Perry charge
044those types of things to our general fund. And then we are using our grant funds to offset salaries for uh uh teachers or aids uh that are in the classroom. Now we can reverse that. Okay, we can reverse that. And what it will do is that will just drive your salaries up inside your personal services. >> Another a large uh portion of the purchase services is the boutique. Okay, we spend want to say about a half million dollars a year um >> a little more last year uh on substitute teachers. Now we do we we contract with the ESC to provide or Ohio substitute services whatever it is through the ESC uh to provide substitute. We don't have to do that. We could hire them in house and pay as a salary and benefits increasing
045our salary and benefits and reducing our purchase services. So some of the pieces and purchase services are a little it may, you know, we can I can very easily say, "Hey, I can cut a million dollars off of that, you know, tomorrow, but you're going to see it go into your salaries benefits instead." >> When we look at our uh our buildings, we are fortunate that, you know, three of our four uh pool buildings are relatively new. Uh have newer HBAC films, newer uh lighting systems. Uh we have had conversations Mr. Al and I have had conversations about, you know, are we uh, you know, can we reduce uh I'm can we change the time when lights turn out? Okay. So, if we're currently turning them off at six o'clock at night, can you know,
046is 4:00 more appropriate? Turn them off at 4:00 and then they're also on motion sensor, it would turn on. You know, do we change the timing of some of the lighting? Now, to be honest with you, when we look at a million dollar electric bill or $900,000 electric bill, lighting is not your primary driver, HVAC. Okay? And so, what people may not realize is, uh, the way our HBAC systems work and the way all newer HVAC uh, systems work is, uh, you run your air conditioning year. Okay? So, let me stress that again. You run your air conditioning year. Okay? That's different than your home. I'm pretty sure in your home you're not running your air conditioning in the middle of winter. Uh but the way that uh our systems work with what's called uh
047VAV boxes, variable airflow uh boxes that we have, um you heat a certain amount of air and you push it into classrooms, but then because different areas will be hotter or cool uh hotter than other areas, you then cool them cool off part of it as well. So you're running your air condition to balance your building. We're not a single room. we have these massive hundreds of thousands of square foot buildings um and so both your heat and your air conditioning is is working. So um you know we've talked about possible ways of looking at at trying to be more efficient um uh with our utilities. Uh we are looking at that. Uh I'm sure that's something even at capital conference we can talk to some vendors down there uh who may be able to
048do a formal study on it to see where there's that potential for it. But uh we are having ongoing conversations. you know, are there areas that we can save? But personal services is a little bit because um there are we've moved things into it uh and I believe for the right reasons we've moved into it, but even if we change out of there, it will just shift right that expense. So, what I'm hearing is, you know, and I think we all hear what's coming out of uh Columbus and and it seems pretty drastic and again we have yet to come to fruition in that. Um and uh but we're even though we see this potentially coming, we're we're about as lean potentially as we can get. >> Um I will certainly tell you that I
049believe that under Dr. Gagan's leadership and the administrative team that he put together uh under uh the leadership of Mr. H through the business office uh we are looking for ways uh to uh reduce our costs uh in a way though that doesn't have a negative impact on the education that's provided. So, you know, uh if you want to be more lean, uh you can, but you're going to impact educational opportunities. And so, it that's the decision that uh the district board would have to make. Uh but we look for ways and and this year as an example is uh I think your uh the do campus or the uh uh middle school maybe went down uh a couple of teachers in in uh in that campus there as our enrollment changed a little bit
050and it allowed the teaming approach to go to a twoerson team there. um we are looking for those opportunities uh when they make sense and in ways that do not impact uh the educational opportunities in a negative fashion. Thank you. >> Yeah, go back to the uh the citizen initiative. So if this initiative was actually go through and get on the ballot and be voted on um is there anything that we that the legislature would be able to potentially do to either stop it? The reason I I mentioned that is um in the constitution talks about the infidelity that is required part of the constitution. >> So I I have not read the citizenship. Oh, >> what I have what I've been told or what I have read about it is they are seeking a
051constitutional amendment. >> Okay. >> To outlaw uh property would override what's put in there. >> That's my understanding. And your legislative body would have no ability. >> That's right. >> To change because it would be part of the constitution. That's different than like a Senate system initiative regarding marijuana. you know, the the uh that has left the legislators to still make some decisions on dispensaries and and rules surrounding it. Um a constitutional amendment would be different. Now, I could be off on that. I've not read what the I've not been approved to sign it. I know other people who have been, >> uh but uh I've not read what how they >> Thank you. >> Anything else for Mr. Hopkins or Mr. Hopkins, do you have anything else for thoughts? >> Uh, you know, I
