Chardon BOE Elects Officers in Organizational Meeting and
Changes Meeting Time to 5:30 pm
Chardon Board of Education Tax Budget Hearing and Organizational Meeting – January 6, 2025
Meeting Details: The meeting was held at 5:00 pm, at the Chardon Board of Education building adjacent to the Chardon Middle School at 428 North Street, Chardon. Here is the link to the available Meeting Agendas and Minutes. Click on the meetings tab on the right to access the Agendas and Minutes. Board meeting videos are also generally available through Chardon Geauga TV (GTV). However, there is no video for this meeting, as no one was present from GTV
0.21 Min ROLL CALL AND WELCOME Meeting was called to order. It was stated that this meeting is being held in accordance with Section 3313.16 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Attendance: Board President Karen Blankenship and Board Members Andrea Clark, Todd Albright, James
Midyette, and C.J. Paterniti
Staff Attendance: Superintendent Dr. Michael Hanlon, Treasurer Deb Armbruster, Asst. Superintendent and Curriculum Director Dr. Ed Stein, and Asst. Superintendent of Business Affairs Steven Kofol. Another possible staff member was present but not identified.
Others in Attendance: Reporter for Geauga Maple Leaf and this Observer..
Pledge of Allegiance - Led by Mrs. Blankenship
Mission Statement - Read by Dr. Hanlon
2026 Tax Budget Hearing
Ms. Armbruster noted the information available. Here is the link to the Presentation. There is also a PDF here. The 2026 Tax Budget was approved during the Organizational section of the meeting as noted below.
Annual Organizational Meeting
Observer Note: In order to comment at Chardon Board of Education meetings, members of the public must sign up to do so before the meeting starts. There are two opportunities for public comment. The first one is on agenda items, and the second one is not restricted to the agenda. During the Organizational Meeting there was no public comment
Adoption of Agenda - approved
No minutes were presented
2.1 Election of President - Mrs. Blankenship was re-elected as President.
2.2 Election of Vice President - Mrs. Clark was elected as Vice-President.
2.3 Oath of Office of President and Vice President - Treasurer Deb Armbruster administered the Oath of Office.
2.4 Appointment of Delegate to the Ohio School Boards Association's Annual Conference - Mr. Albright was appointed as Delegate to the Ohio School Boards Association's Annual Conference.
2.5 Appointment of Alternate Delegate to the Ohio School Boards Association's Annual Conference - Mrs. Clark was appointed as Alternate Delegate to the Ohio School Boards Association's Annual Conference.
2.6 Appointment of Legislative Liaison to the Ohio School Boards Association - Mr. Albright was appointed as Legislative Liaison to the Ohio School Boards Association.
2.7 Appointment of Alternate Legislative Liaison to the Ohio School Boards Association - Mr. Midyette was appointed as Alternate Legislative Liaison to the Ohio School Boards Association.
2.8 Appointment of Student/Staff Liaison - Mr. Midyette was appointed as the Student/Staff Liaison.
2.9 Appointment of Chardon Schools Foundation Liaison - Mrs. Clark was appointed as the Chardon Schools Foundation Liaison.
2.10 Appointment of Board Member to the Tax Incentive Review Council - Mr. Midyette was appointed to the Tax Incentive Review Council.
2.11 Appointment of School Physician - No School Physician was appointed. It was noted that Ohio Revised Code says that such an appointment is optional. The Board decided not to appoint a School Physician at this time, but may do so at a later date.
2.12 Appointment of School Dentist - none appointed - for the same reasons stated above for School Physician.
2.13 Designation of Official News Media - News Herald and Geauga Maple Leaf for print media
2.14 Designation of District Approved Social Media Platforms - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChardonHilltoppers; Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChardonSchools; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chardon_schools
2.15 Establish Date, Time and Location of Regular Meetings - After discussion, the Board decided to change the regular meeting time to 5:30 pm. Regular meeting dates are as follows:
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January 27
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February 18
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March 17
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April 21
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May 19
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June16
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June 23
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July 21
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August 18
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September 15
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October 20
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November 19
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December 15
2.16 Establish a Reasonable Method to Determine Time and Place of all Regular and Special Meetings The Board voted to use Board Docs to notify the public as to changes. It was also mentioned that there is a list of those who have requested to be notified that is used for email notifications.
