Youngstown school board members getting paid for every meeting, thanks to court case

YOUNGSTOWN

Nearly $6,900 in taxpayer money has been paid to school board members for meetings so far this calendar year.

The seven-member board of education has been paid for eight meetings so far at $125 per member: three in January, four in February and one so far this month, totaling $6,875. That includes two regular meetings and one work session each month and special meetings.

One board member, Corrine Sanderson, missed one meeting.

At this point last year, payment for the same number of meetings would have been $4,375. That’s because the former academic distress commission, which was dissolved last fall, included in the district recovery plan a restriction that board members could only be paid for two meetings per month — regardless of the number of meetings. That plan was approved by Richard Ross, former state superintendent of public instruction.

But that commission was dissolved because of the Youngstown Plan, legislation that calls for a new five-member commission to be appointed.

That plan, however, is held up in court, and no academic distress commission is in place.

Sherry Tyson, who began as district treasurer Jan. 1, asked the district’s attorney, who said board members could be paid for every meeting because no commission is in place. That was confirmed with officials from the Ohio Department of Education, Tyson said.

Read more about the situation in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.