001We are back from executive session. Mr. Romano, please take RO. >> Mr. Patton, >> present. >> Mr. Chumley, >> present. >> Mr. Rudy, >> present. >> Miss Samborn, >> present. >> Mr. Spencer, >> present. >> All present. >> Thank you. Next up is the pledge of allegiance. Please join me for the pledge. 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. >> Next up is the motion to adopt the agenda. Would someone like to make a motion? >> Thank you, Mr. Rudy. Is there a second? Second, >> Miss Samborn. Thank you. Is there any discussion? >> Thank you. Low call, please. >> Mr. Rudy? >> Yes. >> Miss Samborn? >> Yes. >> Mrs.
002Spencer? >> Yes. >> Mr. Patton? >> Yes. >> Mr. Chumley? >> Yes. >> Five? Yes. >> Thank you. Next up is our West Claremont volunteer recognition. Jenny. >> Good evening, President Patton and members of the board. On behalf of the of the West Claremont School District, we'd like to first share our sincere thanks to all of the volunteers who support our schools throughout the school year. Tonight, we are proud to recognize nine incredible volunteers who generously give their time, talents, and hearts to support the students, staff, and families of the West Clammont West Claremont local school district and were selected as the 2526 volunteers of the year. Their dedication strengthens our schools, enriches opportunities for students, and reflects the spirit of partnership, and the community that makes West Claremont so special. We are truly grateful
003for the impact that they make each and every day. At this time, each principal will introduce their selected volunteer and share a few words about the meaningful impact they have made within their school community. And first up is principal Shane Short from Ameilia Elementary. Good evening everybody. Uh Amelia Elementary would like to uh recognize Miss Vicky Smith tonight. Uh Vicki is truly a gift to Amelia Elementary. She brings an incredible level of kindness, patience, and compassion to everything that she does. Vicki has volunteered countless hours in our classrooms, working with small groups to build students vocabulary, strengthen their reading fluency, and most importantly, growing their confidence as learners. Her impact extends into math as well, where she engages students in fun and meaningful math uh fact fluency games and help them feel successful and capable.
004No matter the subject, Vicki meets students right where they're at and helps them believe in themselves. Beyond the classroom, she's a constant and caring presence during student lunchtime. She takes time to talk with students, listens to their stories and jokes, and helps them with little things like opening food, and never hesitates to jump in and help clean up. She treats every moment with students as an opportunity to connect. Vicki also goes above and beyond through her involvement in our Amelia Tigers helping hands club. She's always willing to help in whatever she need in whatever we need. Uh she's amazing at uh organizing materials, supporting projects, and even attending field trips to Sienna Gardens Nursing Home where she helps guide students in creating meaningful and heartfelt connections with residents. Vicki is the definition of a team
005player. Our students adore her and take pride in sharing their successes with her, knowing she played a part in their growth. We are incredibly fortunate to have her as part of our Amelia family. Thank you, VICKI. [applause] >> Good evening everybody. Uh my name is Curtis Mason. I am the principal at Kluff and I am here to recognize uh Miss Angela Merkel as our 2526 volunteer of the year. But I will say this is more of like a lifetime achievement award. Wouldn't you agree? Um but she has been a constant and valued presence at in Clpai classrooms. Um since her children were in kindergarten, she has generously given her time to support both students and staff in countless ways. From planning memorable classroom celebrations and organizing materials to making copies and accompanying students on field
006trips, she has always stepped in wherever help was needed. Miss Merkel has been the PTO vice president and a camp volunteer, not once but twice. She always did this with a smile on her face and made everyone's day brighter. Her commitment, reliability, and positive spirit have made a lasting impact on our school community. And her contributions have truly helped create a supportive and engaging learning environment for all students. And now that Violet is headed to her middle school years, we are really truly going to miss you. Miss you guys >> and we appreciate everything you've done for. You're welcome. [applause] >> [applause] >> Good evening. I'm Josh Young, the principal at Holly Hill. If Club Pike has the lifetime achievement award, Holly Hill has the lifetime educator award for Miss Lisa Mayis. [cheering] [applause] >>
007She loves Huskys, Holly Hill, and reading so much we couldn't get rid of her this year. Uh she retired from West Claremont last year after 20 >> 32. >> She's a piece. 32. She did great. Um [laughter] but she comes in a few days a week, helps our students that are most vulnerable, struggling with the reading skills, supports them, works with them one-on-one, small group. She supports the teachers as much and staff as much as she ports supports the students. Uh the kids still ask for Miss Mish. I don't think they think you left. Like, well, she's still here. It's a little less often, but she's still here. Uh, so we're just super super honored that she would spend her retirement days and hours with us. Uh, and just continue the the mission of our
008core work of just teaching students every day for that next option in life for them. So, round of applause, Lisa Maya, SHE [applause] >> Next up is Melissa Carer from Merwin. Good evening. I am honored this evening to recognize Bev Ganant. Miss Bev is what we call you. I had asked her tonight, Miss Bev. I don't know how to say your last name. Help me pronounce your last name. The Merwin community has been very lucky to have Miss Bev. She has volunteered countless hours in Mrs. Ventura's classroom. She is always more than happy to assist in any way around the building, even helping clean the lunchroom floor, wiping noses, all the things that we do for our 5-year-olds. She works with our youngest Mustangs, from helping them become more confident readers and writers to assisting
009them as they are working on their Zern math lessons. She will happily stuff Mustang folders with important papers to go home and never turns down a student who asks her to tie a shoe or give a hug. The students absolutely adore Bev and are so excited to see her in the mornings. Her time and dedication to Merwin is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Miss Bev, for being so amazing. [applause] >> Good evening. My name is Lisa Courtney and I'm the very proud principal at Summerside Elementary. And it is my honor tonight to recognize Mr. Linton aka Mr. Cliff as our summer volunteer of the year. Mr. Cliff started as a volunteer and mentor at Brandtner Elementary with other members of his church. Um as and he transitioned with us to Somers foster the success he supported
010the students he was working with. Fast forward to nine years later and Mr. Cliff is now an unplay unpaid employee at Somersside Elementary. His passion is in math, supporting foundational math skills by helping students work with 10 frames and practicing their math facts. He has asked for curriculum guides. We have ordered um resources and materials for him to continue to come and work with students. He brings new ideas and lessons and how to support our students growth when he sees another way is needed. Through the years, Mr. Mr. Cliff's popularity with our students has grown and with students wanting to eat lunch with him and be a part of his math group and beg to spend time with Mr. Cliff and as a result he continues to work with several teachers and continue to foster
011success with those students who need to be mentored and supported in any way he can. His time volunteering began when he was simply bringing our weekend food bags each week and shooting basketball hoops with the boys um that just needed that additional extra touch. And fast forward to u Mr. Mr. Cliff being at Somerside pretty close to 5 days a week and he often would come um in the morning as well as the afternoon to reach all students across the grade level. He has transferred his support to practicing reading recently and our students and staff appreciate his willingness to support student success in new ways. Thank you, Mr. Cliff. It's an honor to know you. It's an honor to work beside you and for dedicating your many hours and energy to summer students as a
012mentor, as a mathematician, and as a volunteer at Summerside. Your support is so much appreciated through the years. [applause] >> Good evening. I'm Megan Patterson. I'm the assistant principal at Willowville and we're here tonight to dedicate our volunteer appreciation to Julie Sneed who has worked endlessly at Willowville for the past eight years. From serving our PTO to making copies for our teachers, organizing and running Christmas parties, and even chaperoning the difficult field trips, uh Julie has gone above and beyond. She comes in with a smile on her face. She's ready to do anything that anybody asks her. She also loves to show up for our school in little ways. She, you know, she brings our teachers coffee and treats and a soda and a candy bar and just those really tough days when they need