052will go over the rest of my items when we get down to them. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> At this time, we have a hearing of the public. The public may address the board during the periods of the meeting designated for public participation. We, the board of education, do not engage in a public debate and especially do not have a public discussion about individual student situations in this setting. Each person addressing the boards will give their name and address. Several people wish to speak. Each person is allotted three minutes until full time allowed. During that period, no person may speak twice until all who desire to speak and have the opportunity to do so. The period of public participation may be extended by a vote of
053the majority board present in voting. Anyone wish to speak to or address the board. We've all had an opportunity to review the minutes from our special meeting of August 11th, 2025 as well as our regular meeting of August 25th of 2025. All those that approve these minutes say I. I. >> All those opposed say no. Minutes are approved. We're going to move on to the treasur's recommendation. >> Thank you, Mr. Craig. Um, tonight I have uh 10 resolutions in front of me, a little long larger than normal. And uh the oddity here is normally we would spend a lot of time in September talking about a budget. Um and uh it because of the dangers here we're spending more time uh regarding the forecast. So the first one uh 5A I have in front of
054you is the financial forecast. I think we've discussed it uh at length there but if you have other questions please let me know. Uh 5B we have a permanent um appropriations. Uh this is our budget for the new fiscal year. uh add in the past I've put together a full packet and the board has been able to bring that up again uh for YouTube world uh it is available on board docs and uh the public content uh you can see the full budget as well as the uh separate uh permanent appropriations uh for this year. So if you have questions regarding the budget uh please let me know. I'm happy to discuss those. The way we break it down is um really the detail when we go through and look at line items. We only
055look at our discretionary spending which is our 400 level which is purchase services 500 level supplies and materials 500 level uh capital outlay and then your eight and nines which are your miscellaneous type item. Um so those are all listed there in full detail showing I believe a three-year history um as well as each council member there. Uh so if you have questions please let me know. Um then as I move on C and D are some changes to employment agreement for two of our administrators due to agreements that we had regarding lure or educational uh attainment. Uh E is uh and I did this a couple years ago. I'd like to make sure that I'm in the process each year is we've got a lot of classified staff and hours change all the time
056or change as the new year gets started. So this a listing of all of our classified staff and uh their their current uh number of months and then their hour about uh hours per day. Uh I would ask the board to approve this and then any changes going forward will come back to the board to uh have changes if that need arises throughout. Um F is then and now. Uh if you have questions on those, please let me know. Uh I have B is transferring funds uh for the pool uh uh usage agreement that we do each year. I have H is returning, excuse me, returning all the advances that we did at the end of uh June. Um this is instead of uh we're returning it back to general fund. Uh as you know,
057I can't end the fiscal year in the negative on any of my funds. advanced $400 and some thousands and so they're listed there showing you how those advances were made asking those to be returned. I is a little bit different. Um I've been notified there is the potential for some unclaimed funds in the name of West School District that's currently being held by the state of Ohio. Uh I've started the claim process on that, but in order to file the claim, I need authority under the board uh to uh be directed as the one who's able to file it. So, um, if you'd be so kind to allow me, uh, the authority to file a claim on behalf of the district, uh, the money would, uh, any money that is owed to the district would
058come back to the district. Um, and we'll have to figure out why it's unclaimed and then, uh, uh, where we would receive it to, uh, the intent is always to put it back into the fund where it originally came out of. So, we'll have to try and do some research, figure that out. And >> you don't know the amount? Uh unfortunately we don't get full details on that I do. So and then the last one is uh declaring transportation practical. These are some new students um that have have been added to uh the district roles since the last meeting. So from education director M. So um I have 10 items there. I would appreciate um I think breaking it down. Um I do like to do the forecast separate. So if we could do 5A
059by itself. Um I also like to do the uh uh budget separate. So 5B by itself. But then I think we can combine C through J if it so pleases the board. Is there a motion to approve treasures recommendation 5A? >> So move. >> Second discussion. Thank you for all the time in preparing the forecast and also going through it. >> Certainly. And I want to stress, of course, I know the board knows this, but but anyone who watches this, if you have questions on our forecast or on our budget, please, please, please, please, please read them. I'm happy to discuss it with anyone um and go through it. Uh but please feel free to look at it and ask questions. >> I know you've mentioned that in the past and you've been very open
060in the past, president. I know you will be. So, thank you for that. always open the door to anyone that has uh further comment. >> I wish there was a way somehow on the forecast and probably not on the state format that we could disclose that money that was transferred into that capital improvement. So, it's not like we're trying to hide money. >> Sure. >> Just to make it a little more transparent. >> And that's a a very very valid point. Um if you would like um I can make I can note it on our assumptions. The state format is the state format that gets uploaded and put on the the uh the state website. So I can't necessarily change that but I can put a section on. Then we do that with other funds.
