[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6234168,"mediaKeyId","3411888-10591ff6f241c2a39c6e2a3eb9ea4b4f","parentId",3411888,"title","Treasurer warns proposed 30% carryover cap could slash reserves; board discusses November levy","audioSeconds",1647,"startMs",2433000,"endMs",4080000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3411888-10591ff6f241c2a39c6e2a3eb9ea4b4f&start=2433&end=4080","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3411888-10591ff6f241c2a39c6e2a3eb9ea4b4f/thumbnail_2433000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6234168/Ohio/Treasurer-warns-proposed-30-carryover-cap-could-slash-reserves-board-discusses-November-levy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6234168-67dbf77bc82226d2374053e69d13a826/orig.mp4?Expires=1771011625&Signature=Hm-ogvCA5kxcT6ZunAvO4JKX6ANvD1kMP2kmlBlozx8jKJDOLk4L0m2lgJY4~WMvwrnNPJAHX5eIGdWGXZJqC~VRXabRnesYGfdYoEBYD3O6vXVQisIqBQ8DB0G~nFr2chDKtc6QOrZf7afKrP5QOiwBaUj6tyL7pANCy2unIUGQ-EC6BowjTJQ6f9f3QKj-Ypm-yrMxFcqJnjp3vsB3-Yeg0Fo8MhcCVKMc~9-wkP8AR45soPcSWE40ianW81E7sb5Jg~X-0B2wkgmTXPM8AERizfB-2bu0h7zLHRHxF23JTnV64fcY11ZFnpr3v-GSqhBLs6xqB9Gdjxv2RSBYcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Westlake School District","date","2025-05-20T11:49:29Z","article","Treasurer Todd Hopkins warned the Westlake City Schools Board of Education on May 19 that a House budget proposal to cap school districts' carryover at 30% could sharply reduce the district's reserves and accelerate the need for a tax levy.

Hopkins told the board that using fiscal 2024 figures — roughly $60 million in expenditures and a cash balance of more than $33 million — a 30% cap would limit carryover to about $18 million and could amount to a roughly $15 million reduction in the district's available cash in fiscal year 2026. \"When we remove the million-plus this year of deficit spending plus the $15,000,000 next year, we would end next fiscal year somewhere around 8 to $10,000,000,\" Hopkins said during a discussion about the forecast and potential responses.

The board twice approved the district's required five-year forecast and related resolutions during the meeting. Hopkins said the forecast, prepared under state law, already assumes conservative spending and projects deficit spending this fiscal year even before any new carryover limit is applied; he called the 30% cap \"devastating\" for many districts if it stands as written in the House proposal.

Why it matters: Hopkins said the proposed cap would remove local decision-making about how much of the district's revenue to set aside for future needs such as facilities work. The board has a $10 million shortfall in immediate facilities needs and roughly $15 million in identified five-year projects, he said, and without reserve flexibility the district would need to consider significant cuts or a new operating levy sooner than previously planned.

Hopkins walked the board through timing and strategy for a possible levy. He recommended the board consider placing a levy on the November ballot because a levy passed in November can be collected for half of the current fiscal year (starting July 1), providing revenue earlier than a levy passed the following May. He said examples he has modeled include millages in the 4–6 mil range but declined to set a specific proposal without certainty about how the House proposal would be implemented.

Board members and staff discussed uncertainty in the legislative process: the House and Senate must reconcile differences, then the governor may sign or line-item veto. Hopkins noted the cap could be altered in conference committee or removed entirely; if the final law is less restrictive, the district might delay ballot action. Several board members urged quick planning in case the House language survives, saying a November ballot would require resolutions certified by the county in late summer.

What was decided: The board approved the five-year forecast by roll call (motion passed). Hopkins said that if the 30% cap remains, the district could need to place an operating levy on the ballot quickly or make deep program cuts. He recommended the board prepare for either outcome and begin community communication and levy planning now.

Next steps: Hopkins and Superintendent Dr. Goggin (Dr. Scott Goggin) agreed to continue outreach to state legislators and to provide the board with levy scenarios when the state budget language and the Senate position are clearer. Board members asked staff to prepare ballot-mechanics drafts and to be ready to act on a compressed summer timeline if required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Westlake City School District Board of Education Regular Meeting May 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Treasurer Todd Hopkins warned the Westlake City Schools board that a House budget proposal to cap district carryover at 30% could cut roughly $15 million from the district's reserves and accelerate the need for a local levy.","taxTitle","Westlake City Schools, School Districts, Ohio","taxId",70104,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6234159,"Board OKs dredging of Dover Campus retention basins; contractor to bury dredged material on site",153,4381000,4534000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3411888-10591ff6f241c2a39c6e2a3eb9ea4b4f&start=4381&end=4534","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3411888-10591ff6f241c2a39c6e2a3eb9ea4b4f/thumbnail_4381000.jpg","/articles/6234159/Ohio/Board-OKs-dredging-of-Dover-Campus-retention-basins-contractor-to-bury-dredged-material-on-site","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6234159-4a18cf659cebb2c2f874767fc3eb5d33/orig.mp4?Expires=1771011625&Signature=ToCZI0SLquHCpo6rQSoK6i8hGhSBlhSgK~tpXnJq4EPv8nlaWK4a0pkIDVAQ09XJeni5NOCe83oZ3vxpxprKKzTm06-5Jg~upFQJtme3gUNZKztX6SAOJk4a3kdAIBlR9qejTrHnD8zBtVGdDpZZfCIUufiWoKHONlX-yYW3lKzq-AvLBMQ-JXSWk-FwNkhpEp-kRt9NiWsTGxw3anXLsH5rQnIKE0MbYk8QjOKB3GnXwGN~nMqVEfj0mOd4GG13S670V~Q6SdcboMqkm3QJMu2zeH5p5Ofd6FjzdtoEROn7vZaQIF6kN3CYZq-tP3o~E3oSFCSwEok1bQpGFcooJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Westlake City Schools board approved a contract authorizing Grade Works to dredge retention basins at the Dover Campus and to bury the dredged organic material on site, Treasurer Todd Hopkins said at the May 19 meeting.

