Garfield Heights board told $4 million in cuts will be included in district financial recovery plan
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Summary
District staff said the state has given the district 45 days to finalize a financial recovery plan after identifying a Year 3 deficit; the plan will include 'about $4,000,000 of cuts,' staff said, and the finalized forecast will be submitted to the state and shared with the board.
Garfield Heights City Schools staff told the board on Dec. 8 that the district will meet with the state of Ohio to finalize a financial recovery plan after the state identified a Year 3 budget deficit.
"So, Doctor Reynolds and I are meeting with the state of Ohio tomorrow morning at 09:00 to finalize our financial recovery plan," said Mr. O'Connor, a district staff member. He said the state provided the district 45 days after the district submitted its forecast and that the finalized plan "will include, about 4,000,000 of cuts" developed by district leadership.
The board was told the district's renewal levy passed on Nov. 4. Mr. O'Connor said the district will provide the board with the plan and a company forecast prior to submission to the state so the figure will "clean up" what had been presented in September.
Board members pressed staff about timing and how personnel actions tied to the plan would be handled. Mr. O'Connor tied a pending retire‑rehire for an exempt employee in his office (identified in meeting discussion as Missy Jaworski) to items on the financial plan and said the public hearing required for that contract must occur within the statutorily mandated window.
The discussion produced no final board action during the work session; staff said they expect to deliver the forecast to the board after the meeting with state officials and before the next regular board meeting.