001Good evening and welcome to the uh Thursday, February 5th, Marlington Local School District Board of Education work session. Would you call the role, please, Mr. Voss? >> Josh Hagen here. >> Karen Humphre >> here. >> Kathy Krepco, >> here. >> Jonathan Swift >> here. Mark Ryan. >> Mark Ryan. Say here. >> Roll call. >> Here. >> We're started. We've started. >> Yeah. Here. >> Very good. >> That's down to the wire. >> Oh, what? >> Okay. I'm sick. >> That was over the wire, but it's okay. It is 5:30. >> Okay. Um, adoption of the meeting agenda. Is there a motion to adopt? >> Move. Second. >> Gee, can I say it, please? You may >> Let's move this along. We're We're one minute in and he's already moving it along. Okay. Could you call
002the role, please? >> Mr. Swift? >> Yes. >> Mr. Hagen? >> Yes. >> Miss Humphre? >> Yes. >> Miss Krepco? >> Yes. >> Mr. Ryan? >> Yes. >> Awesome. Fiveyear forecast. >> Okay. So, for each of the board members, I've attached the financial forecast report draft to you front back. So that way if you didn't is in PDF and in our board docs but then I attach the same thing to you guys and color copies. All right, Ryan. >> All right, thanks for having me. Um this is a unusual time of the year to do the forecast. Um but due to changes in legislation, we are now have a February forecast instead of a May forecast. So this is a a little bit of an expedited um forecasting period, but not with a ton of
003changes since the last time we met. So, I'm going to share my screen. Um, feel free to ask questions at at any time. Um, I will go through each of these points. Uh, spending some time on on property tax reform, uh, which probably has the most um most of the the change on the district. So, in front of you here is two lines uh showing the district's cash balance. In in red is the October forecast that was presented and approved. And you can see where we are right now in the February forecast showing a lower tax uh lower cash balance than was projected in October. Um there's a couple of items that we're going to cover that has caused this decline. Um and I'm also going to go into this decline would have been even
004uh more significant if the district could have some additional costsaving initiatives that they put into place. So we'll go through those as well. Um, so since we last met, um, there has been some historic changes in property values, probably the most significant changes in in property tax law since, uh, House Bill 920 was put to place back in the the late '7s. Um and instead of it being just one bill that has affected how the district's taxes are calculated, it's actually um four to five bills that were all passed at similar times all converging on each other. And so I'm going to spend a little bit of time going into that and how that affects the district and then go over some of the other areas that we're seeing um changes since October and um
005what the long-term implications are for the district. So, um, when we're talking about property tax reform, we have a a page here to kind of help explain what's going on with the district. The first thing is is you'll notice on this line here, it talks about the 20 mil floor. And for for years, that was it was called the 20 mil floor. That is the lowest you could go on your effective race. And what that means is your inside millillage which is charter millillage um that was unvoted millillage given to the district under the um chair of the municipalities and then also the levies that were passed that were fixed rate. So I talked about fixed rate therefore a specific tax rate that can go down and not go above the full voted rate. As
006property values go up, tax rates go down. You guys cannot go below 20 mills. Uh, one of the bills that was passed was called House Bill 335. And House Bill 335 is um, basically changing your inside millillage. It used to be inside mill was a fixed rate. So for years um, your fixed village was at 5.8%. Under this new law, there's what's called a GDP deflator. And what that means is that's now a scaling on how much additional revenue the district can generate on their inside mills based off changes in property values. And so based off of uh the changes in values that we have projected for the district in tax year 27. And just for clarification, we're currently in tax year 25, collection year 26. So this is two years from now. We believe
007that that is going to lower the district's insight millage. Now, that does not mean that the district is going to receive less uh revenue than it currently is. It means it's not going to receive as much revenue as it would have if property tax reform had not got in place. So, that's the first bill um that's affecting the district. >> The second one um does not affect you, which is House Bill 129 because you have no emergency levies. So, since you have no fixed sum emergency levies, that will not affect your calculation. The third one's pretty significant and it's House Bill 186. So in House Bill 186, um there's two different ways it's looking at this. It's saying based off the last time you went through reappraisal trying to update, which would have been last
008year, how much of an increase in property values did you have? And for the district, um overall you had about 13.27. That's your class one and class 2. And then what was the GDP deflater on that? The overall GDP deflator was 15.4, but because you had significant more increases in your class one values, you actually exceeded this ceiling here of 15.4. And so because of that, um, the taxpayers in the district will get a credit. and they are going to get a credit on their current tax bill of $561,000. This will not hit the tax bill everyone just received. They'll get a double credit in the fall because of the timing when this went into place. This look back credit of $561,000 the state of Ohio is going to pay on behalf of the district.
009So, this does not harm you in tax year 25 or tax year 26. Beginning in tax year 27 though because you are at the floor for your class one millillage the districts will then start uh will lose this revenue. The state will no longer pay it and then the district essentially won't um generate that anymore. It'll be given back to the taxpayers for a credit. So what that means is you do have this is a loss of funding to the school district. Um it's not how much more revenue you should get moving forward that you're being capped on. This specific one once we go to 2027 is something that you will incur. When we look here at 2027 though, you can see there's a million dollar number and that's because we're anticipating your taxes increasing
010by more than the later that u is going to be in place for tax year 27. So, as a result, included in this million dollars here is the 561 that essentially you're going to not receive anymore starting 27. And then there's an additional amount of revenue that you're not going to receive. The difference between the two is the amount you would have had property tax before not went into place. Now that it's in place, you will not get that increase. And there is a um pretty much a I don't want to say a permanent credit, but there is a credit in place that moves forward um that can only come off for one instance I'll tell you about here in a second. This is what's going to have a significant impact on the district's projections
011in comparison to October. Um because in October we not have the property tax reform bills are not passed in law. um they weren't in their final forms yet. We did not have those in the forecast. So, we're based off current law at the time. Now, moving forward, you're going to have your revenue decreased in 27 from where we were in October um based off the changes. So, I'll pause there. I know it's uh really confusing. It's confusing for uh for any people that do stuff about property taxes. This has been a major change and it's there's a lot of different moving parts here. Are there any questions I want to describe so far? >> Oh. you don't want to hear him. >> So, obviously a a big change on the district. Uh when we look
012at in comparison to the forecast that was submitted in October, how has revenue changed? The good news is you're slightly up in revenue because of changes in values of the current values we just got. So, we compare this is comparing the October forecast to the forecast we have now. You're up about $58,000 in property taxes and you're up 100,000 next year based off of changes in taxes. Here you can see compared to October, this is how much money that you uh we thought you're going to get that you're not going to get moving forward because of property tax reform. We not have values as high in the October forecast than what we've adjusted them to now when you go through in tax year 27. And that's the reason the reason for that is as we've
013gotten into tax year 25 in counties that are going through reappraisal trying to update the 25 we're still seeing really significant increases in property values particularly ad values and residential and because of that that seeing that information even though you're still two years out uh we raised what we thought the projected values would be. So, uh, that's why you're not seeing as large of a decrease as you saw in that previous screen of a million dollars because we didn't have that much projected in October. Any questions on this property tax section, how it's affecting your forecast right now? >> Hey, Ryan. So, can you explain to them because you try you explained it to Bob and I and I know that you were the lead presenter to the treasures in Stark County and the superintendent.
