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Board approves financial, personnel and policy items; superintendent flags nearly $900,000 in cyber charter costs
Summary
The Athens Area SD board approved multiple financial and personnel items including the career center and IU budget, moved a package of policies to second read, and approved building repairs and equipment purchases. Superintendent warned the district’s cyber charter payments are approaching $900,000 and urged charter reform.
At its February meeting the Athens Area School District board approved a slate of financial, personnel and policy actions and heard administration recommendations on facilities and long‑term capital planning.
Financial and budget items: The board approved general fund checks, cafeteria bills, secretary and treasurer reports, student activity accounts and a resolution to set tax commission. The board separately approved the Northern Career Center proposed budget for the coming year; presenters noted the end of a bond payment will reduce next year’s per‑pupil career center cost. The IU 17 (BLAST) proposed budget was also approved after a separate roll‑call vote; one board member recorded a “No” on the IU 17 vote.
Personnel and policies: The board approved a set of personnel actions including support terminations, support contracts, student employees, athletic coach contracts, supplemental contracts, resignations and a set of temporary stipends (HR/payroll, athletic secretary, daily stipend for athletic director supervisor tasks). The personnel motions passed by roll call. The personnel and policy committee recommended that multiple policies — including procurement thresholds tied to CPI updates and Title IX policy adjustments — move from first read to second read; the board approved that recommendation.
Facilities: Administration and facilities staff recommended replacing an aging Lynch hot water heater (a 20‑year‑old 400‑gallon PVI unit) with two 200‑gallon units due to repeated repairs; the board approved the replacement as part of building and grounds business. The board also approved purchasing a Ventrac machine included in the 2024–25 budget and discussed lead times and previously provided quotes (administration noted a quote dated 10/02/2024).
Superintendent budget note: Superintendent Dr. Stays told the board that Athens has not received adequacy supplement funding for a second consecutive year, and he called attention to the district’s rising cyber charter school bill. "You do notice that our to date cyber charter school bill is approaching $900,000," he said, adding that the cost translates into staffing and instructional resources the district cannot provide. He argued the lack of accountability for cyber charters places fiscal strain on local districts.
Votes at a glance: The board recorded roll‑call votes on financial business (combined items), separate roll calls for the career center and IU 17 budgets, personnel packages, policies moving to second read, curriculum trip approvals (except one tabled item) and building/grounds approvals. Several motions were unanimous; the IU 17 vote carried with one recorded 'No.'
Next steps: The board asked staff to return in March with additional information on the tabled Costa Rica trip and to continue capital‑planning work and a proposed building‑condition survey for longer‑term maintenance planning.
