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Mentor Exempted Village board receives Auditor of State award, approves routine purchases and personnel actions; CFO flags small revenue timing variance
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Summary
The Mentor Exempted Village Board of Education accepted an Auditor of State Award with Distinction, approved a slate of consent and personnel items including a transit van purchase and elevator repairs, authorized several tax-complaint filings and heard a CFO report noting small year-to-date revenue timing variances and a long-term enrollment decline tied to staffing adjustments.
The Mentor Exempted Village Board of Education accepted the Auditor of State Award with Distinction and approved routine consent and personnel items at its March 10, 2026 regular meeting, while also authorizing multiple tax-complaint filings and hearing a financial update from the district chief financial officer.
Tina Ludwig, Northeast Ohio regional liaison for Auditor of State Keith Faber, presented the award and said the district’s most recent audit met the office’s criteria for a “clean audit report,” noting the audit “does not contain any findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, uniform guidance findings, or questioned costs.” The board and administration recognized the district finance team for the report and singled out Chief Financial Officer Bill Wade for leadership in maintaining fiscal controls.
The board moved through a consent agenda of instructional and operational items and approved several separate motions by roll call. Among the actions the board approved were the purchase of a 10‑passenger transit van for the CARES program, elevator repairs and renovations by Schindler Elevator Corporation, renewal of a one‑year Classkick subscription, a College Credit Plus MOU with Kent State University, a ground-transportation agreement with Lake Tran to cover temporary staffing shortfalls on special-education routes, and a bid resolution for high‑school pavement improvements. All motions on the consent and operational agendas carried on recorded roll-call votes.
The board also approved multiple personnel actions and administrative appointments. Administration introduced Annie Harrim as principal at Ridge Elementary School, Bridal Majak as the next director of CARES, and Ryan McKnight as the incoming athletic director at Mentor High School. McKnight, introduced by administration, told the board he was “incredibly honored and humbled to accept the position of athletic director at Mentor High School,” and pledged to work closely with coaching staff to support students in athletics and academics.
Chief Financial Officer Bill Wade reviewed the district’s monthly financials and forecasts. Wade said the district’s current year‑to‑date revenue collection was “about $4,500 below what we were expecting last month” and that year‑to‑date expenses were “about $670,000 higher than we were expecting,” which he attributed largely to timing of purchases and tuition payments. He described the variance as a timing issue tied to when purchases were made and said the amended forecast will reflect a budget reserve correction and be updated again in May. Wade also summarized longer‑term staffing and enrollment trends, saying staffing has declined about 2% since 2019 while student enrollment has fallen roughly 14%, and he attributed prior staffing spikes to temporary ESSER-funded positions that have since ended.
Board members discussed whether to reopen earlier executive-session topics about contract changes in open session or return to executive session for further discussion; the board agreed to seek legal counsel on who should attend an executive session and to place the item on a future agenda. Members also discussed exploring shared services with nearby districts for summer programming (elementary Title I ‘‘Cool Cats,’’ high‑school remediation and extended school‑year services), with administration asked to gather comparative numbers and options.
On taxation matters, the board authorized filing tax complaints or claims for several parcels and businesses (read aloud during the meeting) and approved a resolution to recertify tax rates for tax year 2026 (collection year 2027); the recertification vote was recorded after one member excused herself at 6:42 p.m.
During the hearing of the public, Lynn Mazzicka congratulated the finance department on the award, asked the board to consider moving regular meetings back to the Paradigm Building for improved audience sightlines, and announced a May community social to present information on the district’s forthcoming levy request.
The meeting adjourned at 7:14 p.m.
Votes at a glance: approval of minutes and consent agenda (6a1–6a4) — approved by roll call; purchase of 10‑passenger transit van for CARES — approved; Schindler elevator repairs — approved; Classkick renewal — approved; College Credit Plus MOU (Kent State) — approved; Lake Tran transportation agreement — approved; high‑school pavement improvements bid resolution — approved; personnel and administrative appointments (Annie Harrim, Ryan McKnight, Bridal Majak) — approved; administrative benefits and retire/rehire benefits — approved; tax‑complaint filings for named properties/businesses — authorized; recertify tax rates for 2026 (collection year 2027) — approved.
The board said it will return with further financial forecasting in May and follow up on the contract/agenda and shared‑services items at a future meeting.