014you go back to the previous screen where you had the uh the line item where it's about a million a year moving to 27. So it's the the $561,000 that we're going to lose plus an additional money because that's a that's when we get the uh trienal will be up. So we get reappraised and the assumption is is that housing markets will go up a little bit more. So we're not going to see any increase. the bonus of being on the 20 mil floor and our district being very conservative and not asking for new money uh typically would have benefited Barlington. Now it's backfires and we you know that's not going to happen. So we're that's fine. That that law is law. But can you explain what would happen if you know that's basically in
015my mind saying at some point in time it's going to force all districts in Ohio according to what you said on some type of you're going to have to go back and say and I'll just we'll just use the example property taxes. Let's say in two or three years the board says hey we have to at least ask for some money from our taxpayers. What would happen according to the law that they did not expect if it would pass? >> Yeah. So this is an interesting piece and this applies to districts on the floor which you are on the floor like we talked about. So when a district comes off the floor and so you have districts that have emergency levies that they are automatically off the floor starting at this look back credit then
016in those district's case are returned to the taxpayers and they then start paying those taxes again. In this case for your district, just as an example, not saying you're going to do this in tax year 28, you go for a new levy and let's just say that's going to generate $2 million, right? Well, in 29 when you go through reappraisal, I'm sorry, in 30 when you go through reappraisal for the uh second time or trial update because your first change is going to be here in 27. If you were to pass a new levy in 28 and 30, then this million dollar goes back on the tax duplicate, the taxpayers are paying that again as well. So that was um an interesting >> thing we uncovered when you go for when districts that are on
017the floor go for a new property tax levy. >> Who writes this crap? Well, and you know, as you go through, bills start in one place and then by the time they get voted in, there's been so many changes and this is one of the changes that um working with with different county auditors through the state and and some representatives, we were able to confirm that that is the implication. As soon as this number here is off that new floor, because if now your new floor is 19.75, then the district no longer absorbs that tax credit and that goes back to the taxpayer pay. So the difficult piece in that is you run out of money, you need a levy, you're going to have to calculate how much of this would you get back so
018that you're not overt taxing on that new levy. uh do you anticipate this hitting in tax year 23 which be fiscal year half fiscal year 31 and the full amount in fiscal year 3 I believe. So very confusing and it's going to make it extremely confusing for districts that have to if they're on the floor and have to request additional uh if they go the property tax route it's going to make it extremely confusing. The other thing I did I just want to point out you are going to get additional revenue by being on the floor. It's just going to be limited to this deflator. So, as an example, when you go through in 27, the most you could get based off our estimates right now, what that that three-year inflationary deflator looks like would
019be an 8% increase. So, you would still receive that on your class one millillage. Your class 2 mill, you're still at the floor. So, as your values go up, this mill gets reduced. Any questions on that? >> So, is there good news, Ryan? >> No. >> Here's the good news I will tell you is working with a significant number of school districts across the state, your district is positioned that you're not in a financial emergency right now. >> Yes. So, they fix something else for us. makes somebody want to run for state rep, doesn't it? >> The second piece that you know >> Can I ask one going down? >> Hey, Ryan. Kathy's got a question. >> Oh, sure. I'm sorry. >> I'm looking at that chart and it keeps saying 20 mil floor until
020we get to 27 and then it's 1975. >> Did they change the floor? >> So, that is an interesting question. The interpretation of the law is that the the county budget commission will certify at 20 mills and then because of House Bill 355 because you've exceeded that deflator and this does not just affect class one or class two property. This affects all property the same because there's only one rate for inside mills. The the tax commissioner will then reduce this inside millillage so that you do not generate more revenue than what that deflator is. I am not an attorney. Uh there are there are some people out there that questions whether or not that is >> constitutionally allowed. Correct. >> Yeah. Constitutional. >> So, >> but this is the way House Bill 335 or Yeah.
0213 35 was written. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I mean, and if the abolished tax thing happens, I mean, this all goes away too, right? >> Yeah. I don't know what the answer is. that the ball of taxing doesn't win. Um >> $2,000 license plate fees. >> Yikes. >> So, you know, it's it's interesting when you guys look at >> Get ready for it. >> when you guys look at your and this is not to oppose or promote any proposed amendment or anything. We're just giving you the factual information that's out there. This is your form of taxation, right? You have class one. This is agricultural residential values. Uh this is class which is going to be businesses and then you have public utility which is those public utility lines and this is taxed at
022the full good rate currently. Obviously for you guys this is a significant source of revenue because this also includes your pipeline revenue. Um there are two there are three ways a school district can receive uh taxes, right? One, it would have to be done at a county level. It could be a sales tax. That have to be done at a county level unless the state did some type of of funding. The other way is split your income tax and then you have property tax and property tax is split up among these groups here. When you go to the um you know an income tax, you have an option of an income tax or an earned income tax. So when you go to either one of those forms of taxation, unlike a municipal income tax or
023a state income tax, it's only on the people that live within the school district >> or work. So the the tax base on a on an income tax >> uh this question public utility companies would not pay any more taxes. >> Ryan, would wouldn't that also include people that live outside the district that are working in the district? >> No. So on school district income taxes, if you I'm sorry, my let me answer your question correctly. I might misspelled. Um if you live in the school district, you pay it. But if you work in the school district, let's say you have a hospital in your district and they don't live in your school district, they do not pay. >> It's only the people that reside in >> too many of our employees who work here
024>> live somewhere else. They don't pay. >> Is that just for school district income? >> If you own property in the school district, um rental property, you also would not pay it. And then obviously businesses don't pay income tax. So you're you're it's the residents and then an earned income tax doesn't affect. So there's certain types of income specifically doesn't affect uh social security is not taxed. >> Ryan, how does that how does that affect uh transfer like um for the earned income tax? Would that be if someone dies and passes that income on to their child? Um >> I have to check. I'm not I don't believe if inheritance tax is >> okay just a question >> that >> what we see in a lot of districts that have income taxes is if um
025you could see girations in the levels from year to year when you have a business get sold and when that business gets sold the the former owner lives in the district you could see a big spike at times there uh believe it or not we've seen quite a few districts when somebody wins the lottery they have there's a big spike in the income there and it goes back down but you Can you get enough just enough information you can't obviously see personal returns if if I >> if I sell my 100 acres of farmland does that mean that I have to pay the income tax on that as well? I believe if that is considered earned income then there would be taxation just like you know like a capital gains almost depending on I think
026it it depends on how that transaction works. I can definitely get >> so if any of our farmer So if any of our farmers want to sell their land they got to pay the income tax on it if we have an earned income tax. >> That's my question. >> Yeah. Historically across the state, income taxes, >> levies and and there's always, you know, anomalies, but are in in high ad value districts is where you more commonly see income taxes. Your urban suburban areas, you typically don't see as many income taxes in those in districts in those areas. >> Ryan, how does it work? If someone works outside the district, they live in the district, they work outside the district, and let's say they pay half a percent income tax. And if the district were to
027pass a half percent income tax, would they pay both of those or just one of them? Isn't Isn't there something? Go ahead. >> I believe they pay both of those. Um, if you live if the municipality you live in has a municipal income tax, um, I believe there's a 1% credit. I I can double check to make sure on that specific question, but I still think I don't think that there's a credit for income tax outside the district, but I can definitely find out for you. >> Okay. >> The other thing for any there's a there's also a big difference besides the pace between property tax and income tax. Um, if you are looking to put an income tax on, you need a longer runway. And the reason is is a property tax, you know,
028you pass it in November, you get half that money uh between, you know, January and June and then you get the full amount the next year. With an income tax, there's a ramp up schedule and it usually takes three to three and a half years to fully collect that income tax amount of money. In the first year, you're typically only getting the withholdings. So, this is people that, you know, work for companies that have the money withheld from their paychecks for one quarter. And then after that, the next year if you get ramped up more and then the third year more and usually by the fourth then you're collecting over collecting um because of how the uh you know payments after taxes the refunds the delinquencies and all those things work. How long >> Thanks
029Ryan. >> Yep. >> Sorry about that. Go ahead. The other thing to be aware of is in specifically in your school district. Um what other areas do you have to to generate revenue? Um you guys are what is considered a guaranteed district for state funding purposes? And what that means is essentially if you combine 1.035 and 1.40 um the state the state has a what's called a guarantee in place. And so you're guaranteed to get at least the same amount of revenue that you got in or 2021. There's two different guarantees. You are on to that guarantee. Pretty heavy. >> But they don't give us a raise for inflation. >> No, >> there's no adjustment for inflation. If you have a guarantee, you simply get I'll show you how far on the guarantee you are.