013a little pickme up. Um, she just brightens our day in every way that she can. We appreciate everything that Julie has done for us and we're going to miss her at Willville next year. She's dedicated so much time and as her youngest transitions to middle school, we're going to miss everything you've done for Willville. So, THANK YOU SO MUCH. [applause] >> [applause] >> THANK YOU. >> Good evening. My name is Sue Holland and proud principal at WT WT Elementary is excited to recognize Mrs. Connie Diesba as our volunteer of the year. Miss Connie, as our students call her, first connected with us via the partnership with Womsville Church with various projects and supports. This school year, Miss Connie has primarily volunteered in Miss Schaefer's class. And I asked Miss Schaefer to read what she wrote
014about Mrs. Connie. Good evening. Miss Connie has been a volunteer in my first grade classroom for the past two years, coming three days a week. She goes above and beyond for my students. Miss Connie works directly with individual students to pro to provide targeted support aligned with their specific academic and social emotional needs. She helps students strengthen fundamental skills in reading, writing, and math, adapting strategies to match each student's learning style and pace by offering patient guidance, clear encouragement, and positive reinforcement. She helps students build confidence in their abilities and develop greater independence in the classroom. Her one-on-one support allows students to take academic re academic risks in a safe supported environment resulting in increased engagement, improved focus, and a strong sense of self-confidence. Miss Conniey's dedication compliments classroom instruction and contributes to student growth
015in overall classroom. In the words of my students, she just helps us become a better person. My students, myself and WT are forever grateful for all the work that you HAVE PUT IN. >> [applause] >> THIS IS we just found out that um Miss Connie is stepping away from volunteering before you told us before you got this right after. But we thank you for your time, energy, and love for our students in school. And you have made a very lasting impact. So, thank you. [applause] All right. And it sounds like we have some great volunteers coming to the middle school here next year. But I want I'm Rachel De. I'm one of the administrators from WCMS. And we're here to celebrate and recognize Shannon Wan for all of her dedication. Um so she's one of
016the most WCMS's most dedicated and dependable volunteers. Um, for the past four years, she has been a part of our PTSO, consistently showing up ready to give 100% and helping create positive, memorable experiences for our students and families. From organizing a funfield fun-filled field day to coordinating grade level ski nights, dances, and the or uh annual fundraiser, Shannon's dedication and energy make a meaningful impact on our school community. Whether she is serving donuts at our student of the month breakfasts, helping with PBIS rewards, selling spirit wear at events, or stepping in wherever she help is needed, uh Shannon always does so with a smile. Her welcoming presence, reliability, and commitment to WCMS have made her an essential part of our school culture and student experience, and I love seeing her there so often. I can't
017want to keep that going. So, up next, we have um the high SCHOOL AND JUNE >> [applause] >> AND ON BEHALF OF THE high school administration at WCHS, I would like to recognize Tanya Hingle and share their special um special words about her. If there is an event happening at school, Tanya is there to help. Homecoming ticket sales, career exploration night, band events, choir events, senior aloha. Whatever help we need, we know. And always in times that we don't that we don't realize we need. Tanya shows up with a smile and kindness. She has been instrumental in multiple organizations, PTSO, band boosters, and choir boosters, supporting so many students at WCHS. We are so grateful for her presence when she is here and her giving spirit. The students at West Claremont High School have benefited
018from her time and energy. CONGRATULATIONS. [applause] >> Thank you. Josh, you want to take a picture >> and announce the short reception. All right. Ready? [applause] >> So, at this point, we're going to take a 10-minute break just for some uh snacks out there. We're going to just take a 10-minute break and be back. >> Oh, we're taking a picture. They can see us and the nerves go on, right? Thank you guys. Um, so next up will be our public speaking. I'm told that there are no cards. So moving on to our consent agenda. Josh, please. >> Good evening. In front of you is the personnel agenda for Monday, May 18th. We have one retiree to highlight on our agenda tonight. Donnie Morris is retiring after 25 years of service to West Claremont School District.
019He currently serves as the head custodian at Willowville Elementary School. We wish him the best in retirement. Are there any questions about the personnel agenda tonight? >> It's going to be strange without Donnie around, but he's such a hardcore person. >> Yes, >> I'm sure. Pass that along. Yeah, >> thank you. >> Sorry. Next up is Larry. >> Yes. So, uh before you is the second reading of the uh AI policy 7540.09. Uh as you know, the policy uh is required to be passed by all school districts by uh June 30th, 2026. Um per OC. So, uh, that policy was put together by a, uh, task force drawing some language out of ODEW and Niola's sample policies, uh, but that has a very specific West Claremont, um, you know, flavor to it. It is uh,
020very focused on human human centered AI use and ethical use, what have you. So, it is the second reading. So, any questions? >> Okay. Thank you, Eric. Next up is some field trips. Looks like Ellie. >> Good evening. This evening we have requests for two overnight field trips. The first is item 7.03. We're seeking approval for um football students to attend the West Climate High School football summer camp. This camp is going to take place um at the Rocky Top Sports World Complex in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Um students will or athletes will be traveling um and attending from July 12th through July 15th. The second item is item 7.04. It is for some key um students [clears throat] a student athletes to attend the Wolfpack Camp Tour. Um, this tour will be taking place between June
0218th through the 14th. And it's an opportunity for our football players to be seen by college coaches to compete against other student athletes. They will be um attending six different college and universities representing a variety of conferences. um they'll be traveling to Wake Forest, the University of Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Lenor Rin, Davidson, and Georgetown College. And so it's really an opportunity for our student athletes to be seen um on a national stage to interact with other student athletes and college coaches. And so we're really excited about the opportunity for them to participate. Any questions? >> Great. Thank you. >> Next up, Mr. Romano. Thank you. Item 7.05 is request for approval of minutes. Those were for the meeting that was held on May 4th. [cough] It was a regular board meeting. Item 7.06 um are
022the request for approval of donations as presented. The donors uh this was for the month of April. We're from Crossroads Church, Bubble Art, Wamsville Church of Christ, Longhorn, The Honeybaked Ham Company, RJ Cinema, and Snapdragon Books and Gifts. Item 7.07 is request for authorization for the superintendent treasur to negotiate and execute contracts as presented. There are two of them. The first is K12 business consulting and the second is Hamilton Hamilton County ESC. Item 7.08 is a resolution amending and supplementing the fiscal year 26 annual appropriation measure. And again, most of these uh during the interim are not for the operating fund, but for the uh other state federal programs and our local funds, the school school activity accounts. And item 7.09 is request for approval of financial statements, the bill's paid list, investments for April
0232026 as presented. So the consent agendum consent agenda is item 7.0. 01 through 7.09. >> Thank you, Mr. Romano. You've heard the recommendation. Would someone like to make a motion? >> Thank you, Mr. Rudy. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Miss Sanborn. Thank you. Is there any discussion? >> Thank you. Roll call, please. >> Mr. Rudy? >> Yes. >> Miss Samborn? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Spencer? >> Yes. >> Mr. Patton? >> Yes. >> Mr. Chumley? >> Yes. >> Five. Yes. >> Okay. >> Next up is Is it Oh, looks like it's presented by you guys. the um West Claremont Citizens Advisory Commission is here today to present their findings and talk through that. Ellie is going to uh lead the discussion. And >> good evening again. So, we're just going to start off by
024having members of our citizens advisory commission introduce themselves. We're grateful for the time, the energy, the thoughtfulness, um their contributions. This the purpose of tonight is for them to really share with you kind of what they've learned um and to make some recommendations for um you know how we move forward, how we might decide to move forward given the um current state of district finances. So we'll just sort of start here on this end. They'll introduce themselves and then we'll get this kicked off. >> Hi, my name is Katie Uers. I am a mother of a sixth grader at the West Claremont Middle School and a fifth grade almost fifth grader at the WT elementary and I'm also the PTO president at WT Elementary. >> My name is Derek Parker. Um we are citizens here