061So I'm happy to add that. >> Yes. >> Yep. But I will add a note regarding the 070 fund um uh to note that we when we move the money in what our plan for is the money and then if the board chooses at some point to rescend it then we >> okay >> so your opinion of that that's a good thing to do so we'll do >> I think it is you know again um we have other funds yeah you know we we talk about in our assumptions I I talk about our food service fund our current improvement fund so it would make sense >> and I'll just say I I agree it's even more transparency I think we've been transparent because we had an open discussion board meeting about it. Makes it even
062more transparent. >> Yeah, correct. We have been very transparent about it, but this would would make it more transparent and we'll have transparency going forward. >> Uh further comment on roll comments. I'm going to say if it's okay that u approving Friday with an amendment to the assumptions noting the 070 fund the capital improvement fund. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Yes. Lamb. >> Yes. Turn. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> I move to approve treasur's recommendation 5B the resolution to adopt the fiscal year 26 permanent appropriations. Is there a second? >> Second discussion. >> Roll call. >> I was really hoping you wanted to go through each line item. No. >> Yes. >> Lamb. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> A motion to approve treasures recommendations 5C through 5J. >> So moved. >> Second.
063Congratulations to Adam and Quinton. >> You say J or K. >> J. >> Say K. >> J. K. >> I heard J. >> J. Is there a K on the >> Oh, no. I only have J. >> That's further discussion. Roll call. Turn up. >> Yes. >> Lamb. Yes. Nan, >> yes. >> Pratt, >> yes. >> Lazinski, >> yes. >> Motion carries. Thank you. >> We're going to move on, Dr. Gagan, to the superintendence recommendation. >> Um, I have about one. >> So, I am going to uh chunk them into some different categories and if you have questions, feel free to ask. Um, first one in six is a resolution to accept gifts and donations. Um, we have an anonymous donor donating $3,000 to the athletic department at Westlake High School. We have Swatti Desai,
064uh, donated school supplies valued at $150 to the first and second grade students at Westlake Elementary. Judith Rokus donated $500 to the Frank Sarna Scholarship Fund at Westlake High School. uh Pick Your Buns Bakery donated a cookie cake valued at $18 to the board of education, which we appreciated. Um and John Vanderill donated 10 basketballs valued at $390 to the athletic department at Westlake High School. Uh we thank everyone for their generosity and putting these together. So letters B and C are department specific items in regard to planning policies and procedures. Letters E, F and G as you look at those are classified specific items uh in regard to either salary increase or hiring um or some workrelated items in there. letters H through M. Those are approving extra services that could include detention monitor,
065um supplementals, uh an extended day for U certified employee. So that's what you're going to see in H through M. Letters N O N P are in regard to athletics. It could be a supplemental contract event workers um or student workers for the athletic department. That's letter P. And then letter Q is a resolution to approve employment for project link. Letter R is a resolution to approve an overnight field trip for Science Olympiad. And then the last two F and P are amendments to previous resolutions. Um, in regard to my recommendations, as always, approving 6A on its own to recognize those who donate to the schools would be appropriate. The rest uh very easily combined um letters B through and I could take any questions up. Everyone okay with if we uh when we approve
066or not to go through 6B through E? >> Yeah. >> Uh there a motion to approve superintendent recommendation. >> Second. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. Always. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to our generous community >> for the anonymous donor for the athletics department. Was it three grand for anything in particular or just >> I don't believe so. I don't think that was earmark to a specific item. >> Further discussion roll call. >> Yes. >> Benugan, >> yes. >> Craft, >> yes. >> Lamb, yes. You're not >> yes. >> Motion carries. I move to approve superintendent's recommendations 6B through 6. Is there a second? >> Second >> discussion. >> Thank you for the time for the update on the uh district plan uh the district panel for title one and for special ed policies and
067while that takes time. Looking forward to see how the uh Olympia turns out. Great kids. >> Further discussion. >> Roll call. Craft. Yes. >> Yes. >> Lamb. Yes. Yes. >> Motion passes. >> At this time, we have a second hearing of the public. The public may address the board during the periods of meeting designated for public participation. We board of education do not engage in public debate. We especially do not have a public discussion about individual student situations in the setting. Each person addressing the board shall give their name and address if several people wish to speak. Each person is allotted three minutes. Total time allotted is used. During that period, no person may speak twice until all who desire to speak have had the opportunity to do so. Period of public participation may be
068extended by a vote with majority board president voting. Anyone wish to address the board at this time? We're going to move on to board comments. >> Did something happen to some of the lights at the elementary school >> inside outside? inside with flowing. >> Controls that voltage. I had a comment about something was like your rate to work so that they had lights but like >> Yes, they had lights but it was Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> How's the um entrance way at at this? Is that >> finally done? >> Yeah. So, I actually went there today and and used my car. DIS. Yeah. >> Yeah, it worked. They still have um I would say some trim work. Like you could see the wires up on on top of it still. They still need to