030>> We're really far in the guarantee. So if there was not a guarantee in place, this line R2 is your guaranteed funding as well as line U. So if they eliminate the guarantee, you would lose $4 million in 27, 5.3, and 28. Um, and so essentially what this means is without a complete change in the funding formula, there's no chance of you getting any additional state funding for foundation purposes. Now, you do receive additional state funding this year. Um, there's a performance, so there's a per pupil adjustment in place. It's not going to move a the dial on the district. You get about $70,000 more next year. Ryan, a question I get from constituents all the time is where's the money from the lottery included in all this? Is that included in our state guarantee
031or did that money just go somewhere else to somebody's pet project? >> Um I I think the the lottery fund does go into a a fund that has historically funded parts of the the budget including education, right? And I um so it's a portion of what funds schools at the state level. Um I I think one of the things because I you know I've heard the same comments. There's a lot of different taxes in place now like when you talk about the sports betting and you talk about the the marijuana tax and >> where's all that >> where gone >> and the state has you know over the last um for the better part of of half a century trying to reduce income tax and I think as a lot of those funds have come
032in of course they fund other areas but they've also um used additional funds to reduce the what they use to generate an income tax to deliver income tax payments. >> So, they're robbing Peter to pay Paul. That is that what they're doing? >> I mean, at the end of the day, right, that that's exactly what you're saying. At the end of the day, the money's got to come from somewhere. So they're they're reducing it in one area and there was uh you know over over 10 years ago there was a an effort not just for school districts but um there was a significant decrease in the local government fund which is for your you know your your townships, your fire departments, your police departments. And that has pushed more pressure also on this this taxing
033um of of property because those especially within the township you only have specific abilities to tax and that's also what's created some of these this pressure on property tax. >> Okay, thanks Ryan. >> Y so um as we look at what has changed since October again we talked about what's changed in in your property taxes. We've talked about you're down a little bit here um because you're on the guarantee. What which you're down here has to do with um preschool and special ed transportation funding and just some changes in in enrollment that affected these dollar amounts here because on the base formula you can't go any lower. And then you are slightly under in all the revenues. We lowered a projection in the forecast as the district is awaiting some uh payment in le of
034tax dollars. um it has in the forecast for quite a few years and it hasn't started collecting yet and so we've lowered the projection for that um until we see those revenues start coming in. >> So do we needcrease here? >> Do we need to call a collection agency or what? No, we're due with with with the departure of Mary Joe Slick and having to get all the paperwork which we now got back, we need to turn that over to another attorney and then now we basically are restarting the process of having to work with the city to figure it out. So, the last thing that since I've been here and with Bob being here is we never want to assume anything that we don't know. So, you know, we don't want to assume a
035payment that we should get from the city. We don't know until this is battled out. So, I would rather take it out of our forecast. Okay. >> Or take it down and make our forecast look a little worse until we know for a fact that we do it right. >> Didn't I ask this question before about do we need to go have someone collect from Alliance? Is this >> You asked the question, but yes, that it is. It's all part of the Meyers. >> Let me just go to the city council meeting and ask them for 150 grand. >> So, we're just we're going to handle it. I'm gonna have we're going to have their lawyers push it that way. >> When's their next city council? Anybody know? >> No. >> But that is why
036that that assumption I we asked Ryan to lower to put the negative and assumption in there is because it was in there in the October. We need to start start decreasing it because we don't know if we're going to get it. >> Nobody else. >> Sorry, Ryan. Go ahead. >> Sorry, Ryan. >> No. So, there's been two major changes in your expenses for 2026. You are on track to spend $369,000 more. Um, one portion of that is in purchase services. The tuition for um students with special needs. Um, as you've been as you've had more of those students that need additional services come into the district in both the form of contracting services as well as has increased this number here. So you're about 219,000 there. And the other um larger piece is the food
037service fund um has a current operating deficit for the current year and the district is going to need to cover that out of the general fund. So that's that's the need to transfer out this 175,000 at the end of this year. Those are the only two major changes. Everything else is trending extremely close to the forecast. What you will notice is moving forward that you have a negative up top here. Um, and that's going to be from efforts from the district and I've been working with the district for quite some time now and each year you guys have implemented a budget reduction plan uh especially more recently. We've had some really done some corrections um the last couple of years and so the district passed additional budget reductions based off of staff retirements hire at
038lower costs um that we've included in here. So that's going to generate about 300 almost $375,000 in savings starting next year. that's going to offset the increase in purchase services as well as help offset some of the loss in revenue that you're experiencing um from the items we just talked about. So, what does this look like for the district? Um I like to look at this view here because it kind of gives you a summary of where your balance is, what your revenue looks like, what your expenses look like, and if you have a balanced budget or not. the district is is is as of right now February. We still have five months to go. Um this includes everything through January. You're within $134,000 of having balanced budget and because those two um expense line
039items um it's kind of not the reason why you don't have a balanced budget right now, but there is a chance by the year depending on how things >> on the expense side flush out. May this may be changed a little bit and then moving forward you can see about a half million dollar operating deficit next year and you can see as it grows your cash balance. So when when you guys said is there any good news? Um I I I you know I work with a lot of districts and because of of the way you guys have managed your budget up until now it's you don't have an exorbitant cash balance right that's not very large and the way you continue to keep managing your budget. Um you know there's there's trouble on the
040horizon once you got out get out in 2030. you start to spend more significant 28, but overall you guys have been able to weather the storms historically and just continuing to look for cost savings moving forward, I think, um, to help address these. But you do have, you know, you do have some financial stability for the next couple of years. There's districts I'm working with right now that are not going to end 26. This number down here is not going to be positive. >> Didn't they cap that number of what we can have in reserve anyways? And then they change. Um there was proposed legislation. Um to answer your question, it's in the it's in the county commissioner's hands. Um they can reduce taxes if your cash balance gets above a certain level. They can
041also restrict you from putting any type of levy on the ballot. Should your cash balance get above a certain level, you are well well below what that level would be. But to answer your question, yeah, there is some limitations in place now um and and things the tax budget commission could do should you have too large of a cash balance. >> Not a lot of good news there. >> Well, the good news is we always seem to be three years out a million and a half in the hole and we always figure it out. You go back 10, you go back 10 of these things and find that three years from now, we're going to be a million and a half in the hole. And every year we get to that year and all of
042a sudden we're $150,000 in the hole. Now, part of that is because of what this board has done, what Dan's done, and Bob's done. Uh, so we'll see where it goes when it gets there, I guess. Thanks, Ryan. >> I mean, I think the most difficult thing is what you guys kind of saw happen this year. um that has the state funding form is only good for two years and then these changes in you know tax reform. If you go back seven years ago, eight years ago and somebody would have said, "Hey, we're going to have you know um CO happened, nobody would have believed that. No planned for that." And then if anyone would have said, "Hey, we're going to have this housing boom where we see values go up as high as 70%."
