001I'd like to call to order the special meeting of the Stoenro Falls City School District Board of Education, Monday, February 9th, 2026, 6:00 p.m. at the board office. Uh, roll call, please. >> Merleti, >> here. Moyer, >> here. >> Sheen, be coming in late. Not here yet. Sula Donick, >> here. Whitaker >> here. All right. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Everything we do is designed to provide a future ready student- centered learning experience for every single child. Our strategic plan for 2021 through 2026 will help us accomplish this goal by considering every facet of a student's learning experience from curriculum to
002infrastructure to wellness and everything in between. As members of the board of education, we serve as trustees. Therefore, this is a business meeting being conducted in public, not a public meeting. We are grateful to serve an engaged community and therefore encourage and respect input from citizens. We expect that everyone present will behave in a manner consistent with the behavior we expect of our students. We reserve the right to have those who do not comply removed from our meeting. Do I have a motion to adopt tonight's agenda? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Merleti. >> I. Moyer. >> I. >> Suladonic. I >> Whitaker >> I >> the purpose of today's meeting was to discuss the employment of of a public employee. We will be going into executive session. Um we do
003have a few people here with us from the summit ESC and I will invite them to participate with us at this time before we go into that executive session. Um to the extent that we're going to be able to do some of this in our public view um before we do that. So Joe, I'll turn it over to you. >> Any appreciate you folks for this process. >> I thought maybe you wanted me to stop the camera. >> Uh we appreciate uh you guys having us uh for the search. We look forward to doing it and uh we always enjoy working with our local districts uh on these kind of uh uh I guess call projects. Uh but uh we do thank you for it and I think you're all aware from talking to Jeff
004and probably other search firms that uh treasure searches can be kind of tough. Uh the um when you do a superintendent search, you typically will get 20 to 30 35 candidates. Treasure searches, we're always happy if we get 10. Uh sometimes it'll be less, but uh we'll be doing a lot of recruiting and we'll we'll be talking about we've actually begun recruiting, believe it or not. Uh I have given to each of you folks uh a little uh uh a couple of things. You you have a brochure there. It is only a mockup, okay? But it'll look something like that. We will ask you uh after we're done tonight to uh um help us fill in the blanks on there, tell us if that that's the kind of stuff you want on there. Uh my
005administrative assistant Patty just pulled some things off your website, previous brochures and we'll get some treasure information and then we'll get the profile plugged in there. Once we do that, uh so we'll come back to that, but that's just for you to sort of look over and you know, you can kind of say I never really like this. It's on our website, but uh we we'll work with that. You also have a rough timeline there. uh that is a rough timeline. Searches typically range from about seven to 10 weeks. It all kind of depends. There's certain variables that if you want certain pieces of it, uh that it can actually lengthen it a little bit to the 10 weeks or so. Uh it can also be sometimes as short as seven weeks and sometimes it's
006got to do with things along how often can the board to get to get five people together. All right, those those kind of things. Uh the other one that uh impacts length tends to be how much public engagement and staff engagement do you want and superintendent searches usually want quite a bit. Treasure searches tend to be a little bit more to the point. Often the public doesn't really completely understand. They just want you to get somebody who can count numbers and pay attention to dollars. Okay? Uh those kind of things. Uh so that's for your reference. That will change as we go. All right? and uh we will we'll adjust as we need to. Uh but what I thought I would do is uh maybe just sort of mention upfront uh questions about executive session
007that may come up and then it's really up to the board at what point you feel it's appropriate to go into executive session. The main thing that we want to remember is if we get into things like a names of potential candidates, okay? And there are a couple people who have already verbally expressed interest. All right? Uh we do not want to talk about that in public at this time uh because they haven't applied yet. Uh and we want to protect a little bit of an anonymity at least at the front end of things. Okay. a certain import certain point where we can't really do that. Uh but that's an appropriate way to do it for right now. We also want to make sure we don't get into things that are evaluative of people. In
