Fairfield board elects officers, sets member pay and approves grants, donations and field trip

At its Jan. 15 meeting, the Fairfield School Board reorganized for 2026, approved routine consent items and accepted several grants and donations.

By unanimous vote, the board elected Marilee Keim as president, Brian Wogoman as vice president and Tyler Rensberger as secretary and approved the district’s 2026 committee assignments (Athletics, Building Trades, Vocational, Legislative/Policy, Music, Negotiations, High Ability Broad Based Planning, Wellness and District Improvement). Chief Financial Officer Dr. Brandon Penrod asked the board to set member compensation at $2,000 per year with a $150 per‑meeting per diem for regular meetings and $75 for special meetings; the board approved the pay and also approved $60 per meeting for the Board Minutes Secretary.

The board approved appointing Jill Erb as 2026 Corporation Treasurer and Hadassah Nimtz as 2026 Corporation Deputy Treasurer. The consent docket — approved by motion — included the Dec. 11, 2025 minutes; claims totaling $2,815,960.72 and payroll claims of $1,184,102.98; 21 professional leave requests; several personnel resignations, transfers, employments and substitute appointments; and an FMLA request covering Jan. 5, 2026–Jan. 4, 2027 for Employee 1421.

The board also approved an out‑of‑state field trip for Millersburg Elementary 6th graders to Camp Amigo in Sturgis, Michigan on April 23, 2026; accepted multiple donations including a $5,000 gift to the high school winter percussion program and anonymous athletic donations; and approved the 2025–2026 Title I Grant, the 2026 Classified Handbook and the 2026 Fringe Benefit Guides. All recorded motions in the meeting packet passed unanimously.

Board members offered brief remarks of appreciation to staff before adjourning at 5:39 p.m.