043That's never been experienced. And so the most important thing to do is as you see these changes coming, adjust your forecast accordingly. >> Um, and just keep your eye on the next two years and and and the more you do that, you can hopefully be able to adjust for these unexpected things. Now, like you said, if the the abolishment of property taxes went through, that's I'm not sure what you would do in that case. Um, more estate collusion there. Everybody goes to the lake >> or lions. >> Okay. >> Well, thank you, Ryan. >> For Ryan. >> Thank you, Ryan. >> All right. If you guys have any other questions, send me an email and uh Bob and Dan, I'll try and get you some more information on income tax, but those specific questions. >>
044We did. We uh I have some stuff to review with them that I got from the how department taxation just from a general talking point. So, >> sounds good. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thanks, Ryan. >> Thank you. >> The reason why I asked Ryan some of those questions about the laws because all those things happened right after October, November, December. And Ryan, you know, when he spoke to the county group and us privately because we, you know, obviously he works for the board, it it took their team upwards of 24 hours just to try to put together a thought process of how to evaluate each district because they're so uniquely different. um you know like he said there's been cost-saving measures put in place which is correct you know and I'm
045usually the most optimistic person in the room and yes the forecast we typically always trend by year four and five I always say it's like throwing a dart don't worry about it look at the first three years we are at a point now where you know I see our district is pretty much at a flatline point you know we are not a district of 2800 kids anymore we're not a district of 2,000 kids anymore. You know, our class sizes is going to flatline right where they are. They've consistently shown this for the last seven or eight years now of about 125 to 130 kids. So, we got about two more years of a larger classes say at our high school until our district's going to probably be where it's going to be, which is roughly
046about 1600,650 kids. So with that, instead of being 2,000 kids, we have, you know, kind of through attrition for the most part been able to, you know, like I said, absorb those staff. So 34 staff. In the last three years, we're looking at another six or seven. This year we're looking at over 40 staff and well over $3 million. And and again, you have inflation, you have different reasons. Now you tack on the new property tax reform where because we've been good stewards and we didn't necessarily have to ask for money. If they would if the legislators just would have left us alone, >> we'd be fine. >> We would be fine. >> But they didn't. >> And as a conservative myself, it's very hard to say, but at the end of the day, they
047it's it's truly amazing what how this has transformed public schools. We I made a promise when I sat in my community meetings in the fall that when they asked, "So you guys are going to be running for a levy?" No. I said, I I I firmly believe we can we need to wait, if possible, we need to weather at least two more years because we want to see what this next trienal will be and then obviously what the budget's going to be from the legislators. Now, they could fix school funding and we could be fine >> or they could make it worse. I don't know. So that's why I said we can weather the next two years, but we I feel it's imperative to start and I don't even know how to start having those
048talks with the board and the community of say two years from now if nothing changes and the legislation stays the same or gets worse, what do we do? you know, and so if you turn on your backside, I it was in Columbus. You guys, like I said, it's one of the reasons why I spent so much time in Columbus lately is I never thought I'd become a, you know, a politician for public schools, but Bob and I talked about this. I was talking to an attorney and we called the Ohio Department of Taxation. So, if you go on the second sheet, you'll see in the front sheet, it kind of explains the difference between an traditional income tax and an earned income tax, what it is. If you turn on the second sheet, it kind
049of gives you, you know, at a rate. Now, don't look at by law, which is really funny. It goes up in eighs, 1/8. You can't actually ask for eighs. You just really go quarters. All right? So, just eliminate some of those. It kind of says what a traditional earned income tax would be or an income tax versus an earned. And I'm not advocating for anything. I just think that when you when you talk with Ryan Gazini and you talk to professionals in the finance field in law, Marlington isn't really designed for property taxes for the most part because it's so rural. It's really designed if you really want to ever have a chance of passing it due to the nature of the A and the nature that you have 80% of your population that probably
050does not have kids in school. It's just a a generational thing that if you really want to protect them and protect your your your agriculture, you really need to consider at some point in time down the road if you have to an income tax or an earned income tax. So it kind of just gives it like let's just say like Josh said if you just asked for a small just a half a point five you know that that would and earned would be about like $1.7 million. But like Ryan said and I didn't know this till he said it. It's not like a property tax where you pass it and then you see the money. You got to prepare not only your taxpayers, but you got to prepare in your financial forecast that you're only
051going to see bits and pieces for about 18 to two 18 months to two years. So, you got to be able to weather the storm before it happens. Um, and I only gave you this as anformational only because the only way you get is through the Ohio Department of Taxation. This isn't something that you call up Angela Kinsley, our auditor, or John Oats. That's for property. They do on the property side of the world because that's our property. Ohio apartment taxation deals in this part of the world. So, I really have nothing more to add. I'm not asking there's going to be nothing coming from me again except for, you know, in the next year or so based on how our forecasts pan out, there's going to have to, you know, if it's a if
052we're trending the right way, great. But if we're continuing to trend and we're running out of ways to rightsize the ship without truly affecting education and as you saw it there, special education is not going away. This is a countywide thing. This is a statewide thing. It's very costly to educate. It continues to go up based on inflation. Way higher than we're going to get. >> I do love how they mandate we do this stuff but then take the money >> take the money away from us. >> Correct. And >> yep, that's the great state government >> and this is what we talk about. But when he talks about purchase, service or tuition out, we're talking about the kids that we can't physically educate here because we don't have the ability to do it. We're
053just not big enough. And that number has grown. And I'll give you a a great example right now is, you know, we open we're opening kindergarten registration tomorrow. And in preschool right now, we have 24 kids that are currently have some type of learning disability already. They're in preschool. They're not. They're five or going to be five. 24. They're all our kids. So, we know for sure without even the ones that were unaware, they were inheriting 24 students that are going to need some very specific supports that we need to give them because that's what they need. And some of those supports are very challenging and some of those are going to cost a significant amount amount of money. And this this is not going away. So, it's and this is nothing that we can
054control. You can't say, "Hey, Dan, cut this." You can't legally do it. >> Dan, I think you didn't say either. Was it six this year and then you're talking 24 this year? >> Well, six of the six of the 24. Yeah. Like typically when I was a principal at Washington, you might get one and it's speech related, which is very common for children in the ages of four and five. You know, their articulation, their phonics, and so forth. as a previous special ed director, you know, when Nick comes and gives this news to me, you know, it's news you don't, you know, he can't control it, but it's still news that you have to learn how to kind of adjust with that. So, that's why that line's on there. We can't, we told him, we
055can't assume less money to make our forecast look better. We got to assume that this is going to be an ongoing trend that we're going to have to deal with right now. How that looks. Um, and the final thought is on your last piece, and I asked Bob, Bob and I had an extensive conversation about this. So, obviously, you know, we we we do bring in another $1.8 million and and I guess you let's make it layman term nexus money or public utility money into the into the budget and we immediately transfer it out. So, it doesn't exist in our five-year forecast. Okay. So, if you left $1.8 8 million in our 5year forecast. Obviously that no we're not fine even that with now we're not fine but it it definitely changes the view right
056away the trajectory immediately. Okay. And again I am not changing a thing. I'm just pointing out a fact. But what I did talk about, Bob, to play it safe, I think because you guys have done so much with the roofs and the pavements and the lighting, and we've gone and worked on cement and other projects, which I think we need to continue to do. Um, we're going to talk about all this here in a minute, like summer projects potential, which is part of the other half of the meeting. But inside of that 070, I think it'd be good, and this is just a draft of ideas of maybe we just start taking that money and setting it aside for projects. So, let it build. Okay? So, it'll be more of a board decision. So, if
057you look on there, let's just give a broad example, you know, in December 1st of 2027. So that's what 18 months maybe. We are debtree. That's our last payment for the loan lease program for the elementaryaries. All right. >> Sounds good. >> You're basically saying, hey, you're bringing in your next fiscal year 27. >> December 1st is our last payment. 2027. >> So we're actually in 2028 fiscal year, right? >> Ending fiscal year 2027. Yes. Starting fiscal year 2028. Correct. >> Okay. But I thought maybe moving forward, let's just take a look at things from HVAC to general repairs, the buses, the bus garage, the kitchen, cafeteria, arts, paving, athletics, tech, online curriculum, reserve, whatever. Let's just Bob kind of >> Yeah. took some as we get into this, I just want to clarify a
058couple things, too. This is a very rough draft in the sense like these numbers um and so on are really you can just say placeholders. It's more about starting the concept here of u within the accounting system we can take the 070 fund the capital projects fund and set up special cash buckets you could say where we have a special cost center for each of these things. And what that allows us to do is to maintain and monitor a cash balance from year to year. So this is really kind of brainstorming to say okay what kind of uh how would we like to organize or group this if we want to keep track of individual projects or individual savings types things within the capital projects fund instead of kind of more the one number this
059covers any capital projects but more break that down more specifically. So we can move these numbers around and the thing that that's helpful I think with this is it gives us kind of a visual to say okay um take take something larger um that we want to do in the future what will it take to get there and how soon can we do this project with knowing at this point in time planning on 1.9 million in pipeline money coming into 070 how would we divvy that up >> you could look at it and say, "Hey, you know, paving here, why don't we postpone that a year? We can move that money to the next year and see how much." >> We also have money coming in through the PI fund. >> We do. We do.
