Struthers school board approves 5-year financial forecast

October 28, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

STRUTHERS

The Struthers Board of Education has approved a five-year financial forecast to be submitted to the Ohio Board of Education.

A report prepared by district Treasurer Arthur Ginnetti describes a “positive but guarded financial future,” with positive cash balances through fiscal year 2018. The report identifies concerns including “over-dependence upon grants and state entitlements,” relying on property taxes from a “low-wealth” tax base and rising health care costs.

“We’re in a solid place, financially,” Ginnetti said during a board meeting Tuesday evening. “But we do need this levy renewal.”

Struthers residents will vote Tuesday on whether to renew an existing 6.9-mill operating levy for another five years. If the renewal fails, the forecast predicts a budget deficit beginning in fiscal year 2018. Without the levy, the fund balance projections are $7,277,660 in fiscal year 2016, $4,070,510 in 2017, -$407,903 in 2018, -$5,282,203 in 2019 and -$11,011,503 in 2020.

If the renewal is approved, the forecast predicts a deficit beginning in fiscal year 2019, rather than 2018. With the levy, the fund balance projections are $4,550,510 in fiscal year 2017, $1,028,673 in 2018, -$2,889,053 in 2019 and -$7,661,778 in 2020.

Additionally, the board discussed the district’s bus-driver shortage and approved the hiring of another driver at $17.13 an hour for a minimum of four hours a day. The hire brings the district’s total number of drivers to nine, according to Superintendent Joseph Nohra.

Nohra also spoke of plans to work with neighboring districts to create a shared pool of substitute drivers.

In other business, the board moved to send a policy that would ban drones on school property to a third and final reading. Other districts, including Liberty and Hubbard, have moved to ban drones, in keeping with recommendations from the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

Drones, which might be used to film school sporting events, present a safety issue, Nohra said.

The board also introduced legislation, recommended by Neola of Ohio, that would allow transgender students to participate in single-gender classes consistent with their gender identity.

Board members voted Tuesday to send the policy to a second reading.