MANSFIELD — David Conley had good news for the Mansfield City school board Tuesday.
“My perspective is that this district has been well-run financially for the last decade,” said Conley, the founder and owner of Rockmill Financial Consulting.
“I think it’s safe to say that the Mansfield residents are receiving a lot of value for the cost of this district to them.”
Conley said he spent six weeks doing a deep dive on the district’s finances after the board hired his firm.
He concluded Mansfield City Schools has remained financially sustainable for the last decade, with no new levies and a lower-than-average tax burden on residents.
“The taxes that your residents pay as individuals are among the lowest in this region,” he said. “Out of 22 districts, theirs are the seventh lowest in the region for individual taxpayers, for homeowners.”
According to Conley, facility-specific taxes property taxes like bond issues and permanent improvement levies are the fourth-lowest in the region. He noted that the district benefits from a great deal of state funding and business taxes.
Conley’s analysis marks a stark contrast from the district’s state of affairs 10 years ago.
The district was placed under fiscal emergency at the end of 2013 after a $4 million operating levy unexpectedly failed the year before.
“One of the things people don’t really understand about the fiscal emergency, it didn’t happen when there was mismanagement involved,” board president Chris Elswick said.
The district exited financial emergency in December 2016.
Elswick: We’re not going to voters with a bond issue
Elswick said it felt good to hear Conley give a positive assessment of the district’s spending.
“(Finances) is something we work on every day,” he said. “(Supt. Stan Jefferson), myself and the rest of the board members, we’re constantly looking at ways to cut costs, save money.”
Jefferson said he was happy to hear Conley’s report, but it’s important for the district to remain financially vigilant.
“I always try to take a conservative approach anytime when you’re dealing with finances, but I am very proud,” he said. “I think we have tried to do everything we can as a district to be fiscally responsible.”
Conley’s analysis is just the beginning of his work with the district.
The board hired Rockmill to advise on the district’s planned facilities project, including taxation options, community education and engagement.
Supt. Stan Jefferson announced the district’s plan to build a new PreK-3rd grade facility last month. District officials say the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission has committed to fund 95 percent of the project costs if Mansfield City Schools can come up with the rest.
“My job is to figure out how we can do that in a way that’s most affordable for the taxpayers of the community,” Conley said during Tuesday’s meeting. “That’s my number one objective.”
While the district has yet to finalize its agreement with the state, Elswick said Mansfield City Schools will fund its portion without new taxes.
“We’re going to use money we currently have to do this,” he said. “We are not going to go to the voters for a bond issue. Our share is ready. We’ve done all the legwork. We’re ready to go.”
Tri-county spelling bee contestants, state divers recognized
The district also recognized its tri-county spelling bee qualifiers and state diving competitors.
Juniors Macey Wade and Nash Nicholson both increased their degree of difficulty over the course of the season, according to diving coach Ellen Morris.
Morris told board members Wade took home a second-place finish at the Ohio Cardinal Conference meet, third at districts and 16th at state. Nicholson was sixth at the Ohio Cardinal Conference meet, ninth in districts and 27th at state.
Seventh graders Jackson Burns of Mansfield Middle School and Owen Doan of Mansfield Spanish Immersion both qualified for the spelling bee. Doan secured his spot as the first runner up by correctly spelling the word “espionage.”
Mansfield Middle School teacher Bianca Horsley said Burns represented the school well.
“As long as I’ve been a coach for the middle school spelling bee, we have not made it to tri-county, so it was super exciting. He wore that badge very proudly, was very committed to the bee.”
Mansfield Spanish Immersion Principal Michael Brennan presented Doan with his certificate.
“(Owen) really, truly epitomizes the hard-working, good students at Spanish Immersion,” Brennan said.
“He walks his sister to her classroom every morning, picks her up every afternoon and walks her out. Those are the kinds of kids that you root for.”
Stephen Rizzo, the district’s chief academic officer, asked both students if they had any words of wisdom to share.
Burns kept it simple.
“Work hard,” he said.
Other board matters included:
- A unanimous vote to renew the district’s membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
- The appointment of Jennifer Kime as the district’s delegate to the Ohio School Board Association. Gary Feagin will serve as the alternate OSBA delegate.
- Amended Supt. Stan Jefferson’s contract to allow him to accept speaking engagements with advance notice provided to the board. Jefferson’s contract previously limited him to seven speaking engagements per year.