The board of education accepted the retirement-resignation of District Treasurer Donald Gambal at its Dec. 8 meeting. Gambal has been with the school system for nine years. The resignation will be effective Jan. 1. Gambal has accepted a position with the Warrensville Heights City Schools.
Superintendent William Stauffer thanked Gambal for his hard work and said it was a pleasure to work with him.
“I really enjoyed my time here,” said Gambal. “I truly believe this is a great district and everyone here has been great to work with.”
Representative from the State Auditor’s office presented the certificate of deficit to the Board. The certified deficit at the end of the fiscal year is anticipated to be $329,000. She presented figures showing that the district is spending more than they are taking in. The system has been in fiscal emergency and has been working with the State Commission to try and operate with the reduction of tax dollars, loss of students and the shortage of state funds. Even with massive staff layoffs the district has worked hard to maintain its excellent level in education. Brown said that the highest percentage of money goes to salaries and benefits and there has been an increase in both this year due to the built in contractual step raises.
Stauffer said expenditures have gone down significantly but money coming into the district has also gone down.
“That is the problem that we have had,” he said.
Gambal said this audit is a good check to make sure the district’s numbers are in line with hers.
Steve Miller from MKC Associates, Inc. gave a presentation on the proposed seven through 12 building that would use some state funds to build. The Building Advisory Committee, made up of area residents, has been working with MKC Associates to move in the direction to build the facility. There are time constraints as to how long they have to use the state funding. Miller said funds in the Ohio Facilities Commission have been cut drastically. However, those for Springfield are preserved.
The estimated cost is 33.5 million and the state funds would pay for 25 percent. A building levy of approximately 4.5 mills would be necessary. There will be more information presented at a public meeting in January as well as at the January Board of Education meeting on Monday, January 11.
The board approved a list of personnel items which included a five year contract for Stauffer. He said that it was tweaked but there were no increases.
Resident George Pounders thanked Gambal for all the time he has put in and for the good job he has done. He said almost eight years to the date, in the same situation, that the new members of the board were upset that they did not have a vote on long-term contracts that were approved by the Board that was leaving.
“I think it is very hypocritical that those that complained about it eight years ago and six years ago are voting on a five year contract tonight," said Pounders.
“No disrespect to anyone on the board but item number 10 (superintendent’s contract), it does look questionable when you give someone a five-year contract with a majority change coming in and the contract doesn’t start until August,” said resident Dave Hofer.
Stauffer reported there seems to be a stalemate over the state budget.
“Initially the governor was talking about the video terminals at the racetracks to fill in the gap of the state budget and that didn’t work out. Then he proposed freezing the final installment of personal income tax reduction and that has not been approved,” he said. Without that freeze, education is probably looking at a cut in funding.
“To this district it could mean $862,000 or $2.5 million. I have contacted, on behalf of the Board, our state legislators and senators to ask them to pass house bill 318. It would be devastating to this district, we cannot afford any cut, please contact your legislators,” he said.
Stauffer thanked Glenn Wieland and Ann Young for their service to the board. “They have been great to work with.”
The board went into executive session to discuss personnel and sale of property.
