WARREN SCHOOLS Treasurer to work 2 jobs until resignation date

The treasurer is resigning to take the same post in the Orange School District.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- City schools treasurer L. Greg Slemons is pulling double duty.
For the next two months, he will be treasurer of not only Warren schools, but also of the Orange School District, near the Cleveland suburbs of Beachwood and Pepper Pike.
Slemons, 42, tendered his resignation here Tuesday, effective June 30. Because of the abrupt departure of the Orange treasurer, who left for personal reasons, Slemons will take over there May 1.
His salary will increase from about $77,000, plus a car allowance here, to about $88,000, he said.
Hubbard native: Slemons grew up in Hubbard, where he served as schools treasurer from 1985 to 1993. Before that, he worked in the private sector.
Warren schools were approaching $10 million in debt when Slemons took over in 1993.
A joint effort between his office, other administrators, the school board, employees and voters brought the district out of debt.
"Today we are debt free, but I can't take the full credit for that," he said.
Voters approved a 9.75-mill levy in 1994 and school employees accepted a staggered three-year wage freeze between 1994 and 1998.
Slemons said the added duties for May and June will be difficult but manageable.
"This is good for me and for Warren schools," he said. "Change is always good. I felt it was time for me to take this next step."
Search to begin: The school board plans to hire the Ohio School Boards Association for $5,400 to conduct a search for Slemons' replacement.
Board president Nick Frankos Sr. said the board hopes the position is filled before the start of the new school year.
Board member Lynn Gibson said Slemons' decision to ride out the year in Warren will help because the board is negotiating with five of its employee unions.
She called Slemons' performance excellent, saying the board has tremendous confidence in his abilities and integrity.
"We're very sad to see him go, but we wish him well," Gibson added. "He helped us develop a plan to put us on firmer footing and we're in a much better [financial] position than we were eight years ago when we hired him."
New district: The Orange district is made up of two elementary schools, which will soon be consolidated in a new building; a middle school and high school, which are both being renovated; and a school for students with special needs.
It serves about 2,200 students, compared with Warren's 7,000.
Working for a smaller district doesn't guarantee Slemons' job will be easier.
Because it is an affluent district, Slemons said, Orange Schools receive little to no state aid and rely mostly on voters for local tax dollars.
Slemons said that he and his wife, Paula, and their two daughters are not required to move to the Orange district.
He noted they may decide to do so in the future.