069put the casing on and do a little bit, but um it worked. uh >> everything. >> I I went and I used my uh um what was interesting is, you know, the outer door is working as the typical outer door has been, but then when you go to the inner door, it disengages like if you're going into the elementary where you have to be patient with it. So, they seem to have two different like one clicks right away and then the other one has that slow release. Um it's a little bit to get used to, but it's working. I know we've mentioned it before, but uh Dr. Gagan is receiving an award from FASA to receive the 2025 Buckeye Association of School Administrators Exemplary Leadership Award. And I know that representative from FASA will be
070here on I think it's the 27th of October >> that that board meet. I will miss that. But um again congratulations to you. >> Dr. Gagan mentioned that um there there was a promise with regard to our calendar and I know uh that leadership is working on the calendar for the next couple of school years. That was good to hear. I always uh like when our leadership uh for boards do what uh board report newsletter lot a lot of content in there and so many doing so much uh for the overall district. One of the things that I'm going to pick out is the U counselor newsletter and um just reading through those those newsletters uh to the families in the district and some of great great ideas with regard to hey what's going on
071with your student, what's going on at home, what's going on with your family. Is there any gauge to how much of that is is put into practice? You know, I mean just a lot of great content counselor. So, I just want to say thank you. Good good things going on tomorrow. >> I had the pleasure of attending a number of meetings since our last board meeting or work protection. Attended the music booster meeting last week. Uh very exciting uh to get them out on the field and also uh you know everything that they're doing. Uh they've got a lot of great things happening uh with the music booster. They're also constantly looking for volunteers to work the concession stands. So, putting that out there, just visit the uh uh the website and uh they'd be
072more than happy to have you help out uh with regards to remaining a position at the concession stand. Having done it, uh you know, I cooked some hot dogs back there a couple last year. So, >> go to the website and they've got a whole slew of dates. Doesn't have to be a Friday night. It could be at any of the sporting events that we have here for Westlake City Schools. So, they're always looking for volunteers. Attended the DI the PTA meeting last week and uh Mr. Miller did make a comment that he's excited about the door and uh the fact that it's in there and it's working and it's doing its job. Um this had quite the meeting. They hold their meetings um uh at the local establishment so that afterwards there's karaoke. So,
073it was not a funny thing. >> Um, but I did uh unfortunately miss the both the high school and the LBMS PTA meetings last week which I'll try to do make it through at the next month. Um, one question and I apologize M or Dr. Goen that I didn't get a chance to email you. Um but uh we had a student athlete uh Bridges uh wrist at uh the eighth grade football game last week in Buckeye and it presented a interesting situation where they didn't have a trainer at the game and told uh you know our our team that the trainer would be would be 50 minutes away and thankfully the student that broke his wrist his dad the EMT so was able to kind of do the job. Um, but it raised some questions
074uh in my head having been there is to you know and I don't know if it's you if it's Colin or who you know I could possibly speak with or email to ask you know when we have student athletes going off to other locations you know I know that they've got training or they got boxes with training gear in it you know but who fills that how often do they check and what materials are in there. Is it something that uh does and part of our new partnership with them or our continuing partnership with them? Um but I'll send you an email about that and I wanted to >> that's one of the the the that was a big deal for us not necessarily the boxes but getting that availability because um we weren't many
075districts don't have coverage for middle grades. Yeah. >> And that was something we wanted to bring in. And um and I still think they're not as staffed as they want to be uh being, >> but I my understanding is they were focusing on the more contact sports like football to make sure that we have a trainer on site >> and they have they've done that. It's been great at least at the eighth grade uh games. >> We don't want to be in that situation where if Buckeye's here and one of their kids gets injured, we're not going to tell them someone's 15 minutes away. We're hopefully going to have that person there. >> Exactly. And that's actually we've had trainers running across the field. Yeah. You know, to the uh visitor sideline, but it was
076just a question I had. >> Yep. Normally I fine. >> Yep. >> A quick email about that. Um, and then I also, you know, we've gotten some great press recently, um, with regards to, um, I think there was an article out today that you had forwarded on to us right before the meeting. It's great to see what it's like being recognized the school district uh, both uh, you know, in and out of the classroom and I had a chance to read over the article real quick and it was great to see and really focus on the behind the W and all the information that we're able to get out there to the public. Great to see. And then I think what was it over the weekend there was an article about the the taxes and
077>> how West Lake you know is on the absolute lowest end of that spectrum when it comes to going to the community. So it's it's great to see that we're starting my career with George Vovich and he always you know talked about doing more with less and harder smarter in it and uh you know something that it appears so we're really doing here at school. So thank you. While we're talking PTA stuff, um I was at the council meeting, just so people put on their calendars, founders day is going to be February 26, 26, 226 26. Um my understanding though is that it is supposed to be a PTA mom pop theme, something along that line with like dance. So you might need to run a dust. Oh yes, that would be great with ruffles.