008other words, if I were to mention a potential candidate and you go, "Man, I hate that guy. That's not something we want." Uh and also when we do the profiling, uh we typically do it in executive session, but we don't have to. Uh it can kind of depend. It's just we have to remember this is if we don't do it in an executive session, we have to be careful of comments that could be interpreted as being potentially evaluative of the previous treasurer or the treasur's office, the people who are there. You know, I'll give you an example. I know nothing about your treasur's office really. Uh but let's say you know there's a p person in the treasur's office you really don't care for and you wish they'd quit or something like that. You don't
009want to say something like well boy we really need a second in command because this person doesn't know what they're doing. That's not something that's productive in any way shape or form. So I leave it to the board to determine whether you want to do the profile part in public or not. I think it's appropriate to do it either way. It's just how it's handled. So we leave that to you. Okay. And uh that's all I really wanted for an introduction. Uh I know that you've uh met these guys over here and uh uh we think pretty highly of them and uh they've uh we they're both, as you know, former district superintendents. There's a lot of former district superintendents running around out there, but we grab the best ones, you know, so uh we
010appreciate that. And of course, Laura's involved, too. uh and we'll we'll help as you desire. But we have a a list of questions, a list of things that we're each going to take a section on. And if you're ready for us to jump into it, we can. Or if there is any upfront questions that you have or whatever procedures you would like to follow, it's your meeting. I think the one thing that we talked about um when I talked with with Joe on the phone was uh anything that we might want to discuss that could potentially impact the search in a way in terms of having candidates posture themselves one way or another based upon what they see and hear at our meeting. And we don't want to prejudice ourselves in maybe discouraging a candidate
011to apply because one of us says something that on a preferred qualification. And so as long as we can keep it at that kind of 30,000 foot level um you know maybe we can continue to proceed in public but at the moment we want to start talking about some specifics whether it's compensation or levels of experience you know we don't want to prejudice the field I think is what we talked about so I'm comfortable and I think you know open the floor up but to an open discussion here but the thought would be is that you know anytime we want to start talking about the logistics of what we're actually going to look for probably want to put that in session uh executive session. So, um I mean I'm comfortable moving forward further in public
012if everyone else is otherwise we can go into session. We can just continue on for now and then okay maybe >> you you guys probably know you you've done this a lot longer than any of us. So, um if we start getting to that point, you know, we'll we'll we'll move into executive session, >> right? And we'll let you know if it starts to get uncomfortable for one reason or another. So thank you. Uh if you would take a look at the sheet that I gave you called treasure search preliminary discussion points uh by and large most of these topic can be covered at any point and I'm going to kind of leave it a little bit to uh Tina to determine when we want to jump in on the actual profile development which is
013the charting and all of that kind of thing. But I do want to hit a couple of the other things in the meantime just as preliminaries. So starting at the top, uh we're kind of looking at the search as as as having three potential pieces here. Uh obviously the full-time position is the key one, although maybe not the immediate need. Okay. Uh and typically a treasurer contract starts in August. It doesn't have to start in August. It's different from a superintendent in some of the administrative positions. Um and uh we basically assume that because you have a need for uh an interim for an extended period of time at least into June, July, that kind of thing that when we post this, we will post it as the full-time position starting in August or sooner
014or as ASAP, something along those lines. Um Tina can share a little bit in a while, but uh in in some of the recruiting we've already begun. We have had at least one person indicate a possibility of starting earlier. Might be something workable. All right. We don't have a date. Uh we don't know if you'll like that person or not. We're not there. Uh but we know there is at least a little interest in that category so far. Uh we will also uh talk about um if the best candidate in your determination is somebody who can't start until August or July or something like that. What do we do in the meantime? All right. Obviously you have Laura. Uh I know there would be great anxiety if Laura said tomorrow, I don't think I want
