Chardon BOE Begins with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
for New Transportation Center
Chardon Board of Education Regular Meeting – December 15, 2025
Meeting Details: An Opening Ceremony began at 4:30 pm at the Chardon Transportation and Business Affairs Center at 400 Washington Street, Chardon with the regular meeting following at 5:30 pm. 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. The board meeting video is available here. Agenda items are listed according to the time that they were discussed on the video.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Dr. Hanlon welcomed everybody (inside the building) and introduced the members of the Board, all of whom were present at the ceremony, and asked all to stand for the Pledge.
Pledge of Allegiance
Attendance: Board President Karen Blankenship, Vice President Andrea Clark, and members Todd Albright, C.J. Paterniti and James Midyette.
Staff Attendance: Superintendent Dr. Michael Hanlon, Asst. Superintendent of Business Affairs Steven Koful, Treasurer Deb Armbruster, and many other staff members.
Dr. Hanlon spoke about the transportation center. He noted that at the price of $7 million dollars, this project was one of the most significant capital improvement projects undertaken by the district in a very long time. This Center centralizes and provides a permanent home for all of the district’s business operations, transportation services, information technology Services, warehousing, and vehicle maintenance services. Prior to this building, most of these operations had no stable location. Moving Transportation also improved traffic circulation in the Chardon High School area at the beginning and end of the school day.
Dr. Hanlon offered thanks to the Chardon BOE, Then Design Architecture, Middlestone Construction, Treasurer Deb Armbruster, Asst. Superintendent Steven Koful, Transportation Director Josh Nau, Business Affairs Supervisor Chris May, Transportation Supervisor Andy Caballero, the Maintenance Department, Director of Technology Bill Nells, Director of Nutrition Services Brett Schauermann, the City of Chardon, Geauga County, and the Chardon Community.
9:40 Min Dr. Hanlon advised that a bus would do the actual ribbon cutting and that City Officials, Board Members and Geauga County Commissioner James Dvorak would be holding the ribbon.
10:46 Min Still shots of the ribbon cutting at this point in the video.
December 15, 2025 Regular Meeting
10:59 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. Meeting held at the Chardon Transportation and Business Affairs Center at 400 Washington Street, Chardon. Reviewer Note: Future Board meetings will be held at this location.
Attendance: Board President Karen Blankenship, Vice President Andrea Clark, Todd Albright, C.J Paterniti, and James Midyette
Staff Attendance: Superintendent Dr. Michael Hanlon, Treasurer Deb Armbruster, Asst. Superintendent of Business Affairs Steven Koful, Chardon Middle School teachers Cher Culliton and Hallie Chastain
12:50 Min Adoption of the Agenda - Approved.
13:26 Min The Board Presiding Officer and student leaders, 5th grade Chardon Middle School student, Hayden Paterniti, 7th grade Chardon Middle School student, Amelia Paterniti, and 7th grade Chardon Middle School student, Paige Paterniti, led the meeting in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mission Statement - Read by Dr. Hanlon.
16:02 Min Hearing of the Public - Agenda Items Only - No speaker requests.
16:08 Min Consent Agenda - The board considered nine items on the consent agenda, including the Minutes from the Regular Meeting of November 19, 2025. All approved. All of these items 3.1-3.6, and associated documents/contracts can be found here, then selecting the meeting tab, date, agenda and number 3 on the agenda.
Highlights from the consent agenda include but are NOT limited to:
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Minutes of the Regular Meeting of November 19, 2025 here.
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2025-26 Hilltopper ticket information here.
17: 30 Min Student Liaison Report here, presented by T.J. Adair and Haidyn Bunker, seniors at Chardon High School.
20:30 Min Superintendent Report and Recommendations - Items and associated documents for 5.1-5.7 can be found here, select meetings, date, and number 5 on the agenda. All items, recommendations, and contracts were approved unless noted otherwise. Highlights from the Superintendent’s Report and Recommendations include but are NOT limited to:
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Superintendent’s Report PDF here.
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The Tennis Court Project is now weather dependent.
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Geauga school district leaders are increasingly concerned about: the General Assembly’s decision to cease funding the Fair School Funding Formula; the recent property tax legislation; and the proposed Constitutional Amendment that would eliminate property taxes. In response, they are convening a work group including superintendents, treasurers, and community members/leaders “to begin unpacking what schools will look like in the wake of property tax elimination with no clear cut revenue replacement situation.” Reviewer note: More information on the work group/task force is available here as well as the LWVG Observer Report for the PART meeting (Property Tax Abolishment Response Taskforce) here.
