MADISON TOWNSHIP — The Madison board of education heard a financial forecast update and finalized a reduction in force (RIF) of its teaching staff during Wednesday night’s meeting.
Treasurer Robin Klenk gave a brief overview of the district’s updated five-year forecast. She based her projections on Gov. Mike DeWine’s current proposal to restore fiscal year 2019 funding levels, which were cut later on due to the pandemic.
School districts will not know for sure how much funding they will receive from the state over the next two years until a biennial budget is approved later this summer.
Klenk stated that the district’s expenditures began outpacing its revenues last year and projected the gap will only grow wider in coming years, with benefits being the fastest growing expense. Wages and benefits for fiscal year 2021 made up 75.1 percent of the district’s expenditures.
Klenk also projected ending cash balances for the next five years, advising that the district should try to end each school year with between 30 and 60 days’ operating costs set aside.
Klenk said the district will end this school year with about a 65-day cash balance and next school year with a 60-day cash balance. Klenk projected the district will end fiscal year 2023 with a 26-day reserve.
If revenues do not increase, the district is projected to drop into a negative cash balance in fiscal year 2024. This would necessitate a levy, since Ohio law does not allow school districts to carry a negative balance.
Klenk stated last month that the district will likely have to go on the ballot for another operating levy soon.
“We haven’t had a new operating levy since 1990. But we’re trying to hold off as long as we can because of the unsettling times right now,” she said.
According to Klenk’s updated numbers, Madison’s financial position has improved modestly since the last five-year forecast issued in November. In that forecast, the district was projected to reach a negative fund balance in fiscal year 2023.
The district recently underwent a reduction in force (RIF) in order to reduce expenditures.
The board voted Wednesday to complete the RIF by eliminating 14 teaching positions, effective during the 2021-22 school year, including:
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One elementary music teacher.
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One librarian/media specialist.
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One first grade teacher at Eastview Elementary.
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One second grade teacher at Eastview Elementary.
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One fourth grade teacher at Eastview Elementary.
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One intervention specialist at Mifflin.
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One first grade teacher at Mifflin.
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One second grade teacher at Madison South Elementary.
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One STEM teacher at Madison South Elementary.
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One fifth and sixth grade music teacher.
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One sixth grade English Language Arts teacher.
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One Spanish teacher at Madison Comprehensive High School.
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One credit recovery teacher at Madison Comprehensive High School.
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One social studies teacher at Madison Comprehensive High School.
“Going through a reduction in force is a very difficult and challenging process for everybody,” Superintendent Rob Peterson said in April. “It’s something that nobody wants to have to go through.
“Unfortunately with our financial situation, this is a process we just had to go through.”
Lisa Gonzalez, the district’s federal programs director, also gave an overview of how Madison spent COVID-19 relief funds.
The first round of funding was slightly less than $681,000. Nearly half of that funding was spent on technology and instruction, 18 percent was spent on transportation and 6 percent on safety. Then remaining funds were dividing among numerous other expenditure categories.
Of the second round of funding, which was more than $2.6 million, 41 percent went to instruction and closing learning gaps. Significant amounts also went to air quality and facilities upgrades.
The district is in the process of deciding how to spend the $6 million allocation from the third round of state funding, but federal guidelines require at least 20 percent of the funds to be used to address learning loss. The remaining funds will likely be used for further air quality improvements, replacing windows and upgrading district technology.
The board also approved the purchase and installation of Madison Cisco Phone System on NCOCC cluster in the amount of $95,441.64. The phone system will be paid for with COVID-19 relief funds (ESSER II).
Gonzalez said one eligible use of ESSER II funds is to develop and implement systems to improve safety and preparedness efforts. The addition of a phone system will allow for better staff communication, especially in the buildings with few existing phones and poor cell phone reception.
The district will also use $172,341.52 in ESSER II funds to purchase Chromebook and carts and $168,750 to purchase touchscreen devices. Peterson said the purchase is necessary because the current Chromebooks aren’t compatible with some of the state tests administered online. The touchscreen devices will allow kindergarteners to take state exams more easily.
The board also:
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Approved Jordan Nelson approved as assistant middle school principal and Jennifer O’Brien as attendance officer at the high school.
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Approved a partial roof restoration project at Mifflin Elementary by Meade Construction in the amount of $54,080 to be completed in fiscal year 2022.
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Approved a partial roof restoration project at Madison South Elementary by Mid-Ohio Roofing, Inc. in the amount of $70,900 to be completed in fiscal year 2022.
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Approve a roof restoration project at Madison Comprehensive High School (main office roof) by Mid-Ohio Roofing in the amount of $62,800 to be completed in fiscal year 2022.
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Approved the purchase and installation of managed internal broadband service (WiFi) upgrade and license for the high school, Eastview and Mifflin and license only for the middle school in the amount of $16,870.55.
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Approved increases in hourly and daily pay rates for substitute teachers, secretaries, aides and long term substitute teachers.
