Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Organization topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mason City Schools board elects officers, approves tax budget and routine appointments
Summary
At its Jan. 13 organizational session, the Mason City Schools Board elected Ian Orr president and Matt Steele vice president, approved the districts tax budget and a slate of routine appointments and authorizations, and heard committee updates; most motions passed unanimously.
The Mason City Schools Board of Education on Jan. 13 elected Ian Orr president and Matt Steele vice president and approved a series of routine administrative motions, including the districts tax budget, appointments to Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) roles, and operational authorizations for the treasurer.
The meeting opened with nominations for board officers; Ian Orr was nominated and confirmed by roll call, followed by Matt Steeles confirmation as vice president. The board then approved appointments to represent the district at the Ohio School Boards Association, including an OSBA legislative liaison and a student achievement liaison, and voted to adopt the published 2026 calendar of board meetings.
Treasurer Sean Bevin presented the districts tax budget for fiscal year 2027, which is submitted to the county auditor to inform millage calculations. "We're about $12,000,000 of bonded debt right now, and we're anticipating paying that off by 2031," Bevin said, adding that the district's effective tax rate last year was 0.75 mills. He told the board the county budget commission has new authority to review millage and cash reserves and that, following board approval, the budget will be sent to the commission for a hearing next month.
Other motions approved on unanimous roll calls included authorization for the treasurer to request tax advances to maintain cash flow during the collection season; creation/use of a service fund for professional development; formation of the records commission to oversee records-disposal requests; appointment of the treasurer as the districts public records representative; designation of legal counsel (Scott Scriven) for expulsion hearings; authority for the superintendent to make interim personnel hires between meetings (subject to later board approval); and a policy allowing disposal of depreciated property valued at $5,000 or less without separate board action.
The board also approved routine financial authorizations allowing day-to-day payment of bills and investment of funds and confirmed the treasurer as the district representative to the county Tax Incentive Review Council (TIRC) so the district can track TIF/CRA compliance locally. In each roll call included in the record the tally is recorded as 5-0 in favor for these organizational items.
The meeting concluded after committee reports and the swearing-in and brief remarks of newly elected board member Danny Timmets, following which the board adjourned.
What's next: The tax budget will be transmitted to the county budget commission for a hearing next month; the board's committee assignments and personnel changes will be posted on the district website as part of ongoing governance work.