060>> There's also 600,000. That's not in that. That's is just 070. >> Yeah. The PI fund uh because uh there's um the permanent improvement levy. >> Some taxes associated with the pipeline ultimately get there as well too because it's it's a type of property. So um yeah, PI's just it's a separate fund altogether. This is really to focus in on what's generated by the the uh >> please understand in our PI fund that $580 or $600,000 you're still talking about a large portion that we use instantaneously for our custodial day-to-day operations. We do have drinking fountains that go down and floor scrubbers and vacuum cleaners and and and chemicals and materials and you know different things that break all the time that is not something that's brought to the board's attention when you're talking about
061$100 here or $500 here or a thousand here. It's those all come out of that PI fund that's directly related to improvement or maintain your current facilities which is what that's used for. >> Yeah. >> You know on top of that. So this is again a draft. This is by no means set at all. This is just a presentation to you to look over the next month >> or longer and just say, "Hey, maybe add another line. There's something that I think would be good for us to save for the long-term future for that >> or not." This is all kind of a He took kind of what we typically budget and just we kind of thought of different things that we key in on. >> So, if you look on there, you see one
062item which I want to bring up. You see esports. Josh and I about three years ago probably about three years ago. >> Three years ago, looked into it feeling that would be a good addition at our high school, middle school if we could for a lot of our kids. So, we toured, where did we tour? Lewisville. >> Lewisville. >> Alliance. >> What? Anyways, we toured two or three schools and did an estimation. We talked about this. At the end of the day, we didn't have the funding at the time, but Bob was I told Bob as we got the jewel settlement in or money that we got, you guys remember from the vape bean and the some of the social media litigation from the France, just let's just hold it. We're at the point now
063where we've got enough in there to really the only cost is the startup. That's the only cost to an esports program outside of the small stipen you pay the coach. Startup is roughly around $25,000. I think we're at the point now where we can't give something back to our students or an ad. Um, every school in our county has esports that I'm aware of. Uh, we have Mount Union to partner with for support. Um, we did have an employee that runs the program that was here, AJ Digby, but if the board's okay with it, we're we will probably be next meeting or maybe next month once we get a little bit more finer detail. We'll give you the fine details of it and the total cost. We'll be looking for a possible board approval to
064add that as a sport. So, just it's out there. Y'all let me know. It's not going to cost us anything. >> Famous last words. >> It's not going to cost us anything. >> Any questions on the forecast issue? >> No. Many comments, but not questions. So, we'll just move on. Okay. Uh, >> yeah, it's 20 after >> they're going to come flag us. >> Okay. >> So, by chance we have to recess for 10 minutes. They said that wrestling does not directly run on time. So, I don't want to stop in that. >> Uh, >> here we go. >> You asked prior to doing this, you asked about the abolish taxes. So, I do obviously spend at least twice a month. I'm in legislative meetings now in Columbus. I as a superintendent I even think
065the board on a legal standpoint is not allowed to promote or condone as a whole as a group. There isn't like something you guys could pass a resolution and say one way or another just as a general train of thought. One thing that I know you will get as we will get will be facts and that facts are coming. Thank you. Perfect. And those facts like those facts f factes those facts you know I will be able to give to you to share with taxpayers and people in the community because right now they're blindly being led by say let's schools you know what your property taxes you know you read in the newspaper let's say oh it really affects schools but where what's going to come out really quickly is the group that's down there
066is how it affects schools libraries hospitals your roads roads, your township, your sewer, your fire, your police, and it affects all our bonds in the state. So those roads, these schools, these businesses and buildings are all built or, you know, bought on bonds. And once that property tax goes away, those bonds go defunct. It folds up our state. >> That'd be bad. >> So those things are going to come out and people are going to be like, "Wow." And then, you know, as the fire and the police and the township speak out, all these things are being very well put together with the legislators right now. And they're just going to be very upfront with it. Because right now, it's very easy to see like, hey, why wouldn't you think that? I don't want to
067pay property tax. I own my home. I've lived here for 50 years. You know, I don't want to pay property taxes. Well, property taxes fix your roads and your sewers. Property tax is why you get an ambulance. It gets to your house, why you have fire, why you have police. It's not just tell the schools to go live within their means. So, >> it's not about advocating for it or not or condoning. It's about here's going to be the facts and here's going to be the cost because what's going to happen is your income and your sales tax in the state of Ohio is going to go through the roof. >> Y >> we're going to lose all those businesses like which Ryan said the reason why you robbed Peter to pay Paul as you
068said they're basically taking the additional money and that's how they've got our income tax so low to drive in these businesses to be able to care make our state do better. So these are conversations that we have down there businesses. >> So it's it's not about if you like it or not. It's just about what are the consequences one way or another. So those things will be coming and we'll be able to share that with you soon. >> Okay. >> You guys are good. We'd like to take roughly about a 10 to 12 minute break. We're going to go up and do our senior wrestling night and then we come back and review summer projects and then we can get out of here. >> Okay. >> Sounds good. >> All right. We have to make
069a motion to >> make a motion to adjourn or take a break. Recess. Sorry. >> Recess. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Wow. >> Second. >> Fourth. >> Fifth. >> Bobby, you take >> punches. Just pick one. >> All right. Ready for roll call? >> Yeah. Roll call. Sorry. >> Mr. Ryan. >> Yes. >> Mr. Swift. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hagen. >> Yes. >> Miss Humphre. >> Yes. >> Miss Krepco. >> Yes. >> Okay. There it was. two. >> Okay, we're back. >> You got back in. >> Yeah. >> Okay, back in at 6:42. >> All right. I do appreciate the board going up there and doing our senior wrestling night. I know the families appreciate uh with the with the board members there treasur and oursel alto together. >> Yep. >> All right. So the
070second half uh probably won't be nearly as long but in front of you I gave you a book as I as I try to do every year a pamphlet of potential uh things that maybe we see throughout the district that could or could not be done. By no means does any of this have to be done. And that matter of fact I'll talk about that a little bit. So, I kind of Josh and I did have a meeting as uh probably right about a month ago. We kind of went through these projects. I told him, you know, different, you know, we're just trying to get quotes and things put together uh or items at the board for consideration or I may recommend coming in the next meeting. So, if you kind of take a look
071and you know, paving is obviously something that we've been targeting and targeting and targeting and we've done a pretty good job of getting to the point of I want to say like 90% there. Um, one of the things that they didn't, it isn't a Ryan Kazone type thing, but as you and part of House Bill 186, and there's another House bill was that the law has changed to make it more more difficult for public schools when it comes to buildings and grounds initiatives. So, it used to be a law would allow the district if it wasn't connected to a building or part of the instructional part of the day. I could go and get bids as we did, the board approves those bids and we do our paving projects. Okay? Or lighting. >> Now, that's
072no longer the case. >> So, now it's, you know, it has to you have to go out and seek formal bids through the blind bidding process or through a consortium and so forth. All right. So this law just passed within the December January time frame, you know, or goes in is already in effect. So as we as you look at things here, when we're talking about paving or any project at all, please understand that if it goes over an extreme threshold, the timeline changes. It isn't something like I could bring the next meeting and say, "Will the board approve uh this project?" Because we'd have to go through the bidding and the consortium process. All right. So, we did get bids from two different companies on paving this year because usually we go through Vasco,
073so it's kind of starting that process. Uh, Vasco is the one we've been using. We do also have another local company um, you know, Jeffrey's construction. So, they uh, did a very nice work out there at Marorrow that they donated time, you know, when they did the excavating and the help with the put in of the playground and obviously that. So, we kind of did some quotes on that originally. uh the quotes kind of came back indifferent. So Al and I got into a little bit and Josh and I talked about this because we didn't have it at the time. We wanted more of it wasn't apples to apples like so uh Vasco was doing two inches and maybe Jeff was doing an inch and a half. So you know Jeffre came in a lower
074number why that's not really a fair comparison. So we basically sent back everything to Jeff and asked them to rebid based on the set of scope of standards and then came back and everything came back pretty even for the most part. All right, that I can tell you. Uh so the we just kind of wanted to square away the scope of work, you know, and Josh and I had that conversation like yeah, it isn't fair, you know, you you can't say half inch is a half inch the significant difference when it comes to that. >> Um chime in Josh if I'm wrong. I think that's what we talked about, right? Doing that. So, >> uh, so we looked at various things from overlays to milling to what it would look like. We have Lexington's elementary
075playground. I'm just telling you that's out there that we haven't touched. We have Lexington's Elementary employee lot. That's the lot off the front there. Haven't touched. Does probably need some work, but we haven't touched it. Washington Elementary's back area. And I'm talking way back in the back area back there. It just kind of like like a chip and seal I think is what's probably been back there. Uh it's it's a larger area. Uh that's just the price. It's not anything I'll be honest with you. It's not an to me a urgent necessity or something that I would recommend right now. But that's that's there. Uh Washington Elementary's front loop. We did kind of uh do like a seal on it a few years ago. We did a seal on it, but at some point in
076time we can continue to do that. That's just if we change it out. Marorrow's front loop there. U also is the last big piece out there, you know, but not a lot, but there's something, you know, we can that's that was on there. Uh obviously then we have Lexington Elementary just like a resurface. We have a resurface of an old playground at Lexington. uh the back parking lot like as a resurface and there's just different things versus resurface versus milling out grindings and doing over. So the price obviously significantly drops. The reason I want you to keep this book is I want you to kind of over the ne you know within the next month we're going to we got to if there's some items that you say hey this is something I really think
077that we need to vote on as a board I'm fine with that and I'll come I'll give some recommendations here towards the end and and then obviously you guys have any comments like that I just want to kind of get through this. So that's kind of the all we have left on paving outside of we just need to keep up with it now. Like I said we have to keep up with it. Now let me bring to light here about paving. if you go all I'll get to that at the end. There is a something else that Basco brought up which I thought was good. So anyways, the quotes are tied into that in pictures of what we're talking about with the paving. So that's why that section's a little bigger, but I just kind
078of put everything up front. >> You go to lighting. Uh our lighting's getting a lot better. Um so >> we talk about lighting for the back side of Washington. >> That's what that's what we're talking about here. So, uh, it it's dark all the way around. So, we are looking at some lighting options and I'm hoping to put it in here. Didn't pull my other book. >> Uh, >> yes. Sorry. Right in the front. So, you have here different quotes based on the building. So Lexington, you still have about 45,000. Washington about 59,000. Marboral about 43,000. So we I just kind of want to take a good hard look. We're good over here. This campus we pretty much got covered. >> We've done a good job. >> But I just wanted to take a look
079at the elementary. So we just took a night tour >> and kind of said what's what's really dark. >> Okay. And then take a look. Not that we need to change anything. It's just >> there is some available options there. um fencing. So the only thing in f fencing we had to kind of look around. Let's just give you example. Our baseball field fence is completely up like 6 in over the wear and tear over the last 30 years. So basically baseballs just roll underneath. It is something that we at some point need to address. Not >> not a keeps you at that but it you know so that is there. I just said >> um Marboral though the EPA said around their uh septic the fencing is not adequate or needs to be done.