078as soon as Okay. >> So, I was approached by a Wesk resident who was on jury duty last week. >> Yeah. >> And he came up to me and he said, >> uh, apparently you were doing a good job of advertising Wes because he said he had you were the baiff or whatever and he said he had his Weslike lanyard on and you also had a vest or something, a Westlake vest. >> Yeah. It was Thursday. It was the I was leaving work to go to Buckeye for that football game. That's football game. >> Well, he was on jury duty and >> I know exactly who you're talking about. >> No, we've got actually uh there's two more of us. The president's on the the jury um that the trial is ongoing, which I can't
079speak about, but uh one of the jurors uh said today that they had received their behind the W pants. >> So, >> okay. >> Yeah. >> Speaking of that, and and Paul texted me while uh we were sitting here um is that part of our strategic plans. One of the things we heard in our feedback sessions from parents is we know we have great kids. We know we're doing we want to see that more in publications. We want to see it out more. So, it's been something we've been pushing and I know that we have an upcoming article in Cleveland magazine highlighting our new PLTW program. So, another one that's going to be coming out. >> Something I'm starting to see press on is the 18 scholars and all. There's so many distingu all of
080those different so I'm sure we have a plethora [Music] >> that's just one I I know some places have names listed and you know even if it's just sort of like however numbers just something to think about. >> Absolutely. Yeah. Uh just talking about uh um you know right here in the community and sometimes we like take it for granted but you know this hospital right here in Westlake Ohio and just to hear really how good it is the service that they provide and uh there are competitors out there in the next city over that that can't provide health care and many times from that institution or other institutions those folks are brought right here to Westlake to um our local hospital because it's so good and I know we have a obviously a good
081schools relationship with uh um I know uh uh Rotary we we partner with uh as well the schools and uh um uh I I know from say an internship point of view or services point of view we have that partnership um uh is constantly trying to get better and better through its westore campus. Um, and I know that we work along with them with our community involvement group. The board has a presence with with that group as well. Um, I know that they have a major initiative uh coming up. I believe it's November um to uh interact with the community to raise funds those types of things. Uh but do we as a board have any interest in say participating in that? And I'll leave an answer today, but that's more information. >> Taste of
082West Lake. >> Mhm. >> Liz and I have been talking about that. Yeah. >> Working on the whole committee >> for citizens for West Lake. Working on all that. >> Okay. So, unlikely that we'll have one this year. >> Well, no, we'll do. I think we're targeting spring, aren't we? We were talking about fall, but I think >> at this point falling. >> Yeah, we're looking at >> right. We're Yeah, we're trying something. >> I just want to emphasize again how important it is that working on getting the team together. Okay. >> And spring works for your friend. Do you think that would be good? >> I whatever. I just think that we should try to have it annually. >> Correct. That's the goal. And to get an entire team together. I already got one
083person for one role but not for taste but working on >> further board comments >> for all the swifties out there. Uh just uh according to the Wikipedia page Travis people Travis was actually born in W. >> Yes. Where? >> There you go. >> It must be St. John. >> Further. >> Are there board comments? >> Is there a motion to adjourn? I'll >> move. Second discussion. Roll call >> turn at 7:17 p.m. Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> Lamb. >> Yes. >> Motion cars. >> Okay. Put a future That's the west.