001Call to order the January 5th 2026 Mr. Hammond Mrs. Hartley Mrs. Hers Mr. Mr. Please stand alone. I got it. I got it. So, congratulations, guys. The two returning and two new board members. Um, I believe I have a copy. So, if you lose me, my sentences, you have it. So, if you all please stand and then um my thought is since there's four of you, uh, we'll just go through and say individual names and you can all repeat it at the same time. All right. So, I do solemnly affirm that office. >> Yes. So, each of you have a copy with your name on it. The first order of for the election. I'll second Mrs. Hers, Mr. Hammond, >> Mr. Mr. Mrs. All right. Sorry. Mr. Hammond. Yes. Mrs. Henders. Mr. Merkins. Yes. Mr.
002Mrs. Hartley. Hi Chris that I will faithfully and here the best of my ability of During my office, Mr. Mr. Hammond. >> Yes. Mrs. Mr. Merkins. Yes. Mr. Mrs. Okay. Uh, for the tax budget, I I love put a little synopsis on on your table so you can follow along. Each year on City Schools is required by Ohio law to adopt the tax budget because we are a political subdivision of tax. The tax budget is not a spending document, but a planning tool that shows historical information where we expect to end the current year and what we anticipate. This information is used by [clears throat] the county auditor and budget commission to review our financial needs, certify tax rates and issue the certificate of estimated resources which sets the maximum amount appropriate for the coming
003fiscal year. Tax budget also helps align our fiscal year operations with the county's calendar year tax collection process and ensures transpar transparency and sound long-term financial planning by confirming that our existing tax revenues are sufficient to operational debt and capital for anyone that's interested on our board and then there's a little bit of a explanation down there if you've had time to review it. I know that the county budget commission experience more appropriate. I appreciate that very much. Mr. Hammond. Yes. Mr. Yes. Mrs. Hers. Mr. Ragger. Yes. Mrs. Hart. >> Yes. So, every organizational meeting we have a little bit of a laundry list of uh processes and procedures that we conduct throughout this uh throughout the calendar year. And so, U through them quickly. Uh A is the meeting schedule. Typically the meetings are
004the third Monday of the month. They start at 6. Uh we do make uh deviations when there's a holiday on that Monday. Uh we push it a week. There's a week in June that we pushed it to the end of the month so that we close the uh fiscal year. Um other than that it follows that pattern. Um B is treasurer authorizations. C is superintendent authorizations. D is waving the reading of the minutes as long as they're posted in advance. Uh establishment E is establishment of the record commission. F is our annual OSBA membership and G is the legal assistance offered through OSBA. Um establishment of service fund, authorization to uh purchase performance bonds, civil rights uh compliance with the Civil Rights Act 1965, listing our official newspaper where we post different bid projects and
005request for proposals. uh authorization to engage with legal counsel, North Point ESC services hearing officer and then appointment of our student grant him in his service at least in graduation. Uh and then the board strategic priorities uh that were established two years ago now and we continue to use that as our guide post for decision making. I can go in more detail if there's questions, but otherwise relatively standard. >> Yes, we were just talking about that tonight. The plan is for right after spring break couple meet. Mr. Mrs. Mr. Merkins. Yes. Mr. Hammond. Yes. Mrs. Yes. So, uh, we here on city schools has a board position at EOI. Uh, not every school district that they serve does, but we're fortunate we do. Go back to the original charter. Uh, it's a two-year commitment. So,
006this would start this month, January of 2026, and continue through December of Chris, but at this point, we're looking for the next year. It's set up to be separate, but we could do Mr. Mers 8B is the appointment of a board member to serve as the legislative liaison for the OSBA school board association. That's where at the capital conference there's a a meeting that they attend as well. general awareness. >> I I believe that when Mike fills out the form in November or October, they want an alternative. Guess I'll make the senator. Yes. Uh the next set uh are board leaison for community groups and so we have two community groups there's athletic boosters and hall of fame and then the second group is the joint rec district. So those are the two that are
007community Athletic. Yeah, I don't know. Mrs. Hers Mr. Mens the letter D is approval uh for board leazison for district committee. So we have three. The first is policy and handbooks. Uh M has been serving on that. The second is finance and audit. Uh Martley and Mr. Regger have been serving on that. And then teaching teaching, learning and technology mass serving on that. So we have those three district committees um that we welcome. I wouldn't mind. [snorts] If you want that sense. teaching learning and technology. So, Julie leads up that committee. I know Julie, if you want to talk a little bit about what's all involved to sell it. Yes. And then letter C is the coalition of rural and Appalachian schools. So this is something that I've presented to the board previously. we've discussed.