Hopkins explained the basins have accumulated organic material (leaves and debris) that reduced their depth: \"They will be burying the dredged material on-site. So right next to the detention basins or retention basins, you have an old softball field... They'll dig a ditch, and then the organic material will be buried in there so it can dewater, decompose underground,\" he said. The contractor will stage equipment through the unused softball field area to avoid impact on active fields.

Board members asked whether work would affect the football field; Hopkins said it should not. He noted Grade Works provided the most efficient pricing after a bid process and had previous experience on nearby work the district reviewed.

Why it matters: The dredging is intended to restore the retention basins' capacity and reduce potential overflow or maintenance problems. Hopkins tied the work to overall facility maintenance planning; the district's five-year facilities list includes several underfunded items that rely on reserve balances.

What was decided: The board approved the contract and related appropriations as part of the treasurer's recommendations. Work will proceed under standard contracting terms and the district will place the dredged material in a prepared area adjacent to the basins.

Next steps: Grade Works will schedule the dredging and coordinate staging to minimize disruption. The district's facilities staff will monitor to ensure no adverse effects to adjacent athletic fields and neighborhood properties.","The board approved a contract with Grade Works to dredge retention basins at the Dover Campus; the plan calls for on-site burial of organic dredge material adjacent to an unused softball field and is intended to restore basin depth and function",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6234164,"Board approves Westlake Porter Public Library 2026 tax budget amid state funding uncertainty",245,1784000,2029000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3411888-10591ff6f241c2a39c6e2a3eb9ea4b4f&start=1784&end=2029","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3411888-10591ff6f241c2a39c6e2a3eb9ea4b4f/thumbnail_1784000.jpg","/articles/6234164/Ohio/Board-approves-Westlake-Porter-Public-Library-2026-tax-budget-amid-state-funding-uncertainty","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6234164-be71aa025c7737b410e98d3a0efb5ffd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771011625&Signature=bb~k0X-UHszcr3Volub0AcY0mJSKgsKbGKWbdjHT5cpbgZgGxqgYw-VG51kz-WuzIZFaEeUaQnvj-dopMhFGi9O72gQskTfaeXl0mwafmtLyBUVa1p9-EkuvF5q-qkaaQctKcL51O14cHfhSaO8RwzBn2Qjr9qbO8q-oRxBa~sfkDI6GUui1u80u4lLn~NwgWWDJb8lga9uql1CyMBQtd5O9r1jOah5Na8UESt~O-kYriwKL5rydAd8dXK1zUjAYLAJAUJQ7~wO8s3S1YmXktT-wCVk8-6GYdI7RAlFCCqL0rztxst9HyCSq6uge1ZieEJO51CJklCX7orIGHqU7Kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Andrew Mangels told the Westlake City Schools Board of Education on May 19 that the Westlake Porter Public Library's 2026 tax budget anticipates roughly $6.6 million in revenue and continues to prioritize staffing, building upkeep and materials.

Mangels described the library as a \"school district library\" that files a tax budget with the district and said the library's expense mix is weighted heavily toward personnel (about 62%) and materials (about 11–12%). He highlighted the library's growing partnership with Westlake Elementary School — noting 54 visits by the school to the library in May — and raised a state‑level concern: a proposed change to how the state distributes library funding that, if implemented immediately, could reduce funding to the Porter library by about $300,000.

On electronic materials, Mangels told the board that publishers charge libraries for e‑books and eaudiobooks in ways that make those items more expensive per copy than many expect. \"The publishers don't want us to have the materials, and so they make it very difficult for us in every way they can,\" Mangels said. \"So even though you would think simultaneous users because it's electronic, the publisher say, no. Just like a book, if you want multiple copies, you have to buy multiple copies.\" He also described recent facility improvements — a makerspace with 3D printers, a sound booth and a laser engraver, expanded second-floor seating, and a pavilion — and said the library is exploring a local history room.

The board moved to approve the Westlake Porter Public Library 2026 tax budget and passed the resolution by roll call. At the vote, board members recorded in the meeting minutes responded in the affirmative (motion carries). Director Mangels thanked the board and noted the library will submit the tax budget to the county budget commission if approved.

Why it matters: Most of the library's revenue comes from the local levy; changes to the state-level distribution formula or to the public library fund could materially affect the library's budget and services. Mangels flagged both the possible $300,000 loss under a proposed formula change and the ongoing trend of rising costs for electronic materials.

Next steps: With the board approval, the library will file the tax budget with the county. The library and district will monitor the state budget process and any proposed changes to library funding formulas that could alter revenue available for 2026.","Director Andrew Mangels presented the library's 2026 tax budget to the Westlake City Schools board; the board approved the $6.6 million (approx.) tax budget and heard concerns about changes to the state distribution formula and rising costs for electronic materials","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Treasurer warns proposed 30% carryover cap could slash reserves; board discusses November levy

Board OKs dredging of Dover Campus retention basins; contractor to bury dredged material on site

Board approves Westlake Porter Public Library 2026 tax budget amid state funding uncertainty