Canton Local board approves personnel, policy updates, and monthly financials; keeps member pay at $80 per meeting

The Canton Local Board of Education on Dec. 15 approved superintendent-recommended personnel items, adopted a set of updated policies on second reading, accepted the monthly financial report and donations, and affirmed board member compensation at $80 per meeting.

Superintendent (unnamed in the transcript) recommended approval of personnel items that included retirements (Anne Barclay, effective Feb. 28), new hires (educational paraprofessional Mary Franklin; educational professionals Jessica Stefania and Jessica Larkins), and several supplemental contracts for coaches and staff. He also acknowledged baseball coach Kyle Arrowsmith in the meeting.

The treasurer presented the monthly financial package and recommended approval of November invoices totaling about $1,000,702 and a reconciled cash balance of roughly $18.6 million. The treasurer called out several donations for acceptance, including $100 from Sarah and Jeffrey Kelly to the football program and an in-kind donation of 412 pounds of steel valued at about $100.

On board policy, the superintendent said the first reading had been completed at the November meeting and recommended adoption of the updates listed under the meeting exhibit (C1). The board moved and seconded the second reading/adoption and approved the policies.

The board discussed auditor recommendations on member compensation and voted to maintain compensation at the current rate of $80 per meeting (the ORC maximum cited in discussion was $125), with the earliest possible increase noted as Jan. 1, 2028 under statute.

At the end of the public session, the board approved a motion to enter executive session "to discuss employment and assignment of public employees, with no action taken," and roll call votes were recorded to move into that closed session.

Authorities cited in discussion included Ohio Revised Code 3313.6031 (in a separate communication item about CTE weighting) when the board discussed grade-weighting changes for CTE classes; the compensation discussion referenced ORC limits on compensation per meeting.

The meeting adjourned into executive session; no final personnel actions were taken in open session on the record.