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Big Walnut board approves insurance, trips, propane purchase and easement; public commenters press voucher, curriculum, services issues
Summary
At its Sept. 16 meeting the Big Walnut board approved several routine business items including insurance rates, student activity accounts, field trips, a propane purchase, an easement, donations and an additional law firm; public commenters urged the board on EdChoice vouchers, curriculum decisions and behavioral-health services.
The Big Walnut Local School Board conducted a packed agenda on Sept. 16 and approved a range of routine business items while taking public comment on several fiscal and curricular issues.
Key votes at the meeting included approval of 2025 insurance rates (medical, dental, vision and life), authorization of new student activity accounts, permanent appropriations for fiscal year 2025, account transfers for class accounts, approval of extended field trips (New Orleans and Washington, D.C.), adoption of a baseball/softball field-usage agreement, approval of a service agreement with Michael's Angels Transportation LLC, purchase authorization for an estimated 11,500 gallons of propane from Schilling Propane Service, acceptance of donations, and addition of Frost Brown Todd LLP as an approved legal-services provider. The board also approved a human-resources consent agenda and scheduled the next regular meeting for Oct. 21, 2024.
Notable administrative figures provided context throughout: Treasurer Gooding reviewed the district's variances and indicated the five-year forecast will be updated in October; Superintendent McClain discussed facilities and transportation updates. Public comments included Barb Shelby urging the board to oppose EdChoice voucher expansion and requesting a report on the number of district students using vouchers; Molly Snodgrass criticized the board's handling of a Reveal Math recommendation and asked the board to revisit contracting behavioral-health services after a July vote not to approve a Sentaro contract.
Several items drew extended discussion: a proposed facility-use fee schedule was postponed for further refinement after concerns about steep auditorium rates, and the propane procurement prompted questions about fuel type, bidding and crediting unused volume. The board amended executive-session language to include a safety component under Ohio Revised Code A7 121.22 and voted to enter executive session as permitted by statute.
Votes at a glance (select items): - Adopt agenda as amended: approved (roll call) - Approve minutes (08/29/2024): approved (motion carried; one abstention, one no recorded) - Approve insurance rates (10.1): approved - Approve extended field trips (10.5): approved - Approve field-usage agreement (10.6): approved (one 'no') - Postpone facility-fee schedule (10.7): postponed to Oct. 21 - Approve transportation service agreement (10.8): approved - Approve propane purchase (10.9): approved - Approve easement for shared driveway (10.10): approved - Accept donations (10.11): approved - Add Frost Brown Todd LLP as legal provider (10.12): approved (one 'no')
The meeting then moved to a brief recess and prepared to enter executive session; the board added "safety" to the executive-session language and read an expanded roll-call paragraph requested by a municipal party before taking the vote to go into executive session.
