Board approves consent items, utility contracts and partnerships in 5-0 votes

The Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools Board of Education on March 10 approved a package of routine and time-sensitive items, including minutes, tax rates, new energy contracts, liability insurance and several partnership agreements.

Board members voted unanimously on the majority of motions. The actions included a routine approval of minutes, a resolution accepting amounts and rates from the county budget commission, two utility procurement agreements (electric and gas), a liability/fleet/property insurance agreement, multiple grant acceptances and donations, and partnership memoranda of understanding for career-technical and professional development programs.

Treasurer Mr. Cherinello told the board the district had received a February tax advance and expected its first-half tax settlement in the coming days; he noted revenue timing issues and highlighted that a recently completed development (Brookwood Crossing) resulted in an additional non-school TIF payment this fiscal year. Cherinello said expenditures remain below budget in part because of timing of purchased services, though some purchase services exceeded budget this month by about $416,000.

On procurement, the board approved a two-year electric contract and an aligned gas contract through Power for Schools after staff reported unusually large market price increases. The administration said the electric quote represented a 44–67% increase from prior rates and the gas quote showed a roughly 10–24% increase; board members discussed including those cost pressures in the district’s story to legislators when seeking school funding.

The board also approved a liability, fleet and property insurance placement to replace a Liberty Mutual renewal that had increased significantly. The administration said shifting to an insurance pool produced material premium savings for the district for the March 1–June 30 interim policy and that a full-year renewal would follow on July 1.

Other approved items on the consent calendar included adoption of a special education model policy, an athletics conference move beginning in the 2026–27 school year, a partnership agreement with the Home Builders Association to support career-technical programming, an agreement with the ESC of the Western Reserve for staff AI training, and an MOU with the teachers’ association to establish middle-level instructional team leads.

Votes at a glance (selected items): minutes of 02/10/2025 — approved 5–0; resolution accepting amounts and rates — approved 5–0; electric agreement (two-year, Power for Schools) — approved 5–0; gas agreement (Power for Schools) — approved 5–0; liability/fleet/property insurance proposal (March 1–June 30 interim placement) — approved 5–0; partnership with Home Builders Association (PAC partnership) — approved 5–0; ESC of the Western Reserve AI training agreement — approved 5–0; WIDA MOU for instructional team leads — approved 5–0; special education model adoption resolution — approved 5–0; consent calendar adoption including grants, donations and personnel items — approved 5–0.

Board members completed the meeting by adjourning to executive session on personnel matters; no public action was taken following that session.

The board is scheduled to meet next on Monday, April 14, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the district administration building.