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Chardon Local School District is a member of the Ohio Schools Council. Reviewer Note: The Council helped the District save $331,648.77 in FY 2024 and FY 2025. For details, see OSC Statement of Savings here.
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26:35 Min Teacher Spotlight Presentation
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Teachers Cher Culliton and Hallie Chastain, Chardon Middle School teachers, share how they present for the OMLA (Ohio Middle Level Association) every year, and talk about their Christmas Carol unit.
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30:45 Min Asst. Superintendent for Business Affairs Steven Koful presented the Capital Improvement Plan with a slide presentation available here. Asst. Superintendent Koful reviewed some of the Permanent Improvement plans completed and others planned for next year.
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See 5.4: Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0166, the Superintendent made a recommendation to the Board of Education to approve the attached Affiliation Agreements for student job training with University Hospitals and Tripoint.
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See 5.6 for Board Policies Second Reading and Approval
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See 5.7 for Board Policies First Reading. No approval required. Dr. Hanlon advised that many revisions are tied to legislation in HB96 and driven by changes in Ohio Revised Code. Reviewer Note: See information about HB96 here. This law requires cyber training and reporting.
58:06 Min Chief Financial Officer’s Report and Recommendations - Associated documents for 6.1-6.2 can be found here, then select meetings, date, and number 5 on the agenda. All approved unless otherwise noted. Some highlights of the presentation include but are NOT limited to:
1:21.20 Min Board of Education Reports and Recommendations . All approved unless otherwise noted.
Slide presentation for the Board of Education can be found here. Only some presenters have slides in the presentation.
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Chardon Schools Foundation (no slides) - Ms. Clark advised that winter grant requests are due by December 19, 2025.
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Legislative Liaison (no slides) - Mr. Albright - no report.
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Ohio School Board Association (OSBA) Legislation Tracker Observer Note: This item and the one below are usually noted in the Agenda but not discussed at meetings.
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OSBA Facts in a Flash
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Auburn Career Center (no slides) - Mr. Albright advised that the Christmas dinner was again snowed out. The Auburn Career Center is in the midst of a search for a new treasurer. ACC will be bringing tech education to the middle school grades in the district beginning in 2026.
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1:23.50 Student, Staff and Liaison Report (some slides) - James Midyette
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The Board of Education designates the following day, place, and time for the 2026 Tax Budget Hearing:
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Date: January 14, 2026
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Place: Chardon Transportation and Business Affairs Center, 400 Washington St., Chardon, OH 44024
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Tax Budget Hearing at 5:15 pm/Organizational Meeting directly to follow, at approximately 5:30 pm.
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Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0152 & 0151: the Board will consider a motion to appoint a Board President, pro tempore to preside over the January 14, 2026 Organizational Meeting until the election of the President. The Chardon BOE appointed James Midyette.
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Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0165.1,E, the Board of Education approves Resolution 2025-24: Appointment of Todd Albright as the District Auburn Career Center Representative for a 3-Year Term.
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Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0165.1,E, the Board of Education approves Resolution 2025-24: Appointment of CJ Paterniti as the Member-at-Large Auburn Career Center Representative for a 1 Year Term.
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Approval of reimbursement of expenses for Capital Conferences attendees, Andrea Clark and two new board members, Ashish Galhotra and Gordon Landies.
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Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0165.1,E, the Board of Education approves Resolution 2025-28: Authorizing an Amendment to the Superintendent's Contract of Employment. The amendment can be viewed here.
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Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0165.1,E, the Board of Education approves Resolution 2025-28: Authorizing an Amendment to the Treasurer's Contract of Employment. The amendment can be viewed here.
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Pursuant to Board of Education Bylaw 0175.1, the Board of Education recommends approval of Resolutions of Appreciation Honoring Board Member Todd Albright and Board Member C.J. Paterniti for their Years of Service. There was a short ceremony following the resolutions to honor Mr. Albright and Mr. Paterniti as this was their last Board meeting.
1:45.55 Min New Business - No new business.
1:46.10 Min - Hearing of the Public on Non-Agenda Items - There were no speaker requests.
Mrs. Blankenship advised that the organizational meeting would be held on January 14, 2026 which would determine the next regular meeting. No time was noted at this announcement.
1:46.55 Min - A motion was made and approved to adjourn at 7:06 pm. The video ended at 1:46.57 min.
Board agendas and minutes are available online.
The next meeting is the organizational meeting on January 14, 2026. The December agenda also noted that the next regular meeting would potentially be scheduled for January 26, 2026.
Virtual Observer: Jacqueline Berger
Editor: Gail Roussey
Reviewer: Carol Benton
Date submitted: December 30, 2025
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