008Um my recommendation is that here on city schools becomes a member of this um chorus group. Uh ultimately uh we have OSBA that represents all public schools. We have BASA and OASBA that help represent public school superintendent treasures. What chorus does is they represent specifically that niche of rural and Appalachian schools. And the way uh DEW classifies schools, there's either urban, suburban, or rural. And here on is considered a rural district. So uh talking with them about the type of districts that our members, we fit well into that category. Um Randy Gardner is their executive director, former uh senator. Um and he has very good perspective that he shares with member districts about the different activities happening at the state level with legislation specifically uh funding but also u compliance and um in that they
009also offer uh different professional development for treasurers and superintendents and it's specific for those that are leading rural or appalian schools. Uh so it has a little bit of a niche compared to the other three organizations that we're part of. So it's not one of those other organizations, but to augment or to add to my recommendation. I don't know if there's any questions about it. So, you're looking just Nope. Just to participate. So, um like OSBA membership renewal was in the the consent part. That's because we've been OSBA members for countless years. This would be a new membership. So, that's why it's a separate item. Um, theoretically, this gets approved tonight, then next year it could be up in that consent agenda because it's a renewal. So, I wanted to make sure there was special
010discussion about it and clarify any questions or anything. Yeah, the cost is $5,000, which is comparable to the other associations that were Correct. No, it's not nothing. It's comparable to this $5,000 annually. Uh and I would say again that chorus is providing professional development networking opportunities for uh schoolboard members, superintendent treasurer and other executive leaders of districts. Uh and programming is tailored specifically for the rural and schools. Uh, additionally, they're um they're helping us navigate the legislative um, you know, networking with legislators, getting our voices heard, they have that connection that um, when we have a concern and we go to legislators, they might say, "Well, that's like that's a small here on Erie County." Like, what what impact do they really have? Am I going to really But if we funnel that through chorus,
011chorus has a large louder voice that gets heard by the legislators and that's that was proven in some of the uh legislative work that they helped uh guide and influence last months and yes that's correct. Yep. I do like the fact that this area would try to see what we get out of it. Columbus usually support Mr. Hammond. Yes, Mr. Yes, >> Mr. Merkins. >> Yes, >> Mrs. Hers. Mrs. Hartley. And then 8F. Um, you know, as we're concluding here, the organizational meeting really I Mike and I did a review of practices and processes that we have. One is the uh live stream and then recording of the board meetings. Uh, the district implemented the live stream broadcasting and recording of board meetings during the co pandemic. public access to meeting was restricted. Those restrictions
012are no longer in place and continuing to broadcast important meeting presents several significant concerns. First, while live streaming and recording are intended to promote transparency and access, technical difficulties frequently undermine that goal. When production issues occur, the result can appear to the public as limited or withhold access rather than rather than enhanced transparency. Second, the district does not have control over the discussed during public comment uh and other times. This creates a risk of inappropriate language or topics that uh may broadcast live uh permanently publish in the recordings and attempting to edit or remove such content after the fact exposes the district to claims that is imputing first amended amendment protected speech. Third, the live broadcasting and archive records allow access to individuals or groups outside of Huron City Schools community who have no legitimate
013interest in the board operations. Legal council has advised against this level of accessibility, noting that third party firms routinely review publiced meeting records to identify minor procedural errors and then leverage those to issue frivolous litigation or settlement demands. And then finally, the district fully complies with Ohio's open meeting, sunshine laws, live broadcasting, and ongoing publication of the meeting reporting exceed statuto requirements. Meaningful community engagement is best supported by community members attending meetings in person to observe the board's deliberate process as it occurs. For those reason, I make the recommendation to suspend live broadcasting recordings. Uh it can be reassessed in the future if needed. So you're saying recording or just an audio recording? I don't care for I think it's critical that somebody I don't think that's transparency. That's the four years. I feel like
014whatever I would live I don't have a problem. >> Yeah. So, in talking with it, they said that we ended the would be beneficial in the logistics of it. It's still going to have logistical difficulties and we still run that risk of someone banking on a recording. Um and we had a technical issue that failed to deliver on a report. So um so that still will give me pause. I like the idea of considering audio only because I think that would be that might be even easier uh for an audio only recording. Um and it's really I just remind the whole board that you know this is a school board meeting for the school board. This isn't a public meeting. This is a school board meeting that the public can come to. It's open to
015the public. So um you know the community votes for their elected officials who conduct the business in part because people are busy, right? So they have elected officials that conduct the business and they have trust and confidence in those elected officials. Um so again as I review u polices and processes this processes and procedures this is one that I told states when we talk but every month I have anxiety over it because they're working really hard to get a good recording and to stream it out there and not their fault at all every month not every month but with good frequency we have a technical issue that we don't we can't deliver quality reporting that is you know something that someone can say oh this is a good valid replacement for being in the audience
