MANSFIELD — Mansfield City Schools hired a new interim treasurer at its special meeting Thursday.
The board voted 5-0 to approve a joint employment agreement with the North Central Ohio Educational Service Center (NCOESC) and Jennifer Hedrick, the NCOESC’s treasurer.
In exchange for Hedrick’s time, the NCOESC will bill Mansfield City Schools a per diem rate of $911.42 per day plus mileage, according to a contract between the two parties.
The contract is effective immediately and stated Hedrick’s employment with Mansfield City will terminate automatically once the district employs a full-time treasurer.
School board president Chris Elswick said the district hopes to fill the position with a full-time, permanent candidate by the end of the calendar year.
Hedrick will be the fourth person to serve as Mansfield City Schools treasurer in 2024, following Barb Donohue, interim treasurer Judy Forney and Tacy Courtright.
“There’s a huge problem and it’s coming out in the consistent turnover of treasurers,” said Jennifer Kime, Forney’s daughter and a Mansfield City school board member.
“The turnover of treasurers isn’t the main problem. It’s a symptom of a bigger problem, which is what we need to figure out … It seems like the problem is related to the discussion of insurance.”
Treasurer resigned twice, cited her integrity
Donohue joined the district as an interim treasurer in April and was awarded a three-year contract in July.
On Oct. 28, Donohue submitted a letter of resignation with an effective date of Jan. 1. On Tuesday morning, Donohue followed up with an email to Mansfield’s school board members and Supt. Stan Jefferson.
The email stated she met with Jefferson and school board president Chris Elswick that day after an “insurance committee meeting.”
“In the meeting, Chris stated that I could resign effective immediately if I so choose,” Donohue wrote. “I am resigning immediately effective (Wednesday).”
Donohue told Richland Source she stepped away because she felt uncomfortable with certain aspects of the district’s operations, but wouldn’t confirm specifics.
“My integrity wouldn’t allow me to stay there,” Donohue said. “I have worked in my field for maybe 34 years.
“I have a great reputation in the state of Ohio. I have worked in many different districts and the districts have been better when I leave than when I go there.”
Elswick said he didn’t know why Donohue left the district, but said her behavior “had gotten kind of odd” in the weeks following her departure.
“If she won’t expand on it (why she left) what could I possibly say about it? It sounds like a disgruntled employee to me,” Elswick said.
“It’s sad that she would try to throw shade at the district on the way out the door.”
District committee rejected Donohue’s health insurance recommendation
Board member Gary Feagin cast the sole vote against accepting Donohue’s resignation.
“She resigned, which was her right,” Feagin said. “But I did not agree with the situation in her resigning, because it all comes back down to this insurance thing.
“She thought she was going to be asked (to compromise) her integrity. She totally disagreed with the committee’s recommendation on the insurance.”
The Mansfield City School board votes on health insurance decisions like selecting a plan and choosing a broker, but is advised by a district health insurance committee.
The committee includes Elswick and Feagin, representatives from the district’s two employee unions, Jefferson, the treasurer and the district’s director of personnel, Mark Wilcheck.
Multiple attendees told Richland Source that Donohue became frustrated during a recent committee meeting after her recommendation to change health insurance brokers was rejected.
“She was yelling at school board members,” said Brad Strong, president of the Mansfield School Employees Association. “She was unhinged.”
Elswick confirmed the committee rejected Donohue’s suggestion to switch brokers, which came just days before the beginning of the employee registration period for health insurance.
“She was involved in all the discussions. She had her opinions on things along with everybody else. We took a vote and that’s what happened,” he said.
“The decision the insurance committee made was based on fact and based on numbers. Everybody was involved, everybody had a voice, everybody had a vote.”