FR school financial outlook stays strong

FORT RECOVERY — The school district should continue to operate with a healthy cash balance for the next several years.

Fort Recovery School Board heard its five-year financial forecast update Monday.

The school district is projected to finish fiscal 2024 — it ends June 30 — with a budget surplus of more than $2.31 million. That would bring its year-end cash balance before encumbrances to more than $11.87 million, an increase of more than $800,000 from estimates in November.

Keeping with the trend, Fort Recovery Local Schools’ budget surpluses are expected to continue for years. Estimates include surpluses of $1.9 million, $1.2 million, $755,000 and $165,000 at the end of fiscal years 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028, respectively. (By 2028, its year-end cash balance is also expected to jump to about $16 million.)

“As you can see, overall, our forecast shows a healthy cash balance throughout the future,” said treasurer Deanna Knapke.

She noted Mercer County underwent a reappraisal for real estate taxes last year, with the new figures implemented in 2024 collections. (Residential/agriculture values increased by 44.57% and commercial industrial values increased by 11.2%, she explained.) In 2023, the county collected $135 million from real estate taxes. With the increase in residential/agriculture values, that amount in 2024 has jumped to $194 million, resulting in an additional $1 million for the school district by fiscal year 2025.

In terms of state funding, plans for beyond fiscal year 2025 are still not in place. Currently, schools are on the Fair School Funding Plan, with Fort Recovery’s allocations of unrestricted funds increasing by $800,000 from fiscal year 2023 to 2024 and by $200,000 from fiscal year 2024 to 2025.

Knapke noted the three-year agreement school board approved — board member Sean Kahlig dissenting — in April, with Fort Recovery Education Association calling for raises. Staff will see a 4% salary increase in school year 2024-25, a 3.5% salary increase in school year 2025-26 and a 3% salary increase in school year 2026-27, resulting in an additional $1 million in expenditures by fiscal year 2027. Per the new contract, Health Savings Account contributions for employees will increase to $2,500 for a family plan and $1,250 for a single plan, or an additional expenditure of $77,000 annually.

Costs for utilities — electric and gas — are also expected to increase between 25% and 30% in coming years. (The school district will enter into a new contract for utilities in January.)

Fort Recovery School Board approved the five-year financial forecast, which is updated and submitted semi-annually to the state. 

The school board also heard an update about creating a turf putting green in memory of former golf coach Joe Bruns.

Superintendent Tony Stahl noted Bruns’ family and others have secured enough funding to begin construction on the project, which will be located near the right field line of the baseball field at the LeFevre Family Baseball and Softball Complex. Plans are for the work to begin this summer, with completion set before the golf season begins in the fall.

Also Monday, the board heard high school students earned 37 relevant licensures — credentials for industries recognized by the state — this year at the high school. They included certifications in retail industry, customer service, agriculture commodity testing and basketball officiating.

High school principal Ryan Steinbrunner voiced hopes to offer more credentials for students to earn in the future, such as those for utilizing Microsoft Office or Adobe products, CPR or drone piloting, among other certifications.

Also, Steinbrunner noted the high school has transitioned most of its Advanced Placement classes to college-credit courses, with one AP class remaining. Hopes are to transition the class into a college-credit course in the future.

In other business, school board members Mitch Fullenkamp, Greg LeFevre, Nick Wehrkamp, Don Wendel and Kahlig:

•Heard a proposal to increase substitute pay. Currently the school district offers $100 a day and $110 after 10 consecutive days subbing. Stahl noted other local districts have a nearly $20 daily pay difference.

•Learned Minster architecture and engineering firm Garmann Miller has assessed the school district’s facilities and will return to school board in coming months to present its findings.

•Were reminded about Fort Recovery Middle School/Elementary activities this week, including field day events starting at noon Thursday

•Accepted the following: non-teaching employee Karen Schwieterman’s resignation — she is retiring from her position after 17 years — effective June 1; preschool program director, grant administrator and lead teacher Courtney Westgerdes’ resignation, effective May 31; non-teaching employee Tony Rogers’ resignation, effective at the end of the 2023-24 school year; high school football assistant coach Joshua Muhlenkamp’s resignation, effective April 23; various donations, including $2,936 from Fort Recovery Education Association for materials and supplies at the middle school and $1,245 from various donors for Senior Fest at the high school.

•Hired Sophia Homan as a third grade teacher and Hannah Siegel as a middle school English and language arts teacher, effective Aug. 1, and Samantha Bruggeman as a substitute teacher on an as-needed basis

•Approved the following: a contract beginning July 1 and ending June 30, 2025, with West Central Ohio Assistive Technology Center; a service agreement for the 2024-25 school year with Mercer County Educational Service Center; a contract from July 1 through June 30, 2025, with Mercer County Health Department for public health nurses’ services; athletic supplemental contracts for the 2024-25 school year with Robert Heitkamp as junior high cross country coach, Beth Homan as high school reserve volleyball coach and Devin Post as junior high assistant volleyball coach.

•Changed the following employee’s work assignments for the 2024-25 school year: Anna Bergman from fourth grade teacher to third grade teacher; Breana Madaj from middle school English and language arts teacher to fifth grade teacher; and Kate Timmerman from part-time high school cook, morning crossing guard and afternoon route driver to high school assistant cook; Amanda Diller from high school reserve volleyball coach to high school volleyball varsity assistant coach.

•Recognized junior high student Maddie Weigel for winning the Mercer County Bar Association Law Day Essay contest.

•OK’d the following: reimbursing Nina Faller for her tuition and fees to become a credentialed college credit plus teacher; FFA members to attend FFA Officer Retreat from May 29 to 30 in Dayton, Ohio; FFA members to attend State FFA Camp from July 8 to 12 in Carrollton, Ohio.