April 2020 Board of Education Regular Meeting

Treasurer Schumacher explained that the addendum to the consent agenda 4.7 was added because the Richland County Tax Incentive Council convened online and Treasurer Schumacher attended in Mr. Theaker's place.

No further questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

Treasurer Schumacher reported as follows:

I have instructed Kara to move $70,000 to the general checking at Civista from FC Bank satellite account.

The March CDAR was cashed and deposited into the Richland Bank MM account and has since been moved to Star Ohio. Right now Star Ohio is paying .93% and a 52 week CDAR is paying .40%.

The only item to discuss in the Fund Balances would be the legal fees being paid from the 070 Fund. So far this year, we have paid $18,500. In all of 2019 we spent $19,145. This is a significant increase from previous years per month. I am hoping this is due to a negotiation of the lawsuit. Sometimes I feel like we are going over the same information previously submitted to our attorneys and in turn to the Attorney General and basically we are because a new lawyer has been assigned form the Attorney General’s office. I have many questions of what is going on with the lawsuit, but do not have the answers. I am planning on asking the OFCC to share in these expenses since I feel we have already done most of what they are asking us to do again..

As of March 31, we have received Real Estate taxes from all counties except Ashland and Seneca. We have received 2 advances from Richland county. Then in April, so far, (which the Board does not see until the May meeting), we have received settlements from all three of the remaining counties. We have only received Homestead and rollbacks from Crawford county.

we received the final settlement from Richland County on April 13. My contact in the Treasurer’s office will not be in her office until Thursday, so she will not be able to tell me until then, if Rover paid the entire year or only half. It looks to me as though they paid the entire year, but paid only the uncontested amount. They have, though only paid the undisputed taxes, so depending on the outcome, we could possible receive more after all appeals. I sat in on a pipeline informational meeting with OASBO, BASA and OSBA last Thursday. ODT expects to have a final determination on the pipeline appeal by June 30. This determination can then be appealed by either the pipeline or county auditor within 60 days. This appeal then goes to the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals. Appeals from this decision would then go to either the Ohio Supreme Court or a Court of Appeals. The pipelines must pay tax on the undisputed amount of taxes. Should the final decision show that the pipelines have underpaid, the County Auditors will immediately invoice the pipeline for the remaining taxes. If the final decision shows an overpayment, the County Auditor may either 1. Refund entire amount 2. Refund a portion and prorate a portion against further taxes. Or 3. Prorate entire amount against future taxes. All experts in attendance agree we do not know what is going to happen with the school funding formula in the future due to this appeal and due to the COVID emergency. Once again, no one knows what is going to happen.

CARES Act –

It looks as though Career-Techs will not be getting any of the Cares Act monies. The State is basing the grants on title I monies. Therefore, since career techs don’t receive Title I monies, we will not receive any of the grant monies. Although Aaron Rausch stated, “know that ODE is not categorically eliminating funding options for JVSDs, and we remain committed to supporting the work of the state’s career centers.” So, there you are. Adult Ed departments are included in the CARES Act, but myself and other Treasurers are trying to justify why we might apply for those grants as these grants are for, “The only statutory requirement is that the funds be used to cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care).We have inquired to other Treasurer who are moving forward on this application to find out what their justifications are for these funds.

PPE reimbursement – We are trying to compile a spreadsheet of costs we have incurred due to COVID-19. No news on if or how we might be reimbursed for these costs, but everyone is tracking them.

As always, everything is pretty much up in the air.

Removed from Agenda after pass of Resolution 04.20 declaring State of Emergency.

Mr. Grady reported that on March 25, 2020, H.B. 197 was passed in Ohio.  Some of the items contained in the Bill include testing waived, report card waived, not change in voucher program with no new schools added and any Seniors on track to graduate as of March, will graduate.  Also, the BOE may chose not to require staff evaluations.

Superintendent Nickoli reported as follows:

The projected enrollment for next year is still coming in. We currently have placed 670 new students for the 2020 – 2021 school-year. That number is higher than last year’s number. These continue to be exceptional numbers. We hope to be welcoming our new students and parents at the Pioneer New Student/Parent Orientation sometime this Summer. Students and parents will have the opportunity to visit the Career Technical Labs and learn all about Pioneer and their programs.

At the end of the month, I will be checking enrollment very closely to determine if I need to send out Reduction In Force (RIF) letters. Although things are looking very good, if needed, RIF letters will be delivered by me to the union and teachers by April 30th.

RIF’s are not acted on until the June board meeting, so I will keep you posted on any reductions and possible abolishment of programs.

Student Services and instructors will continue recruitment efforts.

This year we have just Career-Technical textbook requests to be approved for a total of $251.00. This is very low compared to our usual requests. The request has been reviewed by Kris Kowalski, Director of Operations. It is his recommendation that the textbooks presented be approved at the May meeting by the Board of Education.

Due to the recent rash of directives from Governor DeWine, the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Education, we are asking, retroactive to March 17th, the authority to make decisions and take emergency measures to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and the accompanying “Stay-at-Home” Order. This includes expending funds for products and services needed to respond up to $200,000.

As you may recall, last summer you authorized the utilization of 3 online learning days, also known as Blizzard Bag days for use in the event of a calamity. This resolution authorizes the use of those days for the duration of the mandated school closure which we now know is for the remainder of the school year.

Given the unusual way we are concluding this school year and the extreme circumstances under which we are currently working, I am asking that you declare it impractical or impossible to complete the evaluation process for this year.

Supplemental Pay for Staff Members

Evaluation of Teachers

CALENDAR ITEMS

New Student Orientation

Pioneer’s New Student Orientation will be rescheduled at the earliest possible date.

Pioneer Day of Service

Cancelled for this year

Awards Night and Recognition of Outstanding Students

Cancelled for this year. All honors and scholarships will be awarded and distributed. Mrs. Sprang, Student Services Supervisor, is leading the organization of this process.

The Byron Carmean Award is the most prestigious award presented to a Pioneer student. This year we have five (5) candidates for the award. While our process is very different, we will proceed nonetheless. We will be using Zoom meetings to interview candidates and convene the selection committee.

Senior Moments

Currently cancelled. We are working on ways to recognize our Senior Class, including an invitation to honor Seniors by lighting up or homes (front porches) tonight at 8:20.

Movement of Tim Slone for Maintenance/Security to Maintenance Technician.

The employment contracts have been reviewed and found to be acceptable. The new continuing contracts have been highlighted. They have my recommendation as per master agreement

The remainder of the personnel items are common for the month of April.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.

No questions or discussion.  Sent to vote.