Mansfield City Schools operating levy set at 5.6 mills

MANSFIELD — The combined income-and-property tax issue proposed by Mansfield City Schools for this year’s ballot now has a clear price tag for voters.

The board of education voted Tuesday to finalize ballot language for the levy with a property tax rate of 5.6 mills. Voters will decide the fate of the new levy on Nov. 5.

If passed, the levy will cost property owners in the school district $197.40 for every $100,000 of appraised value.

All residents of the school district will also pay a one percent earned income tax. Social security and other retirement pensions would not be taxed.

The new tax would be collected for five years, beginning with calendar year 2025.

The proposed five-year levy would generate approximately $7.8 million in new operating money for the district. Approximately $3 million would come from property tax; the remaining $4.8 million would come from income tax.

Board president Chris Elswick said the funds would help offset the district’s deficit spending without making drastic cuts. 

The district’s most recent five-year forecast, released in May, projected Mansfield City Schools would operate with a $3.3 million deficit in fiscal year 2024 and $2.2 deficit in fiscal years 2025 and 2026.

Last week, the board voted to close the Tyger Digital Academy, a pandemic-era hybrid program with an operating cost of more than $2 million.

Board offers interim treasurer a permanent contract

The board also voted to offer interim treasurer Barbara Donohue a three-year contract. The contract term begins Aug. 1. Donohue will be paid $100,000 and receive a 1.5 percent pay increase in her second and third year.

Donohue was appointed interim treasurer in April.

She’s served as the chief financial officer of several Ohio school districts, including Crestline Exempted Village, Mapleton Local, Lucas Local, Mount Vernon City, Amherst Exempted Village Schools, Cuyahoga Falls City, Shelby City and Crestview Local.

She has experience with new levy campaigns and school construction projects — both goals for the district.

“I am very excited to work with her on the initiatives that the district is moving towards,” Supt. Stan Jefferson said.

“We have a lot of things on our plate that we want to accomplish.”

Donohue said she’s been involved in three different school facilities projects over the course of her career, including the development of Shelby’s new PreK-8th and 9-12th grade buildings.

While she genuinely enjoys crunching numbers, she said the most rewarding part is knowing her work positively impacts kids.

“When I do my best in budgeting, we get more educational things for children,” she said. “You’d be surprised — save here, save there, save here — what it will get for kids.”

She said she hopes to provide some consistency for the district.

Board promotes new middle, high school principals

The board voted on several personnel items, including several administrative hires.

Starting this fall, Whitney Glorioso will serve as the principal of Mansfield Middle School. Stan Gilbert will serve as middle school assistant principal.

The board also approved the hiring of Kaitlin Endsley and Enisia Lee as high school assistant principals.

Board members promoted former assistant principal Kris Beasley to the high school principal position last week after his predecessor Robert McQuate took a job elsewhere.

The board also:

• Approved a $1,256,520 contract with the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center for the upcoming school year. The contract covers services for gifted students, as well as school psychology, speech language pathology and occupational therapy services.
• Approved a $101,500 contract with the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center for leadership and learning training.
• Approved a contract with Ombudsman Educational Services of Libertyville, Illinois to provide intensive on-campus special education programming for students in grades 3-12. The district will pay $472,000 for a minimum of 8 students during the 2024-2025 school year.
• Approved a contract with Amy K. Meredith to serve as a pupil services liaison for the district. Meredith will be paid a rate of $90 per hour, not to exceed $20,000, for the 2024-2025 school year.
• Approved a contract with Denise Harrill for summer reading tutoring at a rate of $95 per hour for 16 hours.
• Approved a $48,160 contract with Hammett Asphalt Paving for work at the high school and a $49,930 contract for work at Sherman Elementary.
• Approved a quote with North Central Distribution LLC for work on the Hedges Alternative School vestibule.
• Approved a contract with Drossco Custom Hardwood, Inc. to redo the Pete Henry gymnasium floor at Mansfield Senior High School.