025at West Claremont and I have a wife who works here with you all. My name is Megan Hartley and I have a first grader at Cloth Pike Elementary, a preschooler at Willowville and I um am also on the Clpike PTO. >> Everybody, I'm Richard Spalding. Um we have it's my wife Jennifer Spalding as we say. >> Um we have a 12-year-old son behind me is in uh West Claremont Middle School. Uh he did very well this year. And then we have a 10-year-old and 8-year-old in elementary at Millia Elementary. Um, I am also the baseball coach, Ameilia uh Not Hole. Uh, the VP of Ameilia Nole and I coach uh health and football and also coached flag football for several years. So, and baseball. Yes. >> Lots of hats. >> I'm his wife. [laughter] No,
026I'm Jennifer's folding and I um I help him with Million Dollar Hole. They made me the league grub this year for some reason. So, I do that, too. And then I just volunteered at the school. But yeah, we've got our three boys. So, I'm Trisha Moore. I have had two sons who have went have graduated from West Claremont. I am alumni. My husband's alumni and I teach at the middle school. >> Uh I'm Kimberly Jeder. I am the link program teacher at Kluff Pike. >> I'm Cassie Co. I'm actually a West Claremont alum. My children go to Somersside. I volunteer in the district. Um, and I'm also sub in the district and I'm a former public school teacher myself out in North College Hill in Mount Healthy. [clears throat] >> All right. I just wrote
027what I was going to say so I wouldn't forget anything. So, uh, the West Claremont Citizens Advisory Commission consists of people from the West Claremont community, including parents, teachers, and residents who have volunteered their time to research, and discuss topics that are current priorities for the district. The CAC was formed to give citizens who are part of the West Claremont School District a chance to interact, learn, share feedback, and talk with our board of education, which gives us the voice. I had not participated prior to this year, but I was looking on the website and saw they've been around for a while and done some other projects in the past. But this spring, we convene to discuss public the public school funding process, the past, present, and future, and how some recent decisions made by
028the government at the state level have greatly impacted the school budget, and how they will continue to impact school funding even further in the upcoming years. Um, spoiler alert, it's going to affect everybody in West Claremont in some way or other. The commission discussed measures that have been taken and explored future decisions that might have to be made as a result of these um, House bills that have happened. So, now I'll turn it over. Okay. So, how did we get here? Well, the Ohio legislature passed uh seven house bills that affected uh public schools funding. The point of the house bills was to have relief from pro property taxes. But because of that, it has limited the way that we can collect property taxes. It has um given grant has given the county auditors the
029ability to determine which part of those property taxes we get. It has prohibited us from in the past we could if we had a levy that it was already on the books. We could just renew that levy and tell the voters exactly what it is. It's not any more money. It's just the same thing continuing. We no longer can do that. So it has cut our ability to fund our schools and that has greatly impacted what we are doing. There are five major takeaways from this funding. First of all, the state took money that was already allocated to us and so the cash has to go back. So it was already to [clears throat] us and then we had to h hand it back over. Future revenue is limited. So that limits the amount of
030funds we are receiving moving forward. It restricts the local control. It changes the rules of the ballot issues. It limits our ability to seek more funds. And it widens that gap between the local calculations and what we're getting from the state. It heightens that uncertainty because we don't know what we're going to get in the school taxes and it and because of credits and the county being able to decide. This was entirely driven by the public the assembly. It's not because of local spending. It's because of changes that they have made to those House bills. I'd like to thank the board for allowing us to be here. Um, I'm just going to say that when my admin approached me and asked me to be on this um, advisory committee, I I really wasn't sure. But
031after showing up at the first meeting, um, I walked away crying and I went home and I was really really sad um, for our district to be quite honest. Um, I think any teacher that's back here behind me understands that we are just [clears throat] the future of our country and we give 150 if not a thousand% each and every day. But at the same time, it's like we have to stop and look and what's the district going to do now. Um the house bills obviously have taken a lot of money. Um I speak to a lot of people in my neighborhood. This is one reason I want to be part of this is because the number one that thing they asked me is why is it property taxes? What happens to lottery money? What
032happens to you know all the taxes? Um the big thing this year was what about the cannabis? They put those out there and all this money came in. Why doesn't the school get any of that money? And the only thing I can say to them is that goes at the top at the state. So now we're at where we're at. And so one of the things we talked about is what is the district doing now? So I can tell you right now just already this year we are losing a part-time secretary in our building which is she's going to be sadly missed. Just found out that our BCBAS are being cut. Um, if you work in any building in the district, you know that we have survived since COVID on many of those BCBAs because
033of the issues of children coming. Some of them never came to school during COVID. And now we're seeing all of that and it's some of them don't come and they don't care about learning. It's behaviors and sometimes the behaviors ramp up in the classroom and teachers are trying to teach and they're trying to do behavior. And the thought the first thought that I got when the BCBA came and said, "Guess what? They're we're going down to three. I just wanted to die because even us in our programs come out and try to support. So not having that support is I think detrimental especially to teaching. So right now I think we're doing a balancing act. So it's a you know we're reducing expenses and raising revenue. So reducing expensive what does that mean? Well already
034we're cutting staffing. don't know about salaries because as everyone knows there's you got a lot of people back here that's worried about that in green. So um programs educational and extracurricular people always ask what's going to go. First thing people say is oh you know what they're going to cut those buses they're going to threaten us with the buses. I don't think it's a threaten with the buses is where can we take things off that doesn't affect the the the the teaching and the staff. So that's I know that was presented by Mr. get a part a few weeks back and that's one of the things they're talking about mileage within schools. How can we take some money off the top? Um, services, essential student support. For me, it's the BCBAS. I'm a special educator
035and we have a lot of behaviors and so that's worrisome and I know it's worrisome to the teachers. Um, after talking to some of them, I think some of the things is increased class sizes. We already have those. We got people teaching in closets. We got people teaching in libraries where we can't use our libraries. We have fourth grade teachers that have like 30some kids in a classroom. I give them kudos. I have no idea how they can do that. I have six and I run circles in my rooms. Having 30ome, have no idea how they're going to do that. Um [clears throat] there's been talk of do we reduce kindergarten? Do we rethink about our prek model? Um are we going to eliminate elementary specials? Are we going to increase like pay sports? I'm
036one that's a huge proponent of sports in schools. There's a lot of kids, they only come to school to get grades because they want to play sports. I have a son that totally graduated high school because of that reason only. When you cut sports, people think, "Oh, you're threatening it, so we'll do [clears throat] it." But it's true. Some people can't even pay the fees for sports, so their kids don't even get to be in sports. Um, we look at the facilities. I'm I'm a I ran cross country at Amelia Elementary or not Ameilia Middle School, the middle school over there when they were the high school. That building is almost the same as when I ran there and that was a long time ago. When you look at the outside, it's crumbling. It's falling
037apart. Like that's scary. Like that's that that cannot be healthy for students. And so one of the reasons that I came in is how are we going to raise the revenue? The only way to do it because the state's taking back money is we have to think about do we put a a levy out there. Is a levy even going to pass? People are groceries are inflation. Gas, my gosh, almost $5 a gallon. I mean, it's just insane. And I think we're coming to you is now I'm coming to you as a staff member, but more importantly, the kids. The kids are the ones that suffer. [laughter] I know one thing we talked about was the fact that um you know we spend less per per pupil than most of the districts in the state
038and then some people come back and go well why shouldn't you spend more we don't have it to spend more but one of the reasons we spend less is so we can spend it for something else curriculum or something else so um the state has taken $30 million from our budget and we are already one of the lowest spending on our kids but I made a quote here and I I kept at every meeting we've had when you look at reducing expens expensive it's not going to happen but if we don't have funding this will happen so thank you >> and Kimberly brought up a good point I when I saw that the need for this committee was I I knew that I [clears throat] wanted to join it because I'm coming from a district
