L’view Board OKs contracts, looks ahead

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent writer

Teachers and other staff members in the Lincolnview Local Schools will receive a 1 percent raise during the 2020-2021 school year.

During Thursday night’s monthly meeting, the Board of Education approved one-year contracts, instead of the usual three-year deals, with the Lincolnview Local Education Association and Lincolnview Classified Education Association.

“Based on the uncertainty going forward, we felt ‘let’s just do a one-year rollover of the contract and pick this up again in the spring with the hopes that we’re back in school and everything is back to being normal’,” Superintendent Jeff Snyder said. “It also gives both sides the opportunity to look on the financial end to see what that looks like in Ohio.”

Earlier in the meeting, Treasurer Troy Bowersock explained the district suffered a state budget cut of nearly $186,000 for the current school year. He also noted Lincolnview Local Schools will get some of the money back from the federal CARES Act.

He also provided an updated five-year financial forecast, which includes projected future cuts at the state level, no expected growth in local property, and lower interest rates, all caused by COVID-19.

Bowersock noted that expenses are projected to increase, due to inflation and additional protocols tied directly to the coronavirus.

“It’s a fluid document and it’s changed drastically within the last two months, not so much in the current year, but what we’re honing in on is next year — we took about a $300,000 hit for next year,” Bowersock stated.

He added he expects expenses will exceed revenue next year. The board approved the forecast and will revisit it in the fall.

Budget cuts could delay the planned elementary addition project.

Snyder told the board the district is in the final contract stages with the architect, Garmann Miller, with the next steps being finalizing drawings and putting the project out for bid.

“There has been no decision to spend money on the project because we’re not there yet,” Snyder said. “The future would be we continue going down to the point of the bid process, see how the bids come back and make a decision then, and/or suspend at this point and time until we see what the state is going to do and make a decision.”

Snyder suggested waiting to see how the bids come back before making a decision.

The superintendent also said the school’s Meals on Wheels program for students has been suspended for the summer months and he said he hopes the community center will reopen in June. He also thanked teachers and staff for their efforts during the school shutdown and he thanked parents and businesses for banners and signs that were made for graduating seniors.

Snyder said planning for the 2020-2021 school year will begin next week and he added that while he prefers in-person classes, teachers and staff will be ready to do online instruction again if necessary.

During his report to the board, Lincolnview Junior/Senior High School Principal Brad Mendenhall thanked everyone involved in Sunday’s video graduation ceremony and he noted that Leipsic has officially voted to join the Northwest Conference. He also said grade cards are going out in the mail.

Lincolnview Elementary Principal Nita Meyer thanked her staff and said students were able to enjoy a virtual field day, which was spearheaded by physical education teacher Eric Fishpaw.

By a 3-2 vote, the board approved a new four-year contract for Mendenhall and a three-year contract for Maintenance Supervisor/Transportation Coordinator Jason Maples. Board members Brad Coil and Mark Zeilke were the “no” votes, after Coil made a motion to have the contracts tabled for more information and discussion.

Other personnel moves approved by the board included Latchkey Director Lindi Coil, junior high science teacher Baily Clement, and Marsh School teacher Lauren Calvert.

Two-year limited teaching contracts were approved for Austin Ahlborn, Katey Lloyd, and Kyle Williams, and three-year limited contracts were approved for Natasha Breese, Andrea Cable, Jill Cockerell, Tonja DeBell, Jordan Dues, Eric Fishpaw, Chelsea Tietje, Brett Hammons, Ashley Miller, and Kirstie Schroeder. The board also approved continuing contracts for Stephanie Kriegel, Brian Niemeyer, and Daniel Swick.

A lengthy list of supplemental coaching contracts for people not otherwise employed by the district was non-renewed as required by law. Those agreements will be renewed at a future meeting.

Other agenda items approved by the board were 2020-2021 student handbooks for Lincolnview Elementary and Junior/Senior High School; a service agreement with the Western Buckeye League Educational Service Center; the purchase of a new school bus from Cardinal Bus Sales and Service for $91,131, and a memorandum of understanding between the board and Lincolnview Education Association regarding revisions to teacher evaluations.

Two donations were accepted by the board. One was $2,000 from Leland Smith Insurance Services for the Meals on Wheels program, and the other $100 from Beta Delta Chapter Psi Iota Xi Sorority of Van Wert for the drama department.

The board also met in executive session to discuss negotiations and personnel matters, but no action was taken following the session.

The next meeting of the Lincolnview Local Schools Board of Education will be at 6 p.m. Monday, June 29.