PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
FORGING A PATH … Rockmill Financial Consulting President David J. Conley addresses the Swanton Local School District Board of Education at its most recent meeting. Conley performs taxation studies for school districts, resulting in written district policies.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
The Swanton Local School District Board of Education heard a proposal during its most recent meeting for a study for the purpose of creating a taxation policy to address how the school funds its general operations now and in the future.
Rockmill Financial Consulting President David J. Conley most recently completed such a study for the Wauseon Exempted Village School District through a process that analyzes demographics, current and past funding mechanisms, government regulations, and how the tax burden is spread among residents with different income sources and school participation, among other details.
“I work with governments to really, at its base level, understand how your buildings are being used to operate the district and to pay for the buildings, and secondly, how those taxes are impacting your residents,” Conley said.
He said lawmakers are creating “a lot of animosity” toward public school districts, which makes residents believe they are being deliberately overtaxed for the districts.
“To a degree, a lot of governments really only have themselves to blame because we haven’t really done a very good job of documenting why we’re taxing our communities, how we’re taxing our communities, and what our plan is for taxing them in the future,” he said.
Conley said his program covers data, education, and explanation, resulting in a written, easy-to-read district taxation policy only a few pages long over the course of four to five monthly meetings, about two hours long.
He said the meetings are more like long-form discussions on all the subjects and issues surrounding the implementation and impact of their levies, from the basic financial revenues and expenditures of the district to questions like how demographic changes affect the voter base and percentage of residents with children actively in school.
The public is invited to these meetings and allowed to ask questions along with the board. Conley said he is able to – in addition to bringing a wide variety of prepared data – look up a variety of resources to get immediate answers to questions on the spot.
Conley presented a variety of data he collected while recently completing the study for the Wauseon district, which included 20 school districts across northwest Ohio.
It included things like total revenues to expenditures for the districts, operating days’ cash on hand, and affordability and performance indexes.
Swanton Local School District Superintendent Chris Lake said it would be “especially critical” to determine the appropriate taxation path moving forward in light of new legislation passed by the state.
“Changes are happening. In regards to inside mills. In regards to fixed-sum levies, which of course we have one, we’ve had one for many years. Those are now going to be counted against your 20-mill floor, just a lot of uncertainty and changes,” Lake said.
He said he has spoken with four or five other superintendents who have worked with Conley and that they called their results “invaluable” toward figuring out their next steps and finding consensus in their communities.
A contract with Conley will be presented for voting on in a future board meeting.
OTHER BUSINESS
The board approved the adoption of new special education model policies and procedures to bring the district in line with new Ohio Department of Education and Workforce standards.
The board approved a slate of policy updates recommended by education consulting firm Neola.
The board approved an annual recognition of indoor track to allow qualified athletes to participate in the state indoor track meet.
The board approved an annual agreement to provide a $50 incentive payment to employees who complete biometric screening.
The board approved a slate of personnel changes, including the resignation of head basketball coach Bruce Smith and his replacement by Eric Braden, previously the eighth-grade boys basketball coach.
The board approved a variety of appropriations modifications and estimated resource changes, as well as a roughly $101,000 transfer for building renovations in 2017.
The board accepted donations, including $554 for track, $500 for the baseball/softball complex, $250 to stock the elementary school staff room, $500 for prom, $6,395 for piano, $1,000 for athletics, and $2,000 for Swanton 7.
The board ended regular business by going into executive session to discuss “the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of a public employee or official.” No action was expected as a result of the session.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Local School District Board of Education is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10, at 108 N. Main Street.