016how many people >> yeah so when I talked to tech they said the live stream there's about three people that watch it uh live and then the recording will have between 10 and 12 people that watch that recording the next two weeks after so Yes, that is fair. We have seen it. I don't know about a thous. Yes, when there's a a hot button issue or there's social media saying that there was people will go and watch that. Um again though we post our agendas in advance people can see those and it's exceeding the open requirements. I'll put that in the motion. with a live record. I've done that where I assume people want something and then take away video and audio following whatever time we'll evaluate this time. I get what you're saying, but
017I also know that what I hear is schools aren't transparent. So, we shut it off. There's an event where 500 people want to watch fact isn't the case but it's public So I think this is a good topic. I throw that out there. second elect. Yeah. Mr. Hammond, >> yes. >> Mrs. Hers, >> Mr. Mkins, >> Mr. Mrs. Yeah. So, facility committee. Yeah. First, you're right. Dr. You served on that most recently. So, when that group gets ready to meet again, I would look to engage with Chris, but definitely opportunity for me. Does the board need to officially I could show Good. Mrs. Mr. Hammond, Mr. Merkins, Mr. Reger. Mr. Hammond here. Mrs. Hers >> here. >> Mr. Mens here. Mr. >> Hart. United States of Americans. Mrs. Hers, Mrs. I don't have much to
018tell you guys. We just got back from Christmas. over this past weekend. So, congratulations Still a bird. Sorry I wasn't able to send things out. So anyways, we are halfway through flying by. So our revenues our total All funds were right around 46% as well as general fund revenue 46% total expenditures for all funds expon We have one donation uh this month, $300 for the local music program. Item C, we did get two new safety grants very similar to the ones we received last year. Um total for those two, one was 40,000, the other one was 7,47. I don't know that we know exactly what that's going to yet. Um item D is that resist smaller purchases up to $50,000 without going through the full process. So that's updates. Just so you're aware, this will
019be the first time for the forecast. We'll actually be getting that next month. So I'll have that for you next month. I plan to finance committ. So, I'll keep you updated on all that. Anybody have any questions? [clears throat] All right. For my items, um, uh, item 7 A is the second reading of the policies. So uh as shared at the first reading last month, these are all legislative driven. Uh so we have limited choice where we did have some customization policies that customization carried forward as long as it didn't violate the legislation personnel items. We have so 7B is personnel items for certified staff, administrative contract renewals, and then uh credit recovery ting service teachers and then 7 classified. Uh we just have retirement notice for one of our for our mechanic doing it
020a year in advance. So we have that plenty of time to plan for his replacement be ready for that. So those are all my items and then I just want to reiterate and thank Dr. McDonald for her for talking about the third grade guarantee or the third grade test results, the fall test results. And I told her, hey, we need to like share this out, right? So, it gets it's pretty exciting that our students scored as well as they do. Uh, and really it's it's good to acknowledge and recognize that. What really is the difference though is the process leading up to that. So, as she said, we have dedicated staff, dedicated families that support the staff uh for the student success and those students who didn't meet the mark yet, they will because our
021staff will continue to work. So, I celebrate the process, you know, our commitment that staff have every day working. So, short of that we just had a meeting last week. So I don't really have much. >> Yes. >> Mr. Mens. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Mr. >> Mrs. Harley. >> Yeah. So, student safety report, we've done a lot of discussions uh really since the spring about student safety, our staff's commitment to it, and one of the u gaps that we identified was the student safety reporting semianual requirement for bullying. When we talked about this in the fall, we talked about um we're required to report about bullying reports that have been received by the principal. Uh there's two other uh safety student safety items that we're reporting on. That's uh the number of threat assessments that
022we've done. So our staff are trained in the threat assessment protocol to determine um you know the level of risk that a student may cause harm to self and others. So we have that tracking and then Senate Bill 29 requires that when requires us to give notice to to parents guardians when we access the students uh digital footprint. Uh so we have a tracker that monitors for content uh search engines uh content and there's something uh a threat or a safety concern, it triggers us and so when we have to give that notice, we report that as well. Uh those are done at the district level because those aren't required that we include that. Uh but in interest of transparency and to be comprehensive different ways that we're working to keep kids safe, uh we're
023now including that. Uh the reports attached and it's also linked on the website. There's really no action. Uh it has to be posted on the the law requires post on the website provided to the board president. So this item being on there is for discussion and then also just to memorialize that. Yes, I I just saw the incident. >> Correct. So the law says that anytime an individual reports to the principal uh bully that has to be counted. So it's counted. Next 23rd. Um, the third week is a holiday >> or no school day. Makes sense.