April 18, 2018 at 4:54 p.m.
Finances are strong
Fort Recovery Local Schools expect general fund balance to climb to about $7 million
Finances are strong
FORT RECOVERY — The school financial outlook is strong, and the district was able to negotiate an agreement to save money on its College Credit Plus program.
Fort Recovery School Board on Tuesday reviewed and approved its five-year financial forecast, which shows cash reserves continuing to grow through 2021.
The board also approved an agreement with Rhodes State College and heard an update on technology plans.
Treasurer Lori Koch presented the five-year financial forecast, which the board is required to review twice a year.
Her projections show Fort Recovery Local Schools finishing fiscal year 2018, which ends June 30, with a surplus of $936,686. That would push the the district’s general fund balance to about $5.35 million.
The balance has been on a steady climb for several years, up from $2.7 million in 2013. That trend is expected to continue, based on the forecast, with Fort Recovery looking at budget surpluses of about $475,000 and $385,000 over the next two years. That would take the district to a balance of close to $7 million.
There are a variety of reasons for the strong financial outlook, superintendent Justin Firks said, including that “current agricultural use value” tax rates have been reduced less than expected, income and property taxes are up and funding from the state has stayed level. Fort Recovery has also made an effort to reduce its expenditures when possible.
“I think it’s a perfect storm, a combination of a lot of things all coming together,” said Firks.
Board members Mitch Ervin, Jose Faller, Mike Grube, Nick Wehrkamp and Greg LeFevre also approved a memorandum of understanding with Rhodes State College that will allow the district to recoup some of the money spent on books for college classes taken at Fort Recovery High School.
Fort Recovery School Board on Tuesday reviewed and approved its five-year financial forecast, which shows cash reserves continuing to grow through 2021.
The board also approved an agreement with Rhodes State College and heard an update on technology plans.
Treasurer Lori Koch presented the five-year financial forecast, which the board is required to review twice a year.
Her projections show Fort Recovery Local Schools finishing fiscal year 2018, which ends June 30, with a surplus of $936,686. That would push the the district’s general fund balance to about $5.35 million.
The balance has been on a steady climb for several years, up from $2.7 million in 2013. That trend is expected to continue, based on the forecast, with Fort Recovery looking at budget surpluses of about $475,000 and $385,000 over the next two years. That would take the district to a balance of close to $7 million.
There are a variety of reasons for the strong financial outlook, superintendent Justin Firks said, including that “current agricultural use value” tax rates have been reduced less than expected, income and property taxes are up and funding from the state has stayed level. Fort Recovery has also made an effort to reduce its expenditures when possible.
“I think it’s a perfect storm, a combination of a lot of things all coming together,” said Firks.
Board members Mitch Ervin, Jose Faller, Mike Grube, Nick Wehrkamp and Greg LeFevre also approved a memorandum of understanding with Rhodes State College that will allow the district to recoup some of the money spent on books for college classes taken at Fort Recovery High School.
Under the agreement, Fort Recovery will be allowed to bill Rhodes 50 percent of the textbook fees — $21.50 per credit hour — at the close of the 2018-19 school year. That will allow the district to recoup $5,000 to $6,000, Firks said.
The agreement comes after Fort Recovery’s board last month approved a resolution asking Ohio’s chancellor for higher education for permission to negotiate the rates that school district’s pay colleges through the College Credit Plus Program. The chancellor said such a change would not be allowed, but the negotiation of book fees stemmed out of the discussion.
Fort Recovery’s technology director Ryan Fullenkamp presented the board with an update, which includes plans to go one-to-one with devices from third through 12th grade next year. The district is mostly one-to-one already, but needs additional Chromebooks at the middle school level in order to complete the process.
With the integration of computers into the classroom continuing, the district is in the process of adding an assistant technology coordinator position.
“We’re at a point in our district with the number of devices we have, being a one-to-one district third through 12th grade, we feel we need second person on staff,” said Firks.
The board also increased the district’s annual technology budget by $5,000 to $100,000.
