Tri-Valley Local board approves 2026-27 tax rates, multiple personnel contracts and district projects

The Tri-Valley Local Board of Education on March 12 approved the district's tax amounts and rates for 2026-2027 and moved forward on a slate of personnel contracts, retirements and capital projects.

The board approved the district's 2026-2027 tax amounts and rates as provided by the Muskingum County Budget Commission (Resolution #26-54). In routine business the board also approved minutes from the Feb. 12 regular meeting and the January 2026 financial report (Resolutions #26-52 and #26-53). All recorded roll-call votes on these items recorded affirmative votes by board members Steve Barr, Betsy Brocklehurst, Andrea Collet, Luke Davis and Scott Ford.

Why it matters: The tax-rate approval establishes revenue assumptions that drive the district's 2026-27 budget and supports decisions about staffing, transportation and capital maintenance.

Personnel and contracts The board accepted several retirements and resignations and approved multiple contracts for the coming school year. Among personnel actions: the board accepted the retirement of Craig Strohacker, Director of Operations, effective June 30, 2027 (Resolution #26-55), and the retirement of Athletic Director Erin Nezbeth, effective June 30, 2026 (Resolution #26-56). It accepted the retirement of Mark Prince, an English teacher, effective Feb. 28, 2026 (Resolution #26-70), and accepted classified retirements for Holly Crown (bus driver), Mark Edwards (head custodian) and Amanda Waite (assistant cook) with stated effective dates (Resolution #26-73).

The board issued new or continued contracts for a number of administrators and staff: a three-year limited contract to Katlyn Heath as School Psychology Assistant pending verification (Resolution #26-58); a one-year contract to Lindsay McClintock as director of the Scottie Kids Club (Resolution #26-59); short-term and multi-year contracts for Jason Brock as Maintenance Supervisor (Resolutions #26-60 and #26-63); a three-year contract for Chris Garber as Athletic Director (Resolution #26-64); and multi-year administrative contracts for Jeremy Cameron, Ashley Knowlton, Danielle Richesson, Amanda Spiker and Todd Woodard (Resolution #26-66). The board also approved certified and classified hires listed on the addendum, including Shelby Smith and Lyndsay Buxton (Resolutions #26-92 and #26-93) and Colton Wisecarver (Resolution #26-97). Each listed motion carried by recorded roll call.

Stipends, leaves and committee assignments The board approved administrative stipends for 2026-2027, including amounts such as $6,500 for Jeremy Cameron (attendance officer), $5,000 for Todd Woodard (safety coordinator) and other position-specific stipends; LPDC committee stipends were also approved (Resolutions #26-68 and #26-69). Several unpaid leave requests for administrative, certified and classified staff were approved as presented (Resolutions #26-67, #26-72, #26-78, #26-94, #26-95, #26-96 and #26-98).

Contracts, capital projects and transportation The board approved vendor agreements and project authorizations: an agreement with Jones-Schlater Flooring, LLC for the high school flooring project (Resolution #26-86); an agreement with Schultz Industries, Inc. dba Sturdisteel Company for visitor-side bleacher expansion at the football stadium (Resolution #26-87); and accepted a satellite education agreement with Mid-East Career & Technology Centers and a Phoenix Central ED seat agreement through the Licking Regional ESC for 2026-27 (Resolutions #26-83 and #26-84).

On transportation, the board approved a price correction for one special-needs equipped 65 Hdc Thomas Saf-T-Liner C2 school bus from $154,027 to $160,939, producing a corrected total bus purchase of $728,699 (Resolution #26-85).

Policies, field trip and donations The board approved a set of policy updates presented by Pepple & Waggoner, Ltd., including revisions and new policies on meeting procedures, open enrollment, student absences, NIL/personal branding rights, a prohibition regarding certain food purchases, and the rescission of a prior policy on reporting of sexual abuse (Resolution #26-89). The board approved an overnight FFA trip to the state convention in Columbus, April 30-May 1, 2026 (Resolution #26-88). It also accepted several donations to district programs and an endowment totaling several thousand dollars (Resolution #26-90). Specific donors and amounts were recorded in the minutes.

Executive session and next steps The board entered executive session to discuss appointment, employment and compensation of an employee; the session ran from 6:28 p.m. to 8:10 p.m. (Resolution #26-100). The meeting adjourned at 8:12 p.m., and the next regular meeting is scheduled for April 9, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.

Votes at a glance (selected resolutions and outcome) All listed motions in the minutes were approved by roll call unless noted. Selected items: Resolution #26-52 (approve Feb. 12 minutes) ' carried; #26-53 (Jan. 2026 financial report) ' carried; #26-54 (2026-27 tax amounts and rates) ' carried; #26-55 and #26-56 (administrative retirements) ' carried; #26-58, #26-59, #26-60, #26-63, #26-64, #26-66 (contracts) ' carried; #26-82 through #26-87 (memberships and vendor agreements) ' carried; #26-100 (enter executive session) ' carried; #26-101 (adjourn) ' carried.

The minutes provide full roll-call records for each resolution and list names of affected employees, stipend amounts, donation amounts and vendor names; for procedural or verification details the minutes note that certain contracts are "pending verification of all license requirements, background checks, and years of experience calculations."