Elyria City Schools board approves contracts, personnel and $6.38 million tax-election resolution; accepts $12,500 flagpole donation

The Elyria City Schools Board of Education on July 16 approved multiple administrative actions, accepted a $12,500 donation for a stadium flagpole and voted to proceed with a $6,381,390 additional tax election.

Board President Elaine Seguin called the meeting to order and the board approved minutes from the June 25 meeting and a recent special meeting by roll call. The board then approved the treasurer’s action items, which included acceptance of the June 2025 financial report, bank reconciliations, investment and cash reports, approval of federal-program budgets for fiscal year 2026 and student activity purpose statements, and acknowledgment of a $12,500 donation from the Lorain County Veterans Service Commission for a stadium flagpole.

During discussion about the donation, district staff said the pole has been delivered and is large. District staff and board members described difficulty securing contractors and the heavy equipment necessary to install the pole without damaging campus property, noting underground drainage in one potential location and the need for a crane. One staff member estimated the flag would be 12 by 18 and said the pole will be lit; a board member said the pole will be placed where it will be visible from the road rather than tucked by the trees.

Superintendent Anne Slosch presented a package of superintendent action items that the board approved, including stipends for a middle-school web program, payments of listed stipends, and several vendor contracts: Applewood Center; Spectrum Growth (IEP services); ESC Project SEARCH; Sprout Therapy (Saint Jude’s); the Lorain County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Murray Ridge); and an amended contract with Ombudsman Educational Services.

The board also approved multiple personnel items by roll call, including unpaid leaves of absence, appointments of certified and classified staff, cancellations of a supplemental contract, resignations, supplemental contracts for the 2025–26 school year, athletic supplemental contracts, and approval of district and non-district game workers for the school year and tournament game workers.

In her report, Slosch said the district is close to completing hiring and that administrators will return on Aug. 4. She also described outreach by Lorain County superintendents and treasurers to state legislators regarding vetoes in the state budget bill and said the county believes there are three vetoes the legislature may try to override. Slosch said the district has not been told whether certain federal entitlement funds will be released and stated, "we end up with less money," adding that the federal government is holding "over $7,000,000,000 of entitlement dollars" and that for Elyria City Schools the amount in question could be "about anywhere from $500,000 to $750,000" for certain federal titles.

The board introduced Resolution No. 2, determining to proceed with an additional $6,381,390 tax election and referenced sections of the Ohio Revised Code in the motion. The motion to adopt the resolution carried on a roll-call vote. The board then voted to enter executive session to consider confidential information related to economic development assistance and negotiations under the Ohio Revised Code sections cited; the board amended the motion to also include matters kept confidential by federal law and expulsion matters.

Votes at a glance

• Approval of minutes (June 25 and special meeting): carried (roll call recorded ayes).

• Treasurer action items (June financials, FY2026 federal-program budgets, student activity purpose statements, acceptance of $12,500 donation): carried (roll call recorded ayes).

• Superintendent action items (stipends and vendor contracts listed above): carried (roll call recorded ayes).

• Personnel action items (leaves, appointments, supplemental contracts, resignations, athletic supplements, game workers): carried (roll call recorded ayes).

• Resolution No. 2 to proceed with a $6,381,390 additional tax election: carried (roll call recorded ayes).

Notes: The transcript records the donation amount ($12,500) and several vendor names as entered on the agenda. Contract specifics (term lengths, dollar amounts) were read on the agenda but are not specified in the spoken transcript. The superintendent characterized the district’s possible federal funding shortfall using the phrasing quoted above; the exact federal and program line items referenced in the meeting were described in the transcript as "2A and 4A and Title III" and the district said it has not received final notice on those funds.