039that is in a position that I could see West Claremont going into and I can't I can't um just sit back and let that happen as a parent as a public educator. Um, as Kimberly brought up, we spend the least amount, but we have some of the highest performing index, which is a great thing for us as a community because we're getting the highest return on our investment. So, even though people might say, why aren't we spending more? Well, we don't we don't have the money, but also we're doing the best we can with our money. And I think that's something else we talked about a lot in our meetings is sometimes West Claremont still has this stigma of being a a a low district, a low performing district. Why would you send your kid
040there? And that's just not factually true. So something that I wanted to do with the committee is make sure that we spread that information to the community. That's just not true. We can't say that we're not a good district. We are a good district. And this last year I've had the opportunity to sub in almost all of the buildings and it is an amazing community. Um even the buildings that are a little bit more dilapidated than others, they're doing the best that they can with what they have. Um so the implications of the reductions to personnel programs, student services, and facilities will impact students. Our students are going to go without. They're going to go without services. They're going to go without staff. They're going to it it's just going to completely impact their daily
041learning. Um, who wants to come to school like that? Who who wants to? They're they don't staff not having much support. Who wants to work there? Who wants to work in a district where you don't have the things that you need to do your job? It's very demoralizing. Um, I know at my last district, I mean, we had to provide our own copy paper. I mean, it was Yes. [clears throat] as a teacher. So, >> um, it it's bad. Like, it's And there's no BCBA. There's there's a counselor for the district. Um, staff turnover. I left. I was a almost 20-year veteran teacher. I loved the community that I worked in. I could not do it anymore. I could not do it physically. I couldn't do it emotionally. Um, parents are going to start to
042not see the value in our district. And right now, we also as a state have this horrible voucher system that's costing our schools $2 billion a year across the state. and parents are going to leave. They're not going to continue to send their students to these schools. Um, I'm a proud West Claremont alum. I love the schools, but I can't send my school some my kids somewhere where there's no specials, you know, they're not getting the reading services they need. I can't do that to them. Um, our and outside of just the school, it's going to affect the community. It it just will. It's going to trickle down. These are this is the future. So if we're not educating them, who's going to take care of us? Who's going to continue the community? So the
043the need is astronomical. Um yeah. Um, I I think that just reiterating what these ladies said, um, and just getting information out to the community, letting them know like it wasn't, you know, our board's decision or the local decisions by any means to try and get this, you know, updated, try to get more information out to the people. So, just like how how we've h getting out to them, how we've handled everything. um the cuts that have been made, how to maybe expand um to reduce any more cuts. Um just looking at um the timeline of events, showing that to them, what what has already happened just from like when we've move when we moved here and then like after COVID to now um and why we need to probably get this on a ballot
044to get voted on so we can get, you know, the finances that we need for our kids growing because our kids are growing. our kids are all in sports specials, band activities, and we can't imagine, you know, sending them somewhere where those things are cut or they're they're not available. >> And I said it in one of our first meetings. I said that we were looking for places to live and I was living in Anderson time. I wanted to live out in the country because I grew up in the country and funny is I'm kind of like in the same place. I'm from New Alb, Ohio. Now, I don't know if some of you know knew and we talked about it. That's that was went from country to straight one of the richest communities. And
045it's funny is that here we are. Then they never asked us for money or anything cuz we had had a backer. And now we're a part of it. And we came in in this and we got into this uh this u I guess our little assembly here but community and we were like well we came in thinking that we're going to help do this. We can get buses back. We can do this. And all a sudden off the right off the rip it was like whoa. Okay. So now that's not true. How are we going to do these things, maintain it, but also increase it to make it better for our community? And that's what what why we're here and it's why we care. And then going to the next slide. >> Well, just so
046the community knows too, like they need to know >> specifics, right? Because they look I mean, you hear about a levy and you're like, "Oh, I don't want my taxes to go up. I'm not going to vote on that." I mean, they need to know like you're going to lose teachers. Your kids aren't going to have the teachers that they need. They're not going to have the resources. They're not going to have the sports like stuff that really hits hard in their faces, whether it's like one page or whatever. >> I know just today alone, which is funny, that we ate practice today and I ship my two younger off to go to practice and the coaches are watching them and they're supposed to be practices over at 8 and I'm supposed to be there.
047We're going to pick them up. Thank God we have a good community >> of people we trust that we do. Yes. So, and that's that's I don't know how to say this, but I grew up very old school. Uh, you don't trust people with your children. You don't trust you certain people you do. And there's certain people and there's a bylaw. There's there's rules that follow into that. And I came out here thinking and knowing that this community was like that from listening to how people said things and done things. And this my observation and I'll be dog on if I'll sit here and wait watch a community fall. I won't. So that's why we're also involved. And when it says when the groups identify, you have your local schools, well, local sports teams. I
048think we checked that one off. All right. The PTO, here we are. Churches, we're very much involved in our church. We're very much in our church and and the boosters being what we are as a VP and all the above and the million not hole million not hole was it's a sad kind of place, but it's also so the potential is so much there. And we started doing that by going out to Poochis, going out to different places that are mom and pop places here in our community that are wanting those people to be there, not to go straight down to McDonald's. Stop. Get something to eat. Get a get a I don't know, get a breakfast bowl. Try it out. A patty milk. I don't know. Just try it out. That's what we're here
049for. You know what I mean? Art community and it's like the food partners. We go through and we get our own sponsors on our own teams and each team, each head coach does that. And there's each person in our community, that's what they do. Well, there's only so many places you can go. Walmart ain't going to hand you hand you a sponsorship. They don't care. You know what I mean? They just drop prices for you to walk in a a lawn chair. And that's that's the whole thing is the it's the community that we're in. and the local the the employers. I I I'll proudly say this and I'll say it in front of God and everybody is that I work for the Cincinnati Reds and I very proud of what they do and I'm
050very much part of the community here. We I allowed them to help get it part of the million not hole through the community fund through those places. And that's what I why I'm here, why we're here, because this if this is what's going to happen and what I've already seen and what I've heard in all of our meetings is that we're the only ones going to say it. >> The community is. >> You can say it whatever you want to, but we're going to have to go out there because now it's funny is just like today I left and I said I had to go do this thing, right? And they're like, "What thing?" I've had seven people walk up to me like, "What are you doing, Richard? What are you getting involved in?" And
051like, "What's going on?" Just because of the people that I've surrounded myself with in our community because they know I care. They know we care. We love We're We're god-fearing people that love each other and love our community, love the people around us. That's why we're sitting here. And I that's basically all I got. So some of the recommendations that we have the a good one is that we want to sustain the academic momentum. So while we are high performing and low spending we want to at the bare minimum keep that momentum if not take it to the next level. Um so we want to do that by prioritizing programs, staff and resources to ensure that students are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to be prepared for anything not just something. So we