015to do this. She's not going to do that. Uh and we wouldn't leave you hanging like that. But we do know that is I think the phrase they used in talking to Jason. We know it's a heavy lift for Laura trying to do two jobs at the same time. So, any kind of relief we could provide for her, whether it's simply part-time help or if we have an interim uh who's available and quality who can take over at some point, that will be part of the dialogue as well. And I'm I'm covering this in part because these are the kind of questions we get from candidates when we post. They'll see some things that look sort of vague and we'll say, you know, we say August or ASP. they're going to call and they're going
016to say, "What does that mean?" Okay. And we want to be able to talk about that and make sure we're accurately reflecting your thoughts as well as what we think are maybe some of the realities. Um, and again, the backup plan is uh if if Laura needs to do this for an extended period of time is to try and find her a couple days a week of help. Uh, we have had people expressed a little interest. The problem we've we've run into is simply that because you're on the EFP system, as are we, that not everybody knows how to do that. There's a little bit of a learning curve there. All right. Uh so anyway, that that's how we thought we would approach it. And uh so I don't know if you have any thoughts
017or questions about that particular piece. Uh but I'll kind of throw that out to you. Does that make sense? >> Okay. All right. I have a quick question. Yes. Um >> how I know EFP is like not the the main um um software, but like what's the the mix that you normally see with EFP versus uh what's the I don't >> Laura can probably answer it better than me. I'll give you one example though. Um and I don't I don't think you guys are part of our LPDC online system or you are. You are. Yeah. Uh I asked uh we we contract with 90 districts for teacher lensure program and uh there's a difference between how we handle a um a glitch that we had with 90 different districts across the state and I asked
018the head of neonet I said how many are on EFP of mine of the 90 he said seven. So if that holds true statewide that's roughly the proportion does that match what you think? Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah, there's more districts I think now on state software than there are on EFP. Those that transitioned from the old system. I think initially the push was to use EFP, but then as the as state software, the redesign increased um and looked more similar to EFP. Then more were switching over to that rather when it was their district's time to to change. They went more to state software. Thank you. >> And I think in conversing with Laura and others, um the EFP question is more of a factor with interims just because they need to come in and
019quickly learn. Uh I I I think the key in people looking for a full-time position is how attractive is the district? What's the pay look like? What's it like geographically? And they realize they have time to kind of learn if they got a little bit of a, you know, a little bit of a ramp to get there. Yeah. Um Tina, can I turn to you and does it make sense to get into the profiling now or should we get into some of the other questions that we have? What would you like to do? >> Okay. Okay. Well, I'll kind of turn the microphone over to Jeff here um for the next segment. I hate giving up the microphone, you know? I just love it. I feel like that guy, what was his name? Phil from
020a long time ago. >> Thanks. So, so, uh, one of the components that's tied to your timeline, there's a couple, but one would be, uh, the, uh, Joe has already kind of alluded to it, the staff and public engagement options and how districts, so kind of the uniqueness. Some districts will put it on the front end. So, almost similar to the process that Tina is going to put the board through tonight, you might select a few groups and say, "We'd like you to do the same thing." The only thing we we tell boards, the more of those you try to organize, that tends to stretch the timeline sometimes, but but it doesn't mean it can't be done. And sometimes it depends. you know, we've had some treasurer where they want us to talk to the
021folks working in the treasur's office or uh different union representations that that may of the employees. Uh so that would be sometimes one way to do it where you'll do it in ahead on the front end. uh we would still get the profile out based on the work we do with you tonight because that getting it uh posted on the websites and the advertisements is crucial. So, so the qualities we would put on the profile would reflect the work we do with you. But then as we get ready to set up the interview process, sometimes that extra uh profiling from other folks in the district, other stakeholders sometimes can be helpful for that process. But then the other way that it can be done would be uh on the back end in the interview process.