080So that's going to be one that I will be recommending for next meeting. Okay. This is one that has to be done out there. Um, just so you know, that's just a >> probably >> Well, the the fencing company we used to use was a local company. They kind of went out of business, so we just >> kind of made some calls, >> right? >> So, we had Superior Fencing come out and just give us kind of an idea of what we're talking about. It's like the next page. There you go. It's the bottom. >> Oh, 67709. >> Yeah. 6779. >> Yes, you did. >> Where did I evening echoing in here? >> And there's more additional. It's actually more than that yet. If you actually continue on the baseball field, the next page, you
081got the 5ft one. That's another 10,000. Not not anything yet. Now, the wastewater treatment plant, the APA requires this fence to be installed. So, that one is at a cost of $8,524. That's out there and has a picture out of Marorrow how that would look. That is something that I would be making some type I would be making that as a recommendation has to be done as that is required. >> Uh Washington Elementary obviously around the back has some uh chain link fence that is uh just completely probably 30 or more plus years old. That's roughly around a 13,000. I don't know that necessarily needs done. It's just something we want to look at. We kind of to look kind of took a good look at our fencing around the district. Um, again, something at
082Washington. That's really our fencing needs. It's not extensively bad, but the baseball being the biggest one. Uh, track will be a big one when we when we get to the point have to do the track in the next two years or so and take a look at that. That's going to be one. The fencing has to go with that, too. So, uh, we talked a little bit about abatement. That's always on the plate. You know, luckily, you know, when I we suggested last year when we had to remember Lexington had to a few days early, the kids got out a few days early and we we got all the the ceiling in and we're in good shape. I told you that would stop us from ever having to shut down a building. That does, but
083at the end of the day, we still have abatement needs. Not saying that it's an urgent necessity, not saying we need to move forward with something, but we do want to look at that. So, what we did ask for was basically like a six-wing classroom, you know, which was about $94,000. So if you turn then you turn the page and it kind of gives you that section of Lexington. That was an example of like a six-wing or square footage area of a baby. >> Um the preschool area. >> Yes. So just always looking at different things. But of course anytime you do that you got to get into the drop ceiling portion of it. So you turn the page and you get in the drop ceiling. Basically for the same type of square footage, you
084know, 35 feet by 23 and a half feet or 35 by 23, you know, any of those you're looking at roughly around, you know, 20 $24,000, you know, when you're you're talking about that. Um, and then there's a grid cost. So again, just costs. Uh when you get into miscellaneous, the first one you see is from grinders. This was just a general question I asked here. So as you guys have seen what we've done with the grant money. So you go to the the room down there for the uh the coating. You see how the ceiling's black with the new LED lighting and then the paint. Then we had extra additional money. So for like 40 or 50,000 we if you guys saw the engineering room, we recarpeted just painted. We didn't drywall like we
085did down there, but then we used the black ceiling tile with the new LEDs. Basically, I just had a general question to them. I said, you know, since, you know, what would it take to start picking away at our high school ceiling tile to the black with the LED lighting? Because we always do painting and I know we're looking at painting in the more of the gray tones and things like that, you know, and not this room in particular, but where the drop ceiling currently is, which is our entire high school, you know, what was that? So they they kind of just gave, >> you know, like they said if we had to if we had to pick a hallway. All right. And and this varies because if depending on the grid, if the grid's
086good, which she says ours is good, they just reuse it. They don't have to buy grid. They just spray it. Okay? And if it's not, then they have to replace it. So they did the rest. And then obviously do you want to do 20 twoft x two foot tile or do you want to keep your current three by your twoft by 3ft tile and then like that and then the lighting. So with the lighting and what it is like if you wanted to do like a whole section of our hallway we have three hallways. You're probably looking at like 44,000 a section. They said you could break it up over three years. You have most of your high school completely done. You know and it would change the aesthetics and the environment. Something to think
087about. It was just a you know the kids talk about it a lot. It changes the feel when you walk in, things like that. So, it's it's just one of those. And then we start you you tackle rooms. This building's not going anywhere. You know, just it is that um if you turn the page on that, Basco has suggested that we need to start thinking about even though we just did the parking lot, we need to start thinking about making sure we're sealing it. You can't just let it go >> until he cracks. >> Okay? >> So, they make their money. >> You can't let it go. seal it. >> Come on. >> Well, they make more money if you don't get enough. >> So, if you turn to page, they have different ceiling things
088based on what the what it is on that location. Like front lot in the yellow on the picture, that's about 30,000. Then if you go to the front lot in the red, that's about only 12,000. Uh if you know, if you're doing a different section of that lot, it's about 12,000. So, it's just and it tells what it is. So, it's it talks about the square square footage on there. All things I think worth considering and making sure we're maintaining the lots that we just did that. >> Can't we just get like a backpack sprayer for Al and send them out there like >> I I don't I don't think so, but that's just >> we alliance to come out with the chip and seal truck that move. >> So, they that's in that uh
089>> so again some just some food for thought. please let me know and I'll come up. But it's not anything extensive. The next page is uh one that I will be making a recommendation for. Uh is the middle school gym floor. Um it's shot. It just wobbles. It's a it's it's a great Lego set that we did when I was middle school principal. It was it was great. It served its purpose. >> Um >> that floor was never >> It worked. It was never >> uh >> we did get we get we called different, you know, and I I called different flooring companies that we linked up with. This one was uh extremely reasonable at $72,000 for the entire middle school floor. It's beyond reasonable to be honest with you. Um it'll be very similar
090to the mall center floor except a little nicer because it's years later, you know, it'll be a lay down foam like about this. It'll be a little better on the kids' feet. Then they do like a pour over top of it, whatever color. And then you put your lines in, you know, for Marlington and your M and all that stuff like that. >> Oh, poor. >> So, right, turn the page and you get like how the pore and what it looks like. And then you get your colors and you can choose from. So, that would be one. Uh, the following page is Ohio floor's quote, which was significantly higher. They were at 117,000. >> Um, obviously while they were here, I asked Ohio floor to give us a quote for the Mullen Center, which they
091I was just curiosity. I didn't ask the other company to do it. I should have, but they were at 275. We're not going to do anything with that. I was just giving you guys a a heads up. And then obviously the high school floor, we are curious. Ohio floor is the main floor company. We were a little curious on our high school floor because that's the original high school floor. So, as we sand and grind it and redo it, how much more can we go? Where is it to the point where you're just at? So, you got to look under the door jam and you kind of look and see how much life is left in your your hardwood floor. So, we're we're limited on light, but we're okay. So, but if you're looking at
092a sand a smooth layout and try to keep it going that and we pretty much do we're still okay, but they just gave a quote that was around $37,000. Um the fin the final project is has been on on my mind uh for about three or four years and I've kind of wanted to see how the legislators played out. So, they played out. Okay. Okay, they've kind of done what I waited to see would happen and I wanted to see where we ended up on our cuts and what we could do or couldn't do. So, we have, you know, uh the existing M center, which is great shape. It is going to need a new floor at some point. We know this, you know, and paint, but that that's one of the issues that I
093have that I was told was the Mullen Center was built for the community except you don't let the community in. >> That's, you know, in a nutshell. Uh obviously our wrestling program has expanded. Um you had the wrestlers, you know, team come speak to the board. You know, we're looking at options behind our middle school based on how they fund raise or not. You know, what they could do there to expand a little bit from that aspect of it. Um all our kids benefit from using our weight room and but our community can't enjoy that either because it just doesn't fit the size and scope of what we need to do. So I uh I kind of looked into the picture of saying what would it be if you come off the side of the