052need at the bare minimum to maintain [clears throat] the funding level that we've had if not more. More would be preferable. >> So over the course of history in this district uh we have high performance with low cost but at a certain point we kind of reach our limit. So, how are we going to optimize those services and deliver the services that we have and the facility usage and maximize every dollar that we get? Because, you know, with the house bills and that they have and our current uh situation, you know, we need to keep the performance where it is, but the costs are going up and the money's going down. >> So, [clears throat] we have to clarify what is at stake. So big thing that I brought at the meetings was during the
053last levy. I have a lot of neighbors. I know a lot of my neighbors in the neighborhood and all of them go to Willowville, but they all ask me the same thing. I don't want to vote for that because my property taxes are going to go up. But I think the biggest thing that we need to get out to them is your property taxes may go up a little bit, but think of this. If we don't take care of our schools and we don't make them great schools and keep them great schools, then no one is going to want to move out and be in this community. Richard said it best. He researched it. He came out. They came out as a family. And I think the big thing is the fact that people always
054look at, oh my gosh, more money or whatever. I look at something different. I look at, well, I want to keep the neighbors that I have. I don't want them moving out. And then I don't want the wrong people moving next to me. I'm just going to be honest. We got a lot of one of the things that I checked on and spoke at the meetings was the other big thing is there's a new apartments and new apartments and new apartments and I asked questions and what I found out is we still get money from the tax abatements in a different way but we still get it. So even though people say, "Well, why don't they do tax abatements or so forth?" I know that we as a district cannot. We have nothing to do
055with the building that comes out and the things that are being built up. All we can do is support those kids that are coming in there. And how do we support them? Because we're already busting at the seams. I mean, seriously busting at the seams. And there's just got to be a way. But we as a I think as staff, as community members, as parents, we just have to find ways through you guys. What do we do next? And how do we get out how dire the need is? Because in a few years, we could be millions behind and it's just going to go from go down from there. >> So, the next step is we just need to figure out how we're going to generate that revenue and keep the good things happening at
056West Claremont. That concludes this evening's presentation. Not sure if you all have questions or um they're available to answer any questions that you might have, but this is the end of what they had prepared for you. >> Uh I don't really have a question. I am thrilled. You guys seem to have a really good grasp on what has happened to our district, no fault of our own. And I appreciate the steps that you sound like you're going, you know, the steps are we need to educate our community on where we're at and how we can move from this point moving forward and do even better than we've done. I'm I know our graduation rate has never been this high and it's it's great that everybody sees that, but we have to keep the momentum going.
057I think you guys have all done a great job and I think you've done you you have a really good grasp on on reality and what it's going to take for us to move forward and really reaching out to the community and you guys being the community. That's how we're going to get where we need to be. I think we did. It's like we also talk about a lot of things that you guys do is we I something I saw and I see is you you need to sell yourself a little more >> like West Fairmont like their high school not just the sports just hey you know we're state champion blah blah blah like number one graduation like have it up have you celebrate everything or you're not if you're success people want to
058be a part of success programs people want to be a part of winning programs. No one wants to be a part of a losing program. And if you show and brag and talk about it and like act like you're the biggest one in the room, you will be the biggest one in the room. And I think some of that people that are leaving that I've talked to, it's like coaching a baseball team and all of a sudden you're coaching a baseball team and half your team go play select ball. Well, you're coaching not. You're trying to keep everything together. While other people think they're better in this way and this way and they're going that way and that way. The first question is you ask them, "Well, what what was that?" And they're like, "Well,
059we don't have a middle school baseball team, so we're going to go play select here. We're going to do this." Well, I have a son that I believe is very well in sports, but am I holding them back by being a part of that community or am I doing letting him go? And that's what every parent thinks about. I mean, how do I make it how where they can get to that point to that level? And I know this cuz I was blessed to play division one football. I was blessed to have scholarships playing baseball, but I was blessed because my father and mother, they didn't. It wasn't me. It wasn't them. It was me. I said, "I'm going to do this. I want to do this." And if you have parents that want their
060child to be that way, and they're going to be that way, they're going to find a way to do it. And if your football team's 0 and nine, they're going you're going to be losing some players. You're losing some people part of the community that could be a big up to being that that athlete, that sponsorship, that person. And I I think sometimes bragging about yourself >> paying $500 to play football, you wouldn't have been able to do that. >> Correct. Oh, no. That's what I told him that in one of our meetings. I said the my really good close friend still, he's the principal dean of students in my high school actually both my football coach was funny and the head coach there and he called me up and said, "Richard, uh, what do
061you think about charging 620 bucks to play football?" And I said, "Well, man, I tell you the truth. If I was back then when I was playing, I wouldn't have played. I couldn't ask my mom and dad for that money. I have two little sisters. I wouldn't want nothing. Not It's not that they didn't have it. I wouldn't ask that burden upon them. So, I would have probably worked harder in my construction job and worked harder and done more just so I could have played sports. And if I didn't play sports, I wouldn't be the man I am today. I wouldn't be in this path where I'm at today. I wouldn't have been able to play college football. My family's from southern West Virginia coal miners we got and that's the way it is and
062you I we moved to Columbus for a better life and here we were. My mom was a school cook, dad was a factory worker and that was that that's how I knew I had to go to school. That's the only way I knew it. Sorry, but that's I just think you need to brag about it. Make it make it good. >> Good point. >> So, first and foremost, I do appreciate everyone. I've come to your guys. I've come to a meeting. Um, I've seen you guys, it's hard work, it's dedication, and I I appreciate that. Um, to your your comment, um, that's we we're we're trying to there's always room for improvements. We're trying to do some showcase. We've done um through the past year, you know, bringing different kids and showcasing them whether it's
063from elementary up. So, we're going to continue to work on that and continue to to do that because here's the thing. We want to make sure that in our district that we're meeting kids wherever they're at. Some are the sports, some are the theaters, some are the bands, some are the music. We we want to make sure that we're hitting all of them because um each kid that's what motivates them to continue to come to school. One of the things that I learned um quickly coming on to the board is um in some areas our hands are tied um when it comes to things, you know, as a board member. I'm only a board member tonight right now. When I'm done with this and I go out, I'm I'm no longer a board member. I'm
064just Ryan Patton. And so I can I can for lack of better words preach the message to the community. So that's how I do it. This is the most this room has been packed since I've been a board member. Thank you for all coming. But the message needs to be delivered from all of us to our community members so that we each are being able to pass that message on so it's not just me where people think that I'm giving them a um not the accurate message or whatever, but we just need to take the message. We need to go to the community and make sure that the community understands the teachers need to pass the message that we have packed rooms that we're doing the best that we can. It's that makes sense. I'm
065kind of rambling a little bit, but yeah. So, you know, that's definitely getting the message out there to the community. >> I think that they also need to understand when you talk about the $500 pay to play that, you know, some people will say, "Oh, well, people will still pay it to play." My son, when he was in middle school, we had seven kids on the track team at Ameilia Middle School and we competed because we could only we competed against teams of 150, but only seven kids could pay that $500. >> So, it it does affect the sports. >> Major major affect because you have kids >> absolutely >> that in this in this community as well. >> We all don't live in the white houses. We all live in there. They have trailer.
