The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Levy on, treasurer staying — for now
The Lorain City Schools board of education will ask voters to consider a renewal levy that will raise more than $3.12 million for the district.
But for the levy to stay on the ballot, Lorain Schools CEO David Hardy Jr. has to go, the board said.
Meanwhile, the school board hopes to retain Treasurer Joshua Hill, but the future of his job with Lorain Schools is negotiable.
The issues came up Aug. 1 in an emergency meeting of school board members Mark Ballard, Bill Sturgill, Yvonne Johnson, Courtney Nazario and Timothy Williams.
They voted 5-0 to file the necessary paperwork to seek a seven-year, 5.15 mill levy on the Nov. 5 ballot. The deadline to file is Aug. 7 at the Lorain County Board of Elections.
They also will meet again to discuss conditions for withdrawing the issue before the election.
On Aug. 1, it was clear the main condition was the leadership of Hardy and a lack of accountability for spending taxpayer dollars. Strugill, Williams and Nazario stated they would support the levy but would tell voters to say no if Hardy still is at the helm on election day.
In a statement issued after the meeting Ballard ripped the chief executive and House Bill 70, the state law governing how appointed academic distress commissions oversee struggling districts.
“Lorain has been through enough with House Bill 70,” Ballard said. “Reducing funding for our students while the adults try to figure out the best path out of this mess helps no one.
“However, the Board of Education will not stand for CEO Hardy continuing to spend our money without oversight and without concern for Lorain’s future,” Ballard said. “I am told that there is agreement with the major stakeholders, including members of the existing Academic Distress Commission, that CEO Hardy’s leadership will end soon.
“David Hardy must go,” Ballard said. “He is not a leader and cannot right this ship. We look forward to his departure so those of us who actually care about the future of Lorain can work to recover from his tenure.”
Afterward, Hardy said he will stay focused on Lorain students, not “political drama.”
“I am here for kids not political drama,” Hardy said. “At some point I hope the community and state at large see this is nothing about bettering our kids. This reality saddens me but only deepens my conviction to stay focused on making sure our wonderfully resilient team of people walk into their building everyday operate with that same conviction. It is our only right to stay focused on what matters; our brilliant kids.”
The board members discussed how they might word a resolution putting the levy on the ballot, then removing it if conditions were not met. Lorain Law Director Pat Riley and school board attorney Anthony Giardini, also a member of the Lorain County Elections Board, agreed that type of legislation could create a host of legal problems.
It was unclear exactly when state lawmakers could take action to change the rules governing schools of Lorain and Youngstown and East Cleveland, which also are in the state’s academic distress rank.
Bambi Dillon and Rhoda Lee, two school supporters who frequently attend board meetings, asked what they should do to support a levy that might not go to a vote.
For now, the campaign is on, Ballard said.
“I say, go full steam ahead with your committee,” he said.
Treasurer position
It appears Hill for now will stay in his post as Lorain Schools’ chief financial officer.
Earlier this week, South Euclid Lyndhurst Schools’ board of education voted to name Hill the treasurer in that district.
Lorain Schools announced Hill would take the new position, but Hill has not submitted a letter of resignation to the board of education.
On Aug. 1, Giardini said Ohio law governs the position of school district treasurer.
Generally treasurers work for school boards as checks and balances for school district superintendents. Treasurers also serve as the formal recording secretaries of school boards.
Hill’s work contract with the school board expired July 31. But he is working under an extended contract negotiated with Hardy, Giardini said.
That extension came about in an odd way, but Hill agreed to it and the school board contends they can hold him to the contract he negotiated, Giardini said.
The board members voted 5-0 to adopt the contract extension. They also instructed Giardini and Riley to talk to Hill to learn his intentions about staying with Lorain or leaving for South Euclid Lyndhurst Schools.
Hill earned praise from Dillon, who said she wanted to get a ball and chain to keep Hill at the table.
On a serious note, she said Hill’s departure would be a big loss for the levy committee. “I think without you, we’re sunk, really,” Dillon said about Hill.
Afterward, Hill declined to comment further on the situation.
Teacher openings
On Aug. 1, Lorain City Schools announced the Community Business Schools group would have a “Community Clap In” to welcome students back for the first day of class on Aug. 21.
But it was unclear how many teachers also would be joining students for the first day.
As of Aug. 1, Lorain City Schools had 49 openings for certified staff on the district’s job board.
“Lorain Schools has dozens of teaching vacancies and a difficult time recruiting employees into
the chaos,” the school board statement said.
Hardy countered that the number of vacancies was similar to prior years in Lorain.
“That number is not something that is alarming,” he said. “That has been normal.”