094mall center there towards the tennis courts if you did a little bit of a addition when it comes to our weight room that can that for our kids and our community and what it would be for a potentially we have no locker space at all for any of our sports with the exception of football on the outside sports period you know or just a general space. So the first page is two pictures essentially what that could look like and then the la the third page is basically a rough design of what it would look like and that's pretty much where it ends. And then the next two pages would be just if you just did a wait room. They're each about 3,000 square feet. Nowhere am I saying I want the board to pay the
095cost of this. Okay. What I'm what I'm leaning at is if it's if it's a project for our kids and not one sport, I believe the board should be just as much as part of paying for it as the community in my opinion. So, a commercial cost, there's no way to really know the exact cost of this building except to do a a high commercial cost according to the contractor because you if you really want to know, you have to hire an architect. the architect's got to come in and really do its due diligence and how that's going to look and that costs a significant amount of money. So, you know, under this case, you know, we just went with the high end of 250 to 350 a square foot on a commercial land. So,
096if you set a 6,000 square foot building or around that building would roughly be around probably $1.4 million because some of it doesn't need anything. It's just basically a bone structure. Like a weight room is really just windows, doors, and then you get your weights. But if you're getting into the other side of the locker rooms and showers and other things on that side of it or that you're adding a little bit more extensive when it comes to the excavation and you andor your water. So you got to go in that range. Um my proposal is even in light of you know our I think we you know we we we've made the appropriate cuts our forecast is basically still stays trending the same way it always has in the last four years. I don't
097want to rush the gun and say hey let's go do this or anything like that. My proposal is is that if the board's is okay with that, I would allow the booster club to fund raise at least 700 or $800,000 of this project and then we would set aside the we would set aside dollar fordoll match, you know, because we had that's what basically when we looked at the line items and our capital improvements, if you look at one on there, >> if I said let's set aside, can we set aside that and do that >> because it's only You know, where is it that you want to do something for kids, but you don't you want the you want to uh basically go to the community and say, "No, you take care of it
098all. I don't believe that." >> Well, some will be for if the community needs it, but other than that, then it'll be used for baseball, softball, football, track, cross country. >> What if they're all at the same time? >> I guess I haven't crossed that bridge, but we there'll be there's a couple locker rooms in there. I'm just That's a fair question. >> I got a I got a couple other questions. >> Fire. >> Um, we have a turf field that's going to need redone and paid for somehow. We got the high school gym floor in the next five, six years that we're going to need to pay for and you showed us the cost on that. You've mentioned before that the track at some point in time will need resurface. Um, and is there
099any improvement that's going to be needed done to either the home or visitor side of the high school stadium? And what are all because those are typically things that we fundraised for in the past. And my only question is going to be are we overloading our donors. That's a that's a that's a lot of stuff right there. >> It is. >> How are we going to pay for it? >> So, when it comes to You don't have to answer that. >> No. No. But I got I can give you a very general like I've thought about the same thing. I'm like you guys. I think ahead like what what does our future see? No different than that. So obviously we have a turf a turf fund that we set aside since the day the board
100approved the turf, built the turf that pays into it. We have the rental fees and that. So I think currently in our turf fund we're a little over $300,000 going into it. The goal would be by the time we have to get turf replaced, we're going to have probably about 500,000 already on a set aside for that. >> Now, what's the cost of that? >> Well, currently if we had a we didn't we did a combination. So, we think it's probably about 750 for replace cost right now. >> Okay. >> So, that's just something where and I'll get to the fundraiser part in a second. Just give you an idea. >> Our track, we had them come out and evaluate our track. Our track is roughly 20 years old I think because it was done
101when Lou Ramuno was here if you remember Lou. So when Tony Scott >> Correct. So Lou >> So >> right so Lou basically had the track redone just for that answer the answer that Jonathan that would have been 20 20 19 or 20 20 years ago. >> Uh yeah the state graduated. So, we can get >> Yeah, >> we can get probably another two, three at best, but probably two is our goal for track. >> Um, at that cost, you're probably looking, they said you'll go full grind down and do over. So, you're you're probably looking at another 600 plus thousand. So, take take that aside. You know, we also have all our signage, which is what we use for a bulk of our fundraising. Most of those signages are all coming up due, which
102we have a list of. Okay. >> So, part of the booster club's job is going to be moving into that aspect of it is who wants to re-up the signs, okay? And then who doesn't? And then there's obviously other people that want in on the signs. Of course, it won't be the same cost as it was 10 years ago. You know, there is inflationary cost for having the basic type of sign you want, the size of your sign, and where that is. So, we're actually putting together a package of what that would look like. So, the booster club has an idea because the booster club is going to have to build a committee just for the science. Nothing to do with this particular project because the board is if you know, if the board's like,
103"No, I'm I'm completely out. You know, I don't want you to do this at all." That's fine. But I I just want the ability to give it to the booster club to at least go out there and try to fund raise that money. I'm not asking to do anything because even if they could fund raise $800,000 then we then it isn't even then you have to be able to say okay we're going to move forward but then you got to go through the whole bidding process the architect process this is not something that oh here's something for 2026 this is just something I foresee that I'd like to see for our kids here whenever that money can come rise but I didn't want to leave it out there because it's just it it's when you
104visit and I know people say You don't compare apples to apples. I do. I compare us to a Manurva. I compare us to a West Branch or a Fairless or a Claymont or, you know, other school, Salem. You want to go visit those schools with me, that's fine. What's the main thing they've done in the last 5 years? Added an additional wellness center or wait room because your kids need it. And on top of it, I want to make it open to the community. I don't want to sell this as this is from Arlington. I'd like to have it. You know, there will be a >> Are we gonna have an attended there? >> I would. My goal would be if it ever if it would come to fruition, we would have an attendant. It
105would be for Marlington residents only. >> You have to show your >> You'd have to show ID. You'd have to do that. It would open up at 5:30 in the morning. Other districts do this. You know, it's not out of the norm here. You go to Lake, you can you're intermixing with kids and students all day long. >> That be a paid position role. >> It'd be it'd be a bad be position. It wouldn't be anything extensive. I mean, you can go to >> Fitz Zone and Alliance where they're paying, you know, they got high school kids that run it or early college kids. You're not paying, you know, it's just it's just >> correct. You know, you just got to have somebody there. Obviously, there'd be times where it be shut down because our
106kids need it for weight room facilities. And again, I don't have any of those logistics work out. This is what I would call the very large brainstorming stage. Okay? >> No, nowhere am I saying this is a a done deal. Nowhere am I I don't get that option. that is more of you guys saying, "Hey, we need to ask more questions." I just don't want I just don't want you if you guys are saying no, 100% out, then then it's just dead in the water. It is what it is. But if I if you say no, you can go ahead and ask the booster club to put together a committee. And if they choose to go out and fund raise and if they can come up with 7 $800,000, well, now that's a different conversation
107to have with the board. >> What I'd like to see and do we we didn't answer the stadium. >> Stadium's okay. teams. Okay, >> we're good. >> Okay. I I'd like to see kind of a comprehensive breakdown of the field, the high school gym floor, the track, and the Mullen Center, the new Mullen Center. Kind of put that in one package and say this is our plan this year. This, this year, this, this is how much the school wants to give. This is how much we think we can raise from donors. Is that fair? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And that might take me a few months or more. That's I I mean I mean I think >> I don't have any magic donors like I could say you know I mean >> no this
108I don't know how much of this money we planned in the past for to field and for the like I said we got 300 in the bank to cover $750,000. >> Well it's still growing. We still have people that owe that are paying like they normally are. So we kind of know where we're at for the completion. But that was I think I wasn't part of that original discussion, but I think when that was said and done with the board, it was you know you will start a fund separately. So as the turf deal gets used by community groups that are not Marlington and or what gets paid back that is owed that money goes in there because you are at some point going to have to returf. >> I mean and if we've got
