Board of Education Regular Meeting

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m.

Mr. Jason Olinger read the mission statement.

Ms. Eyerman called the roll, all members of the board were present.

The agenda was adopted as presented with the following change made during the meeting.

11.4 LPDC Committee - add Brent Wyler as alternate.

The July 25, 2025, meeting minutes were approved as presented.

One member of the public presented a request prior to the meeting to speak.

Shree Nelson = taxpayer member of community, cannot find minutes on-line about the millage. Can you please explain what it means to move inside millage. Mr. Kowalski - 10 mills shared among county agencies and school districts. We have 4.6 mills. The District has acted on an option to move their inside millage to collect the local share of a state funded High School project. Our other option is to put a bond levy on the ballot. The third option would be to do both, My taxes have increased, and if you move millage will that raise my taxes? Mr. Kowalski said yes.Shree Nelson stated that  that my she does not feel that the community has understood what was happening. they see what is happening in Ridgewood and Riverview. Those districts are being transparent with residents. She was concerned and is glad she came and found out what is happening. The other concern is with the scores of the students. As a voter we vote each of you Board Members in here. About the scores of the children - how do we know what the scores are where do we get that information. My kids are out of school, but I still want our kids to do great. Mr. Kowalski explained that we will be rated with stars as a district 1-5. Last year we were 3.5 Stars, we met state expectations. We can be better. We have put things in place and are making gains. Yes, we would like to be 5 stars. Did every kid pass every test? No, but we are showing growth in most areas. Shree asked - How do we feel a new building will increase our scores. Stacey explained that she taught there and currently the building is in really bad shape. Leaks in the building, condensation, the building is in disrepair. It is also built for 1500 students. To keep a building that big going is costly.  There are no windows in most classrooms. Shree asked - with the ARPA $ a new ventilation system was added, to cool the building. How will it increase our scores. Mrs. Mann and Ms. Ganz concurred that as a teacher when working in an environment where you feel safe, comfortable, I am going to do a better job and be able to concentrate and be more effective. Kids and teachers will tell you it is bad. No decisions have been made yet. We put it on the ballot in May and we know how that ended up.  Mr. Kowalski explained that the building was built in the 60's and is inefficient and ineffective. We have a $25M contribution from the state, if we don't take it now, we could lose those funds. Then the community would need to cover the entire cost of a new build at some point.He also informed Shree that - In the fall when results are returned test scores will be in the newsletter. 

Mr Jason Olinger presented on the Technology update for the year. He presented 8 technology updates that have impacted the district as a whole. 

1. Extreme Network Upgrade - $246,000 - 80% E-rate funded.

2. Chromebook purchase. 850 new Acer 511 Chromebooks leased. Expect a 2-3 year that we will not have a payment for student technology.

3. CES Cafetorium AV Project Completion - New system that is very user-friendly, Admin is comfortable using it, and teachers are beginning to use it. Purchased from the 034 fund - maintenance fund for this building.

4. Security Upgrades and visual display enhancements. Also adding screens in the CHS main office, CES Head Principal's Office, improves situational awareness

5. Weight Room Visual Displays - exercise programs on the TVs

7. New Dell PowerEdge Server Environment installation, scheduled to be completed in the fall

8. Technology Support Requests- last year, 2100 help desk tickets. 

Summary - modernizing infrastructure, enhancing instructional technology, improving safety and security. 

The vote recorded on this item is inclusive of item 9.2.

The vote recorded on this item is inclusive of item 10.1 through 10.4.

The vote recorded on this item is inclusive of item 11.2 through 11.6.

The board voted to enter executive session at 7:17 p.m. to discuss the update on status of OAPSE negotiation items; legal status of existing pending personnel items.

The board exited executive session and resumed the regular meeting at 7:45 p.m.

Josh from SHP was at the meeting to discuss with the board any items they want to ask about related to funding options for the proposed new high school. Mr. Kowalski stated that we have not told the auditor to collect the inside millage yet. We have taken the action to be on the ballot in November. If we choose to remain on the ballot and it should happen not to pass, we may lose money (the approximate amount of $25M OFCC share) if the levy is not not approved in May. Mr. Kowalski also stated that we essentially have 2 options. We can move and use the inside millage with COPS or we can pass a bond. After analyzing the voter data, the SHP support team does not think the district can pass the bond in November. A bond will also cost taxpayers more than the inside millage. Virtually no school districts are passing issues across the state. Mr. Kowalski stated that if we delay, and go to May, it won't be 5.2 mills, it will be more because of inflation, and we may lose opportunity to collect the inside millage. Mr. Kowalski's recommendation to the Board is -  in order to secure the local share and build a new building- is that we collect the inside millage. The hit will come, community members will be upset, we know. 2 issues- we have an old building that is too big and costly.  and OFCC will not support putting money into that building. We will have a smaller, more efficient new building, fewer staff that OFCC will support. It will be at least 2 1/2 - 3 years before we can go into a new building. operating-wise it is the right choice.