066They have areas that they live within whatever and they're different places from all different areas and this area is definitely in this place like I could go on just it's different different places mixtures mix different mixture of people we are a very diverse community it's a very diverse community so >> one of the things if I could if I could say about this committee and um >> it's it was interesting because if you didn't know how where we started. >> These were some of the hardest questions we got asked that first day because they're like, "Okay, this can't be real." It came from this can't this can't really be happening. Yes. >> And so we had a group of people just peppering us with some hard questions. And then that realization of this can't be
067real to oh my gosh, this is real to >> oh my gosh, >> we're hurting our kids. How do we how do we save our kids? And this whole group went through that from like no one walked in saying, "Let's do this." They walked in like going, "There's no way. there's no way this is happening. And then it was like, oh, so so what you see today is that is that morphus from from this can't be real to we're ready to do something. We have to we have to we have to help our our staff, our kids, our community. So I'm proud of how we got there. They got there really fast. That's but because of it was like okay once they understood it. Yes. Yes. [laughter] >> Give me let's go. >> Yeah. >>
068And we do have to find ways constructively to get that >> into people's heads because eight years ago I was sitting out there um with that kind of same thought >> as you guys may have had on your first day. Um and so I decided I have I have four kids um all of them about to be at Merwin next year. Um three are already there but that's why I'm here now. um because of them uh because I thought I could make one I thought more I could make more of a change than I actually um could and I found that I found that when I got on the board it's not it's not reality like what you what you think uh you you you start asking those tough questions and and get the real
069answers and um reality is not as bright or as there's not as much in the pot as you you might have thought. Um, so we got to find a way to get the that information into the hands who aren't at the front of the line, who are out there in the community, who aren't actively searching for for those answers like like you guys are. Um, we have to kind of deliver it where it's going to be heard. And that may be through some tough questions and answers, but um it's on our shoulders as community members, as parents, as teachers, like it's on our shoulders to to kind of get this ball rolling so we can so we can make some posit positive change in a district that um is really going to need it. >>
070I just want to piggy back off of Richard though because I know you talk sports, so I'm going to talk special ed. So I don't I want to say five years ago the district took a chance and revamped our special education department and I think my first year I had 11 students and now I have six and they're autistic. >> They take a lot of work. I think one of the things that we that we need to do as a district is not just highlight the sports because there are kids that will only go to school for sports, but I see a lot through social media where I don't know if I want to send my kid here because of blah blah blah blah blah. One of the things is we do need to highlight
071the things that we are really good at. We have some really great program teachers in this district and we work our tails off and we take a beating sometimes that you would even believe. But I don't think people realize the education those kids get either. And if you notice, we keep adding programs because we keep getting more children that have those types of disabilities, but we also need to what about the gifted and talented? What about the teachers who also do clubs and things after school? So, not just talk about the negatives of how we don't have money, but also what are the other things that people do outside that reach all kinds of different kids in the district? Because I think sometimes if we're more apt to send out a flyer or something that
072says, "Well, if we don't have money, we're losing this, this, and this, but how about, hey, did you know that we have this, this, and this, and this is how this is done?" Because a lot of people aren't aware of that. So, >> well, a lot of times people only comment about stuff negatively. >> No one ever wants to say positive stuff. It's always when they're all >> mad and whatever, but they want to say something cuz I've seen that too. >> Even like on like days off where there's like it's like a snow day or like you can't [laughter] do anything you call too late. [laughter] These people need something, you know, do something other than this. [laughter] This is not working for you. So, I think I think also >> I think too
073that like the little flyer in a paper or whatever. We don't have paper anymore. No one reads papers. >> I don't think anybody does. >> Well, we need no we need like social media >> but something out there. Social media social media also something out there is like hey be the way of the wolf you know what I mean? if you want to be a part of this community something that tag them cuz they would cuz they're they're looking for their kids picture of their kid's name >> and if they come out and say like the ceremony that was a part of in the middle it's 7:15 in the morning >> and they're there and I'm I'm like man >> you have two people there >> and everybody's there and is having a great time
074and doing stuff but if you see so Jim my neighbor he's been a part of the community for oh man he was raised here and he's 70 some years old if he looks in a flyer sub Facebook or whatever and has a little flyer with this Dalton [snorts] spawning [clears throat] principal award winner blah blah blah that history history of the month student of the of the year like wow that's Dalton that's next door and then it's easier to to approach him and say hey I need a dollar cuz he'll give you a dollar to go pick up sticks but if he's not if he don't know you or don't and can't be that feel that pride inside about who you are or who he is or what he's done and doing the positive things
075then he's not going to give you a dollar and that's what we're here We're looking for that dollar. >> So it's that's just something as simple as just like a hey or like a something that pops up. People are >> and like a maybe social media >> somebody that does Tik Tok cuz I don't little like commercial. [laughter] >> Sorry I can't show you. >> No, that's fine. I I was just going to to uh and and you know, one of the things that we've been talking about and to kind of pull it all back together is how amazing this district is. The things that we have done to help this should be district be be amazing. And and I know it was happen stance, but we're fortunate to have a full room today because
076we're what we do is amazing is because everyone that sits behind you, this panel right here, comes to work every day and does a hard job and and and they don't ask anything other. They want their kids to be successful. They want to be proud of their students and they want to be able to provide for their students. And so we're sitting here today be doing good because of everyone that's sitting behind this row right here and people in the row, of course, don't get me wrong. Um, but it's in order to continue to do that, we you know, there's a there's a we have to make some decision as a board. And I think moving forward, it's it's you've presented a great message. You've presented a lot of research and to watch what we
077able to do in such a short period of time has been phenomenal from where I've sat. So, I appreciate all the hard work that you guys put into this. I know the board appreciates all the hard work you put into this. You've given us a lot of great information. >> Yep. Thank you. >> Thank you guys so much. All right. [applause] >> You're you're welcome to stay for the rest of the evening, but also you're free to go if you you've been here for several hours. So, >> say thank you for all that you have done. This is the most I've heard from the group uh that has worked so hard and del dedicated their time and talent to make sure the board has this information and I really appreciate it from the bottom of
078my heart and I thank you for what you have done. It really opens up a lot of uh discussions in the future us as board members as to what we need to do and how we need to do it and what we need to focus on that's important to the students and staff in this district. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> I want to go. Are we doing this now? Are you doing the comments? >> Yeah. >> All right. So, >> [clears throat] >> All right. So, >> next on our agenda is superintendent comments. Um, I'd like to start by saying again, thank you to the volunteers. >> Hold on, guys. Guys, >> thank you guys. >> Y just again [snorts] to say thank you to our to our volunteers of the year
079once again for their service to West Claremont. um they help make our district a better place for our staff and students and we hope that they continue on. I know some were were tailing off and I know some were like, "Hey middle school people, pay attention. Kids are going to middle school. You may want to grab them." [laughter] Um next it would just remind everybody that on May the 20th, it's the Willowville Memorial Day parade and they this Memorial Day parade has been going on for it's the 49th annual parade. It is currently the longest serving Memorial Day parade in the state of Ohio. >> Wow. So, uh, it's a meaningful tradition that celebrates our veterans and, uh, going through that. It's kicks off at 1:30 on May 20th and with the parade following at
0802:30. So, that's something that if Ford wants to attend, they I would I would encourage it. And finally, it is graduation season. So, I just wanted to remind [laughter] everyone that West Pal High School's graduation is this Friday. It starts at 700 p.m. at the Centile Center on Xavier's campus. And um we have 591 graduating with 571 students actually attending the event. SO [applause] excited about that. So that's my that's my top. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Romano. Okay. So, um, we gave the schedule to the board about leading up to the budget for FY27 and the processes that that would take. And, um, it would have been great if if if they would have stayed because half, if not most of the presentation that you're going to see is going to be a repeat
081of what was said uh, a little bit ago. And um what I want to do, you know, in the next uh it'll be shorter because most of what I was going to say they had already said in place for me, but give an update to the board on our line item budget development for the general fund. provide a description of that development process that the administrative team went through to get that highlight some of the proposed changes and then let you know what the impact is going to be on the on the forecast that we have to provide not just to you and the board has to adopt but provide to the state and to the uh state auditor's office state department of education and state auditor's office to do it. So, so understand, you
082know, everybody looks at me as the numbers guy and unfortunately that's what I do most of the day is work the numbers in two different things. But what all the people here did between Cassie, Kimberly, Trish, Jennifer, Richard, and the others did is they took those numbers and they personalized them. They put them in their own words, in their own stories, what it meant to them as a family, what it meant to them as teachers, support staff in the classroom. Um, because those are the that's the reality of those numbers. Okay? It's unfortunate. I mean, I have to work with those. I'd rather probably love to work with what you guys get to work with every day. When I say you guys, I know the most of you most of you are teachers in the
083audience. So, I say that to you. But, so where did we come from and where did we go? Okay. There was an October forecast and when we did that forecast in October, it was a very different story than what took place two months after October and some legislative bills were passed. Again, the team here told you all about those bills. I'll just give you the summary number. They set it. It impacted this district adversely to $30 million in a very short period of time. They took money from the past that they already gave us. They flattened what we are going to get and they made sure that into the future the growth of any local income was being suppressed and the opportunity to get more local income was was even more restrictive upon us and
084upon the school board upon the school district as a community to do that. So from October to February, let me get it there somewhere. Right here, the the numbers changed to where in February we we were predicting a deficit in 2030. Why is 2030 an important number? Because that's when we have to do the renewal. Of course, I can't say that word anymore because it can't be a renewal of a levy. But in 2030, the 10-year levy uh emergency levy that was passed in 2020 is up. Not much other choice to go back to the to the community to have can't say replacement either, I don't think, but to have a new continuing levy to have that same income going on. Okay, I know their numbers, but what what what's the difference here? So, if
085we look at the column that is the first highlighted in yellow and look at our balances, yeah, we'll end this we'll end this year with a pretty good cash balance. We'll end it with probably um two two and a half months of dollars in reserve and that's a good position to be in. If if most districts within the state really strive to be at that, I will tell you five years ago we were not at that. We are on the doorstep of fiscal uh caution watch and emergency and the real meaning of that is somebody else gets to make the decision for the five people to the left of Dr. Folultz to your right my left of Dr. Folultz. Okay. So as as as things deteriorate that's what happens to us as we go forward.