109a major donor that says yeah I'll give you half the money for the Mullen Center then that changes the conversation. >> Correct. And I don't I'm just saying I don't want to like anything else. You don't, you know, I got to make sure you're in a loop that it's okay to ask the booster club to do it. I'm not allowed to do it. >> It's ethically and morally. And according to my lawyer, your the attorney, you cannot, it's not my job to go out there and fund raise. >> So, can we can we go back to the discussion about the community involvement being able to use it? >> Yes. Because I know when the Mullen Center, this is before I was here, Mullen Center was supposed to be community and we kind of aren't able
110to open it up because of all the activities. If we were to do this and say the community's able to use it, I think that would be a big a big uh rally cry for people to support it. You get you you get people, you know, small donors, big donors, everybody in between. if if we could say that legitimately, yeah, it's going to be open to the community and and do our best. You know, we we talked about hiring somebody to man it. Um it I think that would go a long way. Uh I know the the Mullen Center was originally supposed to do that. Um >> well the issue the issues like you said >> and it's I know it's too early to to get into the detail but I think it now that
111you know people know we're talking about it it's out on the street now that that's going to be a question asked. >> So >> and that could be something that >> yeah that's our intention that there's no it would be me and I've never lied. it would not be worth saying it if you weren't willing to do it, you know. And it's kind of like when the place behind the soccer thing behind me closed. I sit on the board of the Y that was a large contingent. It was a place for physical. Yeah. The place next to it, what was it? Concord or whatever was there. So that that was open to and it drew in a large they call them silver sneakers maybe retirees, senior citizens that it was a place for them to
112do some type of physical therapy on their own. Not necessarily doctor driven, but it was a they had multiple tables where they had coffee and different things and every morning they were there. They didn't know what to do. And so I even got phone calls here like what can you open center up? Can you do whatever? You know, I'm like I don't know. No, I really don't. like is that what we're supposed to do? So the Y inherited a large portion of that, but that still didn't connect to it all. Now fit zones opened up out there. I'm a member of both. Um it doesn't matter if if on a day, let's take the last week when we had the snow days on a consistent basis, I was able to go maybe a little earlier
113in the day and go work out. There's 10 or 12 of them. Half of them are Marlington residents, >> you know. Uh I think it's critical that if we if that does happen and we get donors to do it and then the board we can help out on the other side of that and then we get that four done. I think there needs to be a walking track on you know because the the moment 4 is really just a lay down floor. The new one would be similar, but you redesign it how you want, you know, and that way there is a walking track, but then there is a place for them to sit or a place where they can have coffee or they can do those things because those are important to, you know,
114and I and it's word of mouth originally. Some people like, yeah, no, I do that. Then it kind of gross that didn't it's what I was told out there by the owners of Fitz Zone. It's no different than the why when I sit on the board. I mean, they got 125 new people and their their mornings are packed, you know, and it's just because they have somewhere to go versus sitting at home. >> I think it goes a long way. You know, you you talk about supporting the schools, supporting >> tax levies. Uh, >> how can you ask somebody to support schools if we don't give them anything open up to do that for them? That's my opinion. >> Doesn't hurt you at all. >> So, that's I guess that's where I'm at. If it
115it doesn't seem real fair to me to go out and say anything for any new money ever, even if I'm here in the next 10 years and say, "Hey, we're going to need something." And then somebody looks at me and says, "Well, yeah, you got I'm glad you can do things for all your kids and athletes. It'd be great if you >> you have to expand parking and stuff, too." I don't I don't think so because we we we could look at it over there, but if you ever come here, even during our when all our kids are here, we're not we're not 2,000 kids anymore. Our high school's down to, you know, 4. >> Go through that parking lot. It's packed. >> This side is cuz all the staff parks there now. We could
116move that. Like those are conversations you have. You could leave those all open and then you could just have everybody park over here. Those things I haven't thought about. >> Staff park by the parking garage for the buses, >> you know. So, >> that >> again, nothing that would be >> shuttle shuttle service >> and could we have people in there during the school day? >> You can. >> Okay. >> So, >> he said like a late and it's right there by >> I mean in all >> is it out of the question I'm not advocating you years ago when we were talking about >> new construction here one of the things we talked about was having the YMCA involved. So, >> is that is that a possibility or do you not want to entertain?
117>> Here's another reason why I'm bringing this this whole situation up is as I sit on the board, you please understand the YMCA is going to make a move. >> Okay? So, if you look I don't even know how much I can say. I can tell you for sure the YMCA is going to be leaving the city of Alliance and moving into the district of Marlington at least part of the city. Okay. So in that case, they will they already have the land chosen and but their next phase now is getting to the point of major donor fundraising. Okay. And when they get in that major donor fundraising, they will be looking at talking to very similar donors that I would talk to at the same time. >> What's going to happen with the old
118building? >> I don't know. That's the part that's unforeseen currently. Um, >> does that compete with what we want to do? >> No. No, no, no. The our Y, our current Y at the YMCA in alliance is so big and so ineffectively and the costs are astronomical to maintain because it's too large. If you actually travel around Northeast Ohio and go visit Wise, you know, um, it's we're like double the size. Now you're talking about old heating costs and this and maintaining the pool and then you're talking about the court. >> We want to build something smaller >> smaller but driven by we've spent two years in in basically meetings trying to drive what this would look like from that. And then they've had their own people go out and say, "Are there enough donors
119out there willing to fund a $15 million project or 16 million >> project in terms of seeking donors?" >> Yes. Depending on the donor. >> Okay. >> Depending on the donor. Um, that's not my issue. I'm not seeking donors for the YMCA. They have a special group that does that. I just sit on the board that makes me aware of that. But I I can't tell you that that YMCA's movement. Will it benefit Marlington? Yes, just as much as it'll benefit Alliance. It's kind of a little more centralized, but closer to our district, much closer. You know, I can give you an example. If the YMCA gets to where they finally get it up and moved, you know, a good thing for a cost saving for us is going to be latch key. We would
120probably take latch key away. We just do it because we can bust very simply because it's right around where I think it'll be. It'll be our latch key will be there, you know, which is what most districts do. They use the Y. A lot of our summer programming and some of their navigators programs and things like that will be a lot simpler to use. There'll be much more benefits from from the wine move to Marlington than you think. >> You know what I advocate? >> I'm allowed to guess where this is. >> Supposed to guess, >> huh? >> It's on Main Street, isn't it? >> I have no idea. Just it's out there somewhere. So, >> he has an idea, but he's not saying. >> Well, it's obvious where it's going. So, >> is it
121obvious? >> Um, >> but that to answer your question, yes. I mean, there's there's a lot of good things happening in the city that's going to start correlating and matching with us. So, um, we need to make sure that we we're in the we're we're going to make sure we're in the right spot as in the in my mind, this gets us into a position for the next 15 or 20 years. This is, you know, just like the Ming Center, it's been there well over 20 years. It's it's about time to put something else there that just kind of adds to that that's for our kids, for our community. The problem is it has to be for our community. You can't go out there and try to say, "Hey, can you give money, but by
122the way, you can't use it." You know, it's hard to sell. They're going to say, "Well, then you get out. Do you pay for it?" >> So, and again, it's in very This would be like throw brainstorming stuff on the wall. That's that's my brainstorm on the wall >> as my first like thing that I would say in my first four years of something I want to at least have the booster club have a thought to see if they could fundra for. >> Okay. Something to keep in mind. >> Thanks for the update. >> Lot to think of. Yeah. >> Is that it? >> That's all I have for the list of projects. >> All right. We'll take a look. We'll keep this book. Don't throw your book away. Keep your book. I think so
123too. >> Okay. >> No. >> What? Are we good? >> Yes. >> Tell you why in a minute. >> Okay. >> Ready? Great. >> That's it. >> Okay. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> So move. >> Like >> is there Oh my word. >> Now he's not awake. He was cutting me off before. Now he was Okay. >> Call the role, please. Why not? >> Miss Krepco, >> yes. >> Mr. Swift, >> yes. >> Mr. Hagen, >> yes. >> Miss Humphre, >> yes. >> Mr. Ryan, >> yes. >> Thank you and good night.