SWANTON BOARD OF EDUCATION: Financial Successes & Challenges Discussed By Board

A DECADE OF DEDICATION … Swanton Local School District Board of Education member David Smith (right) receives a certificate from Ohio School Boards Association Northwest Region President-elect Jan Busdeker (left) recognizing his 10 years of service.

By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com

The Swanton Local School District Board of Education talked taxation planning and financial forecasts during the board’s most recent meeting.

Board members discussed the potential pursuit of a contract with Rockmill Financial Consulting President David J. Conley to create a taxation policy via a series of public meetings, digging into the demographics and other data regarding taxpayers in the district.

Board member David Smith said he supported the idea generally, but thought the timing wasn’t right.

“With everything going on with the state, I think that it would be a little premature to engage in something like this until we figure out where all the funding is gonna be and isn’t gonna be, because that’s also gonna play into, quote unquote, ‘what our options are,’” Smith said.

Superintendent Chris Lake initially said he’d like the contract to be approved in January, but Smith recommended waiting until at least February to let the dust settle from all the school funding changes just passed by the legislature.

On the funding front, Treasurer Sheila Horseman shared a new report she will be including every meeting from now on, comparing the current status of district finances to the internal projections.

According to Horseman’s report, everything was coming in a little higher than expected, including revenue and the district’s cash balance.

OTHER BUSINESS
The board approved the district’s annual Ohio School Boards Association membership at a cost of $6,142 and a supplemental OSBA Legal Assistance Fund membership at a cost of $250.

The board approved a slate of 95 graduates for the class of 2026.

The board accepted donations totaling $500 for prom, $1,000 for girls basketball, $900 for girls basketball middle school jerseys, $950 for Swanton Elementary School to pay for second- and third-grade music field trips, $200 for volleyball Bubble T fundraiser, $800 for basketballs for boys basketball, $500 for the Swanton High School challenge winners, and $460 for bowling.’

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, Jan. 14, 2026, at 108 N. Main Street.