2.17 Establish Fee Charged to Individuals for Requesting Copies of Schedule of Meetings, Agenda, or Notice of Individual Meetings - The Board voted not to charge for this.
2.18 Resolution 2025-01: Re-adoption of Existing Bylaws and Policies for the Board of Education Operation and the School District - Approved (See the Agenda tab for this Meeting here for details).
2.19 Resolution 2025-02: Approval of Professional Design Services with TDA for Calendar Year 2025 Approved use of ThenDesign Architecture for Calendar Year 2025 (See the Agenda tab for this Meeting here for more information).
2.20 Re-adoption Continuing Contracts and Agreements of the Board Where Continuation is not Authorized by Law - Approved and not discussed.
2.21 Recognition of Majority Bargaining Agents - The following were recognized:
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The Chardon Association of Classified Employees (CACE), an Ohio Education Association affiliate, as a majority bargaining agent for the Classified employees of the school district.
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The Chardon Education Association (CEA), an Ohio Education Association affiliate, as a majority bargaining agent for the non-exempt certified/licensed employees of the school district.
2.22 Join Ohio School Boards Association Pursuant to RC 3313.87 - Approved
2.23 Appointment of Legal Counsel - The following were approved:
2.24 Authorization to Establish Board Service Fund - Approved
ORC (Ohio Revised Code) 3315.15 provides for the establishment of a service fund to be used in paying the expenses of members of the board actually incurred in the performance of their duties, or as the official representatives when sent out of the district. This fund is based on the total number of students, which was stated to be 2,413.98 (as of 2023), providing a statutory amount of $20,000.
2.25 Authorization to Approve Professional Meeting Attendance - Approved
The Superintendent was authorized to grant leave to Board of Education employees to attend school business oriented functions held either on a local, county, state, or national level and to allow reimbursement of expenses to such employees according to the current Board policy for reimbursement rates.
2.26 Authorization to Approve Expense Reimbursement and Leaves of Absence - Approved
The Chardon Board President was authorized to approve the expenditure of funds for reimbursements for the Superintendent and Treasurer, and to approve leave requests for the Superintendent and Treasurer
2.27 Designation of Official Purchasing Agents - Approved
The Superintendent was designated as the official District Purchasing Agent, then the Assistant Superintendent if the Superintendent is unavailable, then the Business Manager in the absence of the Assistant Superintendent. The Superintendent was authorized to be the Board representative for all Federal and State Programs.
2.28 Approval of District Advertising - Approved
The Superintendent was chosen as the designee to approve District Advertising.
2.29 Authorization for the Employment of Personnel - Approved
The Superintendent was authorized to employ personnel and accept resignations, which includes substitutes, new and replacement personnel. Any appointments are to be presented to the Board of Education for authorization at the earliest possible regular meeting.
2.30 Establish Records Commission Meeting - Approved
Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 8310, the Records Commission Meeting was scheduled to meet on January 16, 2025 at 11:00 am at the Chardon Local Schools Administration Building located at 428 North Street, Chardon, OH 44024.
2.31 Designation of Records Officer - The Treasurer was approved as the Records Officer.
2.32 Establish Expense Reimbursement Rates - The Board approved the Federally established mileage reimbursement rate of $.70/mile.
2.33 Declare a Limit on Blanket Purchase Orders for Fiscal Year 2026 - The Board approved a Blanket maximum 2025 blanket purchase order amount not to exceed $350,000.
3. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER'S RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 Adoption of 2026 Tax Budget - Approved without discussion
Adjournment - Motion approved to adjourn at 6:14 pm.
Board agendas and minutes are available online.
Next meeting is the regular meeting scheduled for January 27, 2025.
Observer: Gail Roussey
Editor & Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Date submitted: January 27, 2025
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