086When we saw that happen back in February, we knew we had to do a couple things because of what was going to happen to the cash balances and to where we're going. So, by the way, if you look at what you know what had happened and the 30 million number, um actually before the February forecast, there was one done in January that projected a $53 million deficit. So, we did some things to to already start taking items out of the budget to make sure that uh we weren't going to get a letter that told us we were in fiscal caution or watch or emergency to do that. Okay. I already spoke of of what that legislation did to us. They spoke better about it than I ever could because it was personal to them. Um
087we're not the only school district in the state to be at this crossroads. There's over 200 school districts that were that were at the board knows the number. We're at the 20 mil floor. The 20 mil floor meant that our local property tax revenue could grow. Okay. When the value of the property grows, okay, that was stripped away from us. So instead of the 39 or 40% growth in in in um property tax revenue that was created in 23, the state came back and lowered that to um inflation rate over the three years of 11%. There's another reappraisal for this year rather than the true growth of the value of that property. We're off the 20 mil floor so we can't get that anymore. But but even so the growth will be restricted to um
088the inflation [clears throat] rate or as they call it the deflationary rate which probably is going to be close to 3% a year somewhere between 9 and 11% as we go forward to do that. What's that all mean? um you know as we put the budget together, okay, the revenue changes that were captured in February really uh were impacted by those house bills and then we did some um expenditure changes to take that 53 down to $40 million in 2030. Very similar slide that uh was presented, you know, by that team. I think Kimberly is the one that spoke on it. Okay, what do we need to do? Um, as we go forward, it is a balancing act between how much can we immediately reduce expenses, where can we find additional revenue. The real problem
089is, they know it, you know it very well, is that being one of the lowest cost per pupil districts in the state means that there's not a lot of muscle or skin on that bone. Okay? When you try and go reduce something, there's not a whole lot there to reduce it. And I'll show you an example of that in a minute. Okay? The other difficulty on the balancing act um is really true is that when the state for over a decade does not give us substantially any more money, the only place we could get more money was from the local uh property tax or or the local local community. Okay, it just meant there was more immense pressure on that local community. And again, the states the state has not given us anymore. So, um,
090when Kimberly was talking about special ed, okay, the state may say in the formula it gives us more money, but it doesn't because we hit our ceiling on this guaranteed. So, we don't get anymore. The formula looks like we get more, but we don't. Okay? It we're capped at that. So, doing that balancing act is not an easy thing to do at all. as we they spoke about this and I and and it's a reality. Okay. The thing that is most at risk and I I think she talked about going back five years and what things were like um we'd almost become a destination district for certain services. Okay. our population in certain services are growing um in enrollment and and maybe not maybe the total enrollment is not growing but in those special areas
091it is growing okay to do that but what's at at risk over the last five or six years where this group of people the administrators you took this district was in a a momentum and acceleration of student performance which was very real um and is very evident That's at risk when when we lose dollars financially. What's at risk is our students who got a little bit more now going without. It's our staff is is not maybe getting as much support as they did in the past because there's positions being reduced. Is there going to be staff turnover when all of a sudden they don't see light at the end? Maybe maybe there will be staff turnover. [clears throat] Okay. are parents going to not see the value um in the district and may choose another
092avenue that that could happen. Okay. So, but we want to make sure that however we can and until we can balance our budget, we kind of keep things the same as going forward. Um last week, and I'm going the wrong way, aren't I? >> There we go. So last week there was a sector report that came out from Moody's. And what Moody's does is they not just school districts or cities or counties but but anybody any company in the world they assess their creditworthiness. And one of the things that I wish um our general assembly would have known before they took action is what they are really doing is putting very much at risk and and Moody states it in this sector report. Okay. the creditworthiness of Ohio school districts and they were very clear
093um in their in their sector report about what was going on. Moody's gave a similar presentation that these people did in their write up of saying what those bills did to school districts. Three of the things they ca they came out or or what they came out with is what do districts in the state of Ohio really need to do okay as they look forward and look forward in the situation that they're at. So the first thing and and they're listed up there and it's out of the report. I can post the report out. It's a it's a published report. One is when when they talk about governance, okay, they don't just talk about the five people to the left of of Dr. Folz, they also talk about uh governance as being the administration. So
094including the district office, including the principles, but but really the whole governance of of the school district. They need to have credible levy planning strategy tools that include contingencies. If the levy fails, what's that mean? Exactly what these people said. If if we can't get additional revenue, how do we balance the budget? And unfortunately, that's on the expenditure side. Second thing, adherence to formal fund balance policies that provide meaningful budgetary cushion and next steps for breaching lower bounds. We work very diligently. I know um Ryan Patton early on when he came on the board really looked at the num the the cash balance and the number of days we had on reserve and and and keeping that a steady number. And so the the the uh the benchmark is is 60 days on hand. It
095took us a while to get there. We finally got there, okay, a couple years ago and tried to maintain that and that's being pulled away from us. But we have to find a way to get that back or our creditworthiness is at risk. The ability and willingness to constrain expenditure growth including timely implementation. What's that really mean and mean in simple words? We know we know you know that that things need to be added that our students don't have. Okay? And and some of those things were added. Okay? And unfortunately because of what was done to us, things that we had planned for in the future, further curriculum adoptions, and I look at Ellie when I say that, but but you know, redoing our curriculum, um doing some other things that are very directly into
096the classroom may have to be suspended or put off because we don't have the funds right now to do that. So what's it all mean as we put a budget together for the next school year for FY27? So the target that we had in February when we saw this as a reality is that that we saw a number of $3.5 million that we knew we had to reduce from our expenses. The chart on the right, the the line that's going from the bottom left to the top right is our expenses. And and although that looks like a steep line, it's really not. our expenses aren't growing drastically, okay, but they're kind of growing at that rate of inflation to go forward. The line that kind of goes up a little bit and then dives down
097south is our revenue. And where those lines are crossing is where we are spending more than we're taking in. And unfortunately, that is really happening because the state's taking money away and it's reducing what we had been receiving in order to do that. To get the $3.5 million, the the the areas that we looked at were transportation and staff positions. Um, it's great that our we are a people business. most of our budget is personnel. So wages and benefits for for everybody that's employed here. We had to look at that. And then the third thing was in the discretionary spending, which we don't have a lot of discretionary spending. I'll show you how that came to reality in a little bit. So as we were putting the budget together, we looked at um four different
