MANSFIELD — Tammy Hamilla has worked jobs related to school finance for 30 years, but her new job at Mansfield City Schools will be her first as a permanent, full-time treasurer.
The Mansfield City Schools board of education voted unanimously Tuesday night to hire Hamilla, who will begin her new role on Jan. 1.
Hamilla is currently employed as a fiscal services support coordinator for the Northeast Ohio Network for Educational Technology (NEOnet). NEOnet is an information technology center that provides services and support to school districts across the state, including Mansfield City Schools.
“As an employee of NEOnet, I have had the opportunity to train and assist Treasurer’s and Treasurer’s Office Staff with the procedures necessary for day-to-day operations since 2008,” Hamilla wrote in her letter of intent.
Hamilla said after 17 years of working for NEONet, she’s excited to support the treasurer’s office in a more hands-on, direct manner.
“It’s a big job to do the payroll and the purchase orders and things like that for a district of this size,” Hamilla said. “I’m just hoping that we can streamline the procedures that they’re using to make it a little easier for them, so maybe they can get out of here on time and go home and enjoy their families.”
Hamilla served as treasurer for NEOnet’s Heartland location in fiscal year 2023. She has also acted as interim treasurer twice at Colonel Crawford Local Schools. She was Mansfield City School’s interim treasurer from February to March of 2020.
“I think she is an outstanding hire,” Supt. Stan Jefferson said. “She has experience here doing this type of work, and I’m looking forward to working with her.”
Hamilla has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a business concentration from Ashland University. She earned her school treasurer’s license in 2005.
Her early career included time as a student accounts representative at Ashland University, a payroll clerk for Pioneer Career and Technology Center and fiscal analyst/assistant treasurer for Ashland City Schools.
“When I first started at AU, I don’t even know if I was as old as the seniors were, and I was managing their student loan funds,” she recalled.
From August 2019 to March 2021, she served as fiscal officer for the village of Jeromesville.
Mansfield City Schools is projected to run out of money before the end of the 2025-2026 school year, according to the district’s most recent five-year financial forecast.
District officials said Mansfield City Schools is struggling with revenue due to declining enrollment and faces a projected $3.9 million deficit in the coming school year.
Hamilla said balancing the budget will be a priority in 2025, but declined to outline specific strategies before taking a thorough look at the district’s finances.
“I know what their situation is,” she said. “I feel like we’ll get some direction or some requests from the state about how to go about doing that.
“We’re going to have to sit down and look at staffing, benefits, stuff like that, and see what makes sense to try to get this budget back in alignment,” she added.
In November, residents of the Mansfield City School District voted down a levy that would have generated an additional $7.8 million in operating expenses.
“Hopefully, they’ll be able to put another levy on and maybe get that passed at another point in time,” Hamilla added. “There’s a quite a few angles I think that they can approach this, and it probably will be a multi-pronged approach.”
Hamilla was the only applicant for the treasurer position. The board offered a three-year contract with a starting annual salary of $113,700, prorated for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year.
“I’m happy she wants to be a part of the team,” board president Chris Elswick said. “We’re happy to have her.”