022Sometimes boards will have a variety of stakeholders that we can help set up for you maybe in the final interview of a final the finalist candidates. So maybe not all the candidate interviews, but maybe if you're down to three, four finalists, if you wanted to set it up, we could help kind of walk you through some of the ways we've set that up before with uh those final interviews where they would interview the board one last time and a group of stakeholders of your your choice. Sometimes it's as small as uh the folks that are going to work most closely with the new treasurer. So you so you just have that that focus group of the folks that would be there to interview and then the board gets feedback from those folks. Other times you
023can again get across kind of community uh multiple employment folks that would interact with the treasur's office. So those are two of the ways that you can do that. And again we can tailor it either way you see fit. And we always just want to be aware that the more would push us closer to that longer timeline than the shorter >> questions on that. >> The fact that uh Laura is already kind of in the office and observing the systems and and all of that stuff. Does that impact a little bit in your opinion the some of the need to make it a bigger group because you know we already have someone that's seeing the systems and seeing the systems from a from a you know a high level. Does that help us maybe shorten
024that process or or not eliminate the group but you know kind of take that into consideration when building these focus groups? >> Yeah, I think it definitely is helpful that you have insight for the board that generally might not be available under other searches that we do. uh you know the the candidate the candidates may the internal treasurer is still there but on their way out for one reason or another but I think Laura is an outside set of eyes to really give you some good feedback. So definitely I think that's very helpful. What what I would add, Jason, is that if you wanted to engage some of the staff from the treasur's office, maybe even as a courtesy, if you think that's important, you could do it on the back end where we've already
025begun the process. I'll give you one example. There's a variety of ways of doing it where the main interviews with the board in executive session, but after a couple of finalists leave, they go to another station where maybe there's a few people from the treasur's office, that kind of thing there. And that way, while it may stretch the evening out a little bit, it doesn't stretch out the entire process. So, there's a number of options you can figure them out as we go. And just a final point I'll make on that is probably if you ask me the most common in the searches we do. It's typically for the treasurer on that final the not the front end with the profile uh because it's so much of the job is to your point already known
026that that the profile of is going to come out on that job responsibility and but it's still helpful at the end. So it'd be more common to set something up on the back end than it would early. Any immediate reaction? We want to say um question handling and after we uh work through the profile this evening and the uh information uh that you provide uh is extrapolated and and narrowed down for your brochure. Uh the brochure uh gets posted with all of our major agencies uh the Ohio School Boards Association, Buckeye Association of School Administrators, um all the administrative groups throughout Ohio. uh at times we have a need to go outside the state even uh now and then to universities that are in uh neighboring uh we've gone to Pittsburgh and uh other um
027college placement uh places. Usually people that are looking for treasures positions are not beginners or going through a placement office at the college level. So it's more for communication purposes that we would do that someone knows someone who knows someone uh their uncle uh who's looking for that type of position. So uh that type of posting uh is quite broad. uh most effective is the word of mouth and um in our opportunity uh with you uh a couple of weeks ago we mentioned we keep that uh mental rolodex so to speak but uh it's really a real rolodex of uh folks that we have met over uh the past several years uh through other searches uh that maybe came in second uh and you know I think you'll find when you have uh one two
028three final candidates there isn't much difference in the qualities of those individuals. Maybe the style that they present or uh some particular characteristic or uh skill that they have that appeals to you more than uh another um but um they are very highly qualified people when they are in the finals. So we keep track of those people also um for those that have taken positions uh which most have uh at times are in as I mentioned a smaller district. Uh good evening, Mr. Shan. And um they'll go to another uh district, a larger district, because they're ready now for a multi- building type of district versus a smaller district. So uh that's not a negative in any way on the candidate. If anything, it's a plus that they're uh interested in growing and and skillful
029at this point and ready to take on bigger challenges. So, um that's the the uh posting process. Um and uh we welcome uh individuals to call us as Joe mentioned a few moments ago because once folks see the brochure, they ask all kinds of questions in terms of um the is there an expectation that I live in the community or um even a salary range. uh and you might not know uh what that is uh obviously until you have a lot more discussion about that but uh there you might be seeking a range of salary because uh they're currently in a position and uh they don't want to go backwards uh if they can help it of course uh but some folks need to relocate because perhaps they have parents that are older that need