Ms.Ganz asked if we could still put it on the ballot then if it fails move forward with the inside millage. Josh explained that the message she is stating is not what our community will understand. Putting it on the ballot again is not the recommended option for the district. 

Mr. Bennett stated that we need to keep the three parts of the original building that the community said they wanted if we are going to move forward with the inside millage. Mr. Kowalski and Ms. Day stated that we may not be able to do that. 

Mr. Predovich with SHP stated that we have 3 years to make a decision about the existing building. We can choose to take advantage of states money to keep part of the building. Or we can find a partner to help offset the cost of that building. Or, you take the 3 years to message the financial state of the district and what needs to happen moving forward. There are options and we don't need to make that decision now. 4.6 mills of inside millage 30 year loan satisfy our local share and them some. The state will come to us with funding for abatement and demolition, we will then need to make decisions. The climate may change, we may be able to keep one or all of the facilities. . We need to take advantage of the $25.3M we are going to get from OFCC.

Mrs. Mann - if we make a u-turn and just move forward with the inside millage, I am concerned that the community is going to think the Board members are up to something. Question we lost in May, why didn't we jump right in. We have not been open and shown things to the community. She doesn't understand why we are dropping the ball on making things more visible. 

Dr. Butcher - as board members we know what is best, we have been through this. He is more worried that we will have a bare bones facility and will lose the facilities the community was going to keep. We may be losing spaces that we were told that we could keep part of it. Now we are being told maybe we cannot do that or it is too expensive. It is disappointing that we are going to lose spaces (he is struggling about the planetarium), and are ending up with a bare bones facility. He doesn't want just what can we get by with for now, but instead- what are we going to be proud of 20-50 years from now. He hears us about the inside millage, but if that is only getting us the 15M, do we get the extra classroom space to move 6th grade?

Mr. Bennett said people got mad when they found out that we moved inside millage. If we do this, his fear is that down the road we won't pass an operating levy again.

Mr. Shutt - Ridgewood did this and had the same reaction, but now that it is done, their community is supporting a levy. Nobody really wins here. In my heart I want to keep the facilities, but in my mind, I know we cannot. It's budgetary - with all that is going on right now, things are hitting our community. I want to be proud of it, but I am trying to deal with the economic times we are dealing with.

Ms. Ganz - and it is for the kids. If we aren't popular after, we deal with that and know that we are making a decision that is based on what is best for our kids. 

Mr. Shutt - We are now dealing with the position that the community has put us in by not supporting the levy on the ballot. 

Our agreement with OFCC is written, we have until May of next year. If we don't commit to it by then the funds go out of escrow. If we want to use it again, we need to raise our money (local share) then go back to them and let them know we have our funding. If they have locked it up in escrow for other districts, we wait. Now our money isn't worth as much, due to inflation. 

Mr. Kowalski - If we go the inside millage - we need 12.3 + 800K in inflation estimate, 13M. $1M is earmarked for upgrades. We will have some money to work with. It is not the bare bones version. extra money for more parking and soils issues have been included as a set aside. If we don't need those, that funding can be used for upgrades. If we go on in November we could do everything right and still lose. So much movement in Columbus,  the economy, etc. It is a strong possibility that we would not pass the levy. June and July are hard months and summer is difficult time to start a campaign committee. Your chances of passing a bond levy are not good.

Mr. Predovich addressed Dr. Butcher's concerns regarding our timing -The money is in the process regardless. Design is in the new building, not the old. We can go all the way down the path of construction before we have to make a move to destroy any parts of the old building.  Demolition is built into the building budget and will be held until almost when we are ready to move into the new building before we make a decision.

We need to strategically plan how we are going to get everyone on board.

Mr. Kowalski - you are going to have a new building.

Mrs. Mann - prior to having a new building, we need to decide what we need to do the get the community support. 

Dr. Butcher - concerned about the spaces. They are community spaces. I am okay, I just want to make sure that we are doing what is best for our kids and the district and the community.

Mr. Kowalski-in talking to people he trusts - has been told that sometimes leadership is unpopular.

The Semi-annual bullying and Harassment reports were handed to Mrs. Mann at the August 28th Board meeting by Mr. Kowalski.

Early morning meeting September 15 @ 8:00 am.

Meeting adjourned at 8:53 p.m.