In addition to adding Chromebooks to go one-to-one, devices in the middle school computer lab will be replaced this summer.
In other business, the board:
•Honored middle school band students who took part in the Ohio Music Education Association solo and ensemble contests.
•Approved changes to its open enrollment timeline. For the 2018-19 school year, the application deadline for open enrollment will be May 30 to be followed by superintendent action by June 15 and acceptance of a transfer by June 30. Previously, Fort Recovery’s dates were June 30, July 30 and Aug. 10, respectively. Firks said letters will be sent and phone calls made to students who are currently open-enrolled at Fort Recovery.
•Gave its OK for Tri-Star to move forward with purchases of equipment for its new facility at Wright State University - Lake Campus in Celina.
•Approved the following: Eleven policy changes to bring board policies in compliance with new state regulations; a service agreement with Mercer County Educational Service Center for the 2018-19 school year; an update to policies regarding retirement plans; its policy for making up days because of snow or other inclement weather;
•Hired Melissa Homan as a non-teaching employee on a two-year contract and approved Chuck Sanning as on-board instructor.
•OK’d advances of $1,000 each to High Schools That Work and Making Middle Grades Work from the general fund.
•Heard reminders from Firks about upcoming events, including prom April 27, the high school awards banquet April 30, the middle school awards banquet May 7, the band banquet May 14 and graduation May 20.
•Accepted donations totaling $4,300, including $4,000 from Cooper Farms for school activity funds.
•Approved Toby Metzger as a volunteer baseball coach on a 3-2 vote with Faller, LeFevre and Wehrkamp in favor and Ervin and Grube against.
The agreement comes after Fort Recovery’s board last month approved a resolution asking Ohio’s chancellor for higher education for permission to negotiate the rates that school district’s pay colleges through the College Credit Plus Program. The chancellor said such a change would not be allowed, but the negotiation of book fees stemmed out of the discussion.
Fort Recovery’s technology director Ryan Fullenkamp presented the board with an update, which includes plans to go one-to-one with devices from third through 12th grade next year. The district is mostly one-to-one already, but needs additional Chromebooks at the middle school level in order to complete the process.
With the integration of computers into the classroom continuing, the district is in the process of adding an assistant technology coordinator position.
“We’re at a point in our district with the number of devices we have, being a one-to-one district third through 12th grade, we feel we need second person on staff,” said Firks.
The board also increased the district’s annual technology budget by $5,000 to $100,000.
In addition to adding Chromebooks to go one-to-one, devices in the middle school computer lab will be replaced this summer.
In other business, the board:
•Honored middle school band students who took part in the Ohio Music Education Association solo and ensemble contests.
•Approved changes to its open enrollment timeline. For the 2018-19 school year, the application deadline for open enrollment will be May 30 to be followed by superintendent action by June 15 and acceptance of a transfer by June 30. Previously, Fort Recovery’s dates were June 30, July 30 and Aug. 10, respectively. Firks said letters will be sent and phone calls made to students who are currently open-enrolled at Fort Recovery.
•Gave its OK for Tri-Star to move forward with purchases of equipment for its new facility at Wright State University - Lake Campus in Celina.
•Approved the following: Eleven policy changes to bring board policies in compliance with new state regulations; a service agreement with Mercer County Educational Service Center for the 2018-19 school year; an update to policies regarding retirement plans; its policy for making up days because of snow or other inclement weather;
•Hired Melissa Homan as a non-teaching employee on a two-year contract and approved Chuck Sanning as on-board instructor.
•OK’d advances of $1,000 each to High Schools That Work and Making Middle Grades Work from the general fund.
•Heard reminders from Firks about upcoming events, including prom April 27, the high school awards banquet April 30, the middle school awards banquet May 7, the band banquet May 14 and graduation May 20.
•Accepted donations totaling $4,300, including $4,000 from Cooper Farms for school activity funds.
•Approved Toby Metzger as a volunteer baseball coach on a 3-2 vote with Faller, LeFevre and Wehrkamp in favor and Ervin and Grube against.
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