The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Board hopes to keep Hill as treasurer
South Euclid Lyndhurst Schools chose Hill as CFO
The Lorain City Schools Board of Education is keeping Treasurer Joshua Hill for now.
Board members Mark Ballard, Bill Sturgill, Courtney Nazario and Timothy Williams held an emergency meeting Aug. 8 to discuss the status of Hill.
Board member Yvonne Johnson was not present.
On July 29, the South Euclid Lyndhurst Schools Board of Education announced they selected Hill to become that school district’s chief financial officer.
But the Lorain Schools Board of Education voted Aug. 1 to adopt Hill’s current contract and not release him to take the job at South Euclid Lyndhurst Schools.
The move is not meant to be punitive for Hill, who declined to comment on his employment status.
Rather, the Lorain Schools Board members on Aug. 1 and on Aug. 8, agreed his service is crucial as a new school year approaches.
Also, the Board supports a levy campaign for the issue on the Nov. 5 ballot.
The Board is asking voters to consider a seven-year, 5.15 mill levy that would raise more than $3.12 million a year for the district.
Hill is an asset to Lorain Schools and this is a critical time period in which it would be difficult to replace
a school district treasurer, Williams said.
He cited the “July 10 rule” that requires administrators or employees to be released from their contracts if they leave after that date.
It would make no sense to release Hill from the contract, Williams said.
Hill is “a very competent treasurer who has been very effective in his work and of our administrators, is probably the most trusted administrator in the district,” Williams said.
The Board has to protect the assets of Lorain Schools, which is why the board creates contracts, he said.
“So I don’t see how we could do our duty and allow that,” Williams said. “We cannot replace him in short order.”
If a superintendent was
leaving three days before the start of school, there would be outrage, Williams said.
His leaving would compromise the integrity of Lorain City Schools, he said.
Hill is the check and balance on spending by the CEO, Nazario said.
If Hill leaves Aug. 19, and school starts on Aug. 21, Nazario said she would be nervous about how the district’s money would be spent.
The timing is unfortunate,
but the Board needs Hill to honor his contract, Sturgill said.
After the meeting, Sturgill and resident Rhoda Lee, a frequent attendee at board meetings, said Hill’s status could sink the upcoming levy request.
“If he goes, the levy goes,” Lee said.
“We really do feel that if he goes, so goes the levy,” Sturgill said.
Ballard agreed Hill leaving would cause harm to the district’s budget, the
levy request and how the board communicates with the business of the district.
Lorain Law Director Pat Riley declined to comment on the specifics of the legalities he has discussed with the Board.
But city Assistant Law Director Mallory Santiago read the legal language that became the Board motion.
They voted 4-0 to have the attorneys employ whatever legal actions necessary to enforce the contract with Hill.