Board of Education Special Meeting

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm

All members of the board were in attendance.

The agenda was approved as submitted.

The board voted to enter into executive session at 7:08 p.m for the purpose of updating the board on an ongoing legal matter.

The board exited executive session at  7:43 p.m  and resumed the meeting.

The Board took this time to have another extensive conversation regarding implementing the movement of Inside millage to Permanent Improvement -

Mr. Kowalski stated that we are seeing school districts lose some of their inside millage. We need to consider that. We will never be able to finance a building. We can build new using the inside millage. Need to let let the state  know if we are ready to take advantage of the state offer to help fund this building. This is an opportunity to fix our facility problems and right-size with our current enrollment and staff. We need to tell Grant to collect. Then we can call Mike Burns with Baird, Becky Princehorn, with Bricker Graydon. She will work with Mike on 30 year COPS loan. Inside millage can only be used for this loan. After the COPS  loan is paid off, the funds can never be used for anything but Permanent improvement. OFCC would be notified. The district will begin to look for a construction manager and formal architect in February. Because schools are not passing bond issues, they are available. Bidding may be competitive and may be to our advantage.  Based on what is happening in the political landscape we could lose some of our inside millage. Public education is under attack. This movement of millage is just for facilities. We would have two new buildings - we see where we are with budget and forecasts. In Josh's email he reminds us that there is approximately a $900K increase in inflation every year we put this off. If that number goes down we may have more to work with. Abatement and demo cost depends on what the board decides to do. 

Mrs. Mann asked- if we go this route, we are not going to get this big building that we have promised our community. Where will 6th grade go? We have filled up the rooms in the Elementary schools.

Mr. Kowalski responded -we have 1488 students max. Lock in on square footage for that # of students. Josh is running the numbers, considering the requirements. Not many seniors are in our building. Technically we have 1532 students enrolled, but they are out of the building. 90 thousand square feet is what we need for grades 6-12 (7 grades) 6 teachers per core area for seven grades.  Yes we can get 6th grade in there, Kids are taking CCP and other options. The building will be what we need for our enrollment and we can get 6th grade in. The $25.3 Million offer from the state along with this funding will provide us the chance to build something new. 

Dr. Butcher stated that he still worries about what the public is going to say. We are in a tough spot. We need the new building we also need a space for the Superintendent and treasurer's office areas, What the public will say if we don't keep the spaces that they voted for on our surveys? He knows that if we don't do this, we will be leaving $25.3 million on the table and that there is pride in new buildings. 

Mrs. Mann stated that she is very concerned about size of classrooms. 

Mr. Bennett asked if we had to be concerned that we didn't have this on the agenda.

Mr. Kowalski explained that the vote to move the inside millage has already taken place in a previous meeting and documented.  At this point we are discussing the decision again tonight because we are preparing to inform our county auditor whether the board intends to move the millage for the new HS facility and PI or not. We need confirmation that the board still intends to stay the course that was originally planned

Mrs. Mann states that she hears and understands all that is being said and that it is our only option if we want a new building. Our community is not happy with the way this was done and that concerns her. 

Ms. Eyerman suggested that we bring Allerton in to work with the Board on messaging and they can help get information out to our community. 

Stacy says she is willing to stand up and say it - we need a new school. 

Mr. Shutt also supported that. We went down this road as an insurance in case we had no place to turn. We could not predict all of this, we can make a lot out of this in a positive spin. 

Mr. Kowalski stated that building a new building is as cheap now as it is ever going to be. 

Dr. Butcher stated that he is in favor as long as we promise to make it a building that the public wants. Hopefully with the planetarium and board offices. He hopes that we keep the door open to have these conversations.

Mrs. Mann stated that if the bond levy would have passed, we would not have to do this. She knows this is the only option and is still very concerned about the community. 

President Mann asked the treasurer to call a vote of the board members.

After the board discussion related to the movement of inside millage that was approve at the June 26, 2025 regular board meeting, a decision of the board members needed to be recorded determining the number of mills out of the approved 4.6 mills, that the board determined was needed to accomplish the building of the new high school and to direct the treasurer to notify the county auditor of their decision.

Mrs. Mann requested to go back into executive session at 8:00 pm and asked the treasurer and superintendent to leave for the purpose of discussion of employment of a public employee or officer.

The board exited executive session and resumed the regular meeting at 8:19 p.m.

The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.