West Geauga board approves fund transfer and reopens severance window after STRS retirement rule change

The West Geauga Local School District Board of Education approved transferring funds from the general fund to the termination benefits fund to cover an employee severance plan and adopted an addendum to reopen the plan for a seven‑day window following a change in State Teachers Retirement System rules.

Resolution 139 authorized the transfer of general-fund dollars to support the severance program the board previously approved. The board’s roll call for the transfer showed affirmative votes by members recorded in the meeting record (Doctor Beers; Mrs. Bridal; Mrs. Sherwood; additional votes were recorded but not all were named in the excerpt).

Board members said the original severance round concluded on April 11 and included seven teachers and one administrator who accepted the terms. Because STRS reduced the retirement age from 33 to 32 during the revocation period, some additional employees now qualify for retirement earlier than anticipated. The board adopted an addendum (Resolution 146) to reopen the severance offer for a seven‑day period beginning May 7 to allow eligible staff to opt in under the new STRS rules.

“We would like to open it back up for 7 days, May seventh, to allow them to seek the same opportunity that our other employees had,” a staff member said during discussion of the addendum. The district told the board it currently anticipates three to four additional employees have expressed interest in the reopened window.

Board members discussed the importance of volume for early-retirement packages; staff recommended against repeating the program next year unless sufficient participation justified it. The addendum and fund-transfer resolutions were approved by roll call (recorded yes votes include Missus Claypool; Missus Sherwood; Doctor Beers).