030help and they live here uh and they need to move here to help their parents. So there's all kinds of reasons uh you know that people uh choose to make a change. Um also um in terms of posting, what questions might you have? >> Not sure there's any of the general ones. I think they start probably start to drill down a little bit into the nuts and bolts about what we might do and that probably would be more appropriate in an executive session, but >> Sure. Sure. Uh and you would uh also um anticipate uh to your point Mr. Whitaker uh that folks will approach you uh as well because that happens um you know in the community. So um that's something that you kind of have to rehearse together as a board. Uh how
031do we work through that? Um so that we're not, you know, leading a a candidate forward uh or not. Um but you know sticking to a a good way to to work that through. So >> and I just speaking for myself but I would welcome suggestions uh from from the three of you for all of us on how how we should do that. You know uniformly directing them to the right person. Um you know doing our best I assume doing our best to not >> play cards that aren't ours to play right so to speak and and put our you know put our food. But I I'd be very interested in hearing some advice on that. Yeah. Will you be able to give us like a cheat sheet? >> Actually, yes. Um, we we certainly
032could, uh, entertain that conversation right now. And, uh, we could do that also. uh you know certainly along the way but uh since we are the search agency for you it's always best to uh have the individual uh you know keep brochures with you on the car seat so that when this happens I say I have information for you and I can direct you to the people that are conducting the search for us uh and uh I invite you to call them uh so that when they do you know we can answer those questions with salary range and all the things that by then we will have talked with you out. Um, so the most important thing is to avoid a personal conversation uh as best you can and it is awkward because they are
033community members in many cases or relatives or uh and and you don't want to look like uh you're breaking a relationship for lack of a better word and and not being willing to be transparent and helpful. But at the same time, uh, you don't want to go into a territory where, you know, where you can't back up either, that someone feels, well, you were encouraging of me. Uh, and, um, I tend to have a smiling, nodding kind of face, so I have to watch it because I look like I'm encouraging and, uh, and that's not it. I'm just dating and and be uh, polite. Uh, but sometimes that's misread, so it's hard to be a poker face, too. and you know and just um stick with the script is the best we can tell you.
034Uh forward it to us. That's why you have search agencies uh to help you um because we also get calls from the public um that want to know. They see the brochure just like anyone else. So um people may be just curious and maybe they know somebody too that you know would be uh of interest. So we would invite them to apply. Good point. Good point. >> Just uh one more point. I also really is form of the question tonight to help us get the posting and get things moving as quickly as possible. Uh has have you as a board had the opportunity to talk about uh retire rehire candidates as a potential alternative license? Those are some of the questions we'll start to get early so we can help you through that tonight. And
035you know, as we've all kind of discussed the the leanness of pools, but still it's it's the board's decision about retirey hires, uh, alternative lensure paths, at least in in the interview process. So, we make sure that's upfront when when uh people apply. Typically, you want somebody who's already licensed, but every now and then somebody's pretty close. Uh, and they're still potentially I'm sorry. And, uh, typically people already have a license. Every now and then, somebody's real close to getting a license. So, a lot of it's got to do with what you think about experience factors and things like that. Okay. If you're in a superintendent pool or you're hiring a high school principal, you're probably not going to mess around with somebody who's just getting their license. when you're talking to treasurer search when
036the field is as tight as it is uh it may be something you consider now in my mind I think Stow's an attract an an attractive district pays at a reasonably high level from what I can see uh so it's not going to be like you're in a real small district that's paying 80,000 at the same time uh those are the kind of things you want to be thinking about okay and those are things people call us and ask about um as far as we've also got residency down here. Residency is not something that comes up all that often anymore, but it occasionally comes up. Does the board have an expectation of residency or is that something to sort of evaluate as we go? >> That's probably a question we should probably discuss um in
037in executive session. um just because I I don't think any of us wants to discourage a non-resident candidate or encourage someone to to think that they're going to get it just because they are a resident. Um and maybe we are getting to that point um where we I know my questions are I'm fishing around in my mind for them. So um if we're getting to the point where I mean we've gone a half hour in public view which is probably more than >> most would even think about. So um if there is a motion to go into executive session to consider the appointment, appointment employment and compensation of a public employee or official, I would entertain it. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Unless there is a discussion. Uh roll call, please. >> Merleti. >>
038I. Moyer. >> I. >> Sheen. >> I. >> Suladonic. >> I. >> Whitaker. I we are now in executive session at 6:31. There will be no action taken after the executive session.