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Solon board approves routine personnel and finance items; five-year forecast signals upcoming deficits
Summary
The Solon City Board of Education approved minutes, bills, personnel actions and certifications and heard a five-year financial forecast showing projected operating deficits and reserves near 15% of operating expenses by fiscal 2027; staff promoted recruitment events and community outreach on school finance.
At its Feb. 23 meeting the Solon City Board of Education approved routine business items including minutes, payment of bills listed in the meeting attachment, personnel actions and certifications, and heard a treasurer's presentation of the district's five-year forecast.
On routine motions the board approved minutes from the Feb. 9, 2026 meeting and moved to approve payment of bills listed in the meeting packet (agenda text records the total as $786,000 $973.51). Staff noted the bills include payments for security upgrades, the natatorium roof replacement, and the final payment for middle-school turf installation. The board also approved resignations (names in the attachment), the retirement of long-time maintenance worker James Michael, tuition-reimbursement requests, and an unpaid leave of absence for crossing guard Gerald Maxey for up to one year.
The board approved certification of two bus drivers for annual driver certification under the rule cited in the agenda text (OAC 3301-83-06B5 as written in the agenda). Staff warned that the district has only one or two spare drivers on hand, noted upcoming retirements, and encouraged attendance at a Drive-the-Bus recruitment event on March 14 from 9–11 a.m. at Parkside Elementary School (6845 Som Center Road).
Treasurer's presentation described a change in state submission timing for five-year forecasts and said the district is realizing a net annual operating loss and anticipates a deficit in a couple of years. The treasurer stated the district's cash balances are "approximately 15%" of overall operating expenses at the end of the next fiscal year and said the Ohio Department of Education/Department of Education and Workforce may ask the district to create a financial plan if balances remain at current levels.
Staff also highlighted communications intended to educate the community about school finance through a "Know Your Schools" finance-facts feature on the district website, promoted the Solon Jazz Fest on March 11 and the fourteenth annual show choir invitational on March 7, and reminded families that kindergarten registration runs March 2–13 and that a state law change requires children to be 5 by Aug. 21 for kindergarten eligibility this year. The board set its next meeting for March 16 at 6:00 p.m. and adjourned.
