Canfield treasurer Patty Prince to retire after 39 years; board accepts resignation

Patty Prince, treasurer for Canfield Local School District, told the board at its June 11 meeting that she will resign effective Dec. 31, 2025, and the Canfield Local Board of Education voted to accept her resignation.

Prince, speaking during the meeting’s final agenda item, said she was “grateful for the opportunity” to manage the district’s finances over nearly four decades and that she planned to spend more time with her grandchildren. She told the board she would be available for a transition assignment in January and February 2026 to help her successor take over district financial operations.

The board responded with extended remarks praising Prince’s stewardship. Board members credited Prince with maintaining strong cash reserves that helped the district manage unexpected costs during the COVID-19 pandemic and said her fiscal discipline helped keep the district functioning amid statewide funding uncertainty. One board member singled out Jim Watkins, who mentored Prince early in her career, for helping her navigate school finance.

The board moved to accept Prince’s resignation and recorded a roll-call vote in which all members voted in favor. During the discussion members said recruiting and succession planning would begin “sooner than later” and that the board intended to play a role in the hiring process for a new treasurer.

Prince’s announcement and the board’s acceptance mean the district will begin a search and transition process to fill a long-running fiscal post. Prince said she would remain available through February 2026 for handover work.

The board adjourned shortly after the vote and indicated it would continue to mark Prince’s tenure at future meetings.