098levels. Um we wanted to build a budget. We didn't want to just roll dollars over and cut things. So, we looked at a mandatory level or some minimum level that was either required by law or required for us to give some minimum services. We looked at a reduced level which was about 85% of the of the previous year's budget to say if we had to reduce things, what do we want to make sure that we keep? a continuation level was okay, if we had the same money as we had last year, how do we keep things going going with that? We looked at that at the department level um at location level and all and really cut cut across a a large number of individual line items. Okay, there was a fourth level which was
099an improvement level that said, well, okay, if we made an investment today, how could we we be better off tomorrow as far as um being more efficient and effective to do something? So, in other words, invested today to save money tomorrow to do that. Okay. Again, we wanted to build a budget. We didn't want to just roll it over. Um, our appropriation or budget for LA for this current year was $ 109 million $109,500,000 approximately to do that. When we start building the budget for next year and and the all of the the the cabinet, the district leadership were involved in building that. when we looked at the mandatory level which which in a lot of districts is a lot less. Okay, again our pupil cost in 2020 was like between three and 5%. um
100because we were able to take advantage of the increase in in property tax revenue and others, it worked itself up to 17 18%. Um when I say 17 18% of the total districts within the state, we were the bottom 17 or 18%. Okay, we're per pupil about $2,000 per pupil less than what the state average is. So if you have a classroom size of 25 students in it, multiply that times $2,000, that's $50,000 more per classroom we could have been spending if we were at the state average. Okay. So what ended up happening is when we were working with the administrative staff, what we saw was significant dollar amounts were landing in the mandatory level. Those were the essential things that we had to spend that we were spending our money on. they they weren't
101discretionary items. They weren't things beyond, you know, um even a a a reduced level. So that they were in that when the budget process and again we're still in the budget process. This is just an update. There's got to be some more review done. We ended up uh we end up doing a proposal the cabinet the administrative staff to do a proposal to the superintendent which builds about 108,382,000. Okay. So about $108,400,000. That's about $3.7 million less than what we projected in the February forecast on expenditures. Okay. And still we're still working on that. Each of the lines that you see up there are comprised of hundreds of lines, if not thousands of different line items to buy things out of. Okay? Does that really matter to a lot of people? No. But it helps
102us really identify what we can keep and what we may not be able to spend money on as we go forward to it. Again, those are the numbers. They have the story, you know, around it. You have the story around everything. Where do we need to go forward from here? Continue the review of what's being proposed as the budget. The cabinet submits that to the superintendent. The superintendent has the final authority to review and make adjustments in it, provide that to the board. the board has the opportunity to review it and um at the June 29th >> the June that's targeted right now at the June 29th board meeting for the the board to um hopefully would approve that budget which really rose into our appropriation measure which really rose into the forecast in August
103as we go forward. Okay. Um so by June 30th we do have to adopt the budget. Okay. that rolls into the authority to spend money and move forward with it um as we go forward. So, um it's kind of the update of where we're at. Again, I mean, they they told the story of our of our multiple years as we going forward better than I or anybody else could do, I think, to do it. One of the things that I caught that I was appreciative of is is one of the things they were saying is as we talk to the community to be specific about what adding cutting what's going to happen. And so I think this kind of gives us the ability as we go forward to be a little bit more laser like
104clear on on what's happening and what we're doing to it as we go forward. That is it. So questions on where we're at, what we need to do, >> what you see? >> No. Do you have any questions? >> No. >> Overwhelming. >> That's it. >> With you. >> Thank you, D. No, >> I have no additional comments. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Romano. Moving on to board comments. I'll start with Miss Ambour. >> Uh, I just wanted to thank everyone for coming this evening. I know we as a board have a lot to look at and think about in the near future as to what needs to happen and what we can do and can't do. And with um our financial situation being in the in the bleak uh in the nearest future, I
105think we have to decide what what what we're going to do and what we can do and what we need to uh enforce with our community to say that we do need money to run this district. We have to have money. We have to have them to support our community, our students, and our staff. And I look forward to coming up with uh solutions and resolutions that [cough] will help us move the district forward. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Spencer. >> Just to thank you for everyone coming out. I know it makes it a long long week, but you only got a couple more days left, so [laughter] that's a good thing. But yeah, we are kind of in a in a crunch, but I appreciate the CAC and all that they have brought
106up to light and hopefully educating this the staff and our community about where we stand financially and how we're going to move forward and to support our students and our staff as well because we really appreciate all of the educators and all the supportive staff and all the work you guys do. And we know you guys have always bridged a very large gap and we love that you do that and we appreciate that and we will just um keep moving forward with the district. >> Spencer, Mr. Rudy, >> just like to thank everybody for coming out and I'll keep it brief. It's past my bedtime, >> way past Rudy. Mr. Chley, >> uh Ditto, I'd like to thank everyone for being here. Um, I'd like to kind of piggy back off what they were saying.
107Um, we do need to kind of boast a little more on our accomplishments. We, you guys all do an incredible job. Um, the numbers prove it. Um, and like we started this meeting highlighting um, some volunteers for our schools. I love doing it. Um, we need to do it more often. Um, and we need everyone to see just how strong of a group we are. Um, so I want to thank you guys. I want to thank our volunteers. Um, and I look forward to celebrating with our students this weekend. >> Thank you, Mr. Chley. Um, I'll start off with uh a couple of important dates. Uh, so we have a board retreat taking place uh June 13th. starts at 8 am. Our next board meeting will be June 29th at 7 PM here at the
108Civic Center. Um, for me, this is a nice change of pace. I'm normally thanking the staff and there's nobody here and hoping people are watching on uh, you know, YouTube or something. So, I I do appreciate you guys being here. Um, you guys are what keeps this district moving in the direction that we need to go. And so, I appre appreciate each and every one of you guys. Um, I've seen you guys in some of the buildings that I visited. Um, so I I I appreciate you guys wholeheartedly for what you guys do every day, day in and day out. Uh, I I too work in a school. I'm going to be tired tomorrow. So, I can already see that you guys are going to be tired tomorrow as well. I'm already counting sheep here.
109So, um, I'm assuming nobody's going to object to make I'm sorry. Who wants to make a motion to uh adjourn the meeting? >> It's not moved. >> Thank you, Mr. Can you get it out? Uh, who would like to second that? >> Second. >> Spencer. Thank you. I'm assuming there's no objective to that in the discussion. Roll call, please. >> Mr. Rudy, >> yes. >> Mrs. Spencer, >> yes. >> Mr. Patton, >> yes. >> Mr. Chumley, >> yes. >> Miss Samborn, >> yes. >> Five, yes. >> Thank you guys. >> Thank you, too.