ROSSFORD SCHOOLS
Assistant treasurer job to stay, says board
Bricks, mortar issues put off until January
11/11/2013The Rossford school district will retain the position of assistant treasurer, the board of education indicated at a special meeting last week.
The current assistant treasurer, Cathy Nusbaum, is retiring at the end of the year, and board members had been weighing their options with respect to the position. Last week, however, the board authorized Treasurer James Rossler to advertise for the position. The vote was 4-1, with Jackie Brown dissenting.
Ms. Brown noted that many school systems did not have an assistant treasurer and that eliminating the post would save money for the district, which has been spending its shrinking cash reserves to cover operating deficits.
She said spending cuts were inevitable, given that the district was running out of money, and later in the meeting asked the treasurer to put together a PowerPoint presentation detailing the district’s financial condition.
Mr. Rossler said each school district did things its own way, and that the responsibilities assigned to Rossford’s assistant treasurer were done by different officials in other school systems. He said he and Superintendent Dan Creps were examining where costs could be cut, and that the assistant treasurer position “would not be the first place to cut.”
The treasurer also said he did not expect to be working more than 10 years and wanted a successor ready “who could seamlessly walk into my office.”
Board President Dawn Burks supported him, saying, “I’m comfortable with whatever Jamie [Mr. Rossler] thinks is best for the treasurer’s office.”
Board member Beverly Koch became misty-eyed over her disappointment at the defeat of the Rossford district’s request for a facilities’ levy in last week’s voting. She had advocated hiring an assistant treasurer/​business manager to oversee what she had expected to be eight to 10 years of construction projects as the district upgraded its aged buildings.
Voters, however, turned down the proposal for a 4.6-mill levy to finance the first phase of a long-term plan for the reconstruction and renovation of the district’s facilities. The issue lost by 99 votes in the unofficial count. Ms. Koch said she still wanted the new hire to have “a broader job.”
Member Doug Miller, who lost his seat in the election, said districts without an assistant treasurer were smaller than Rossford.
Ms. Koch thanked supporters of the levy campaign for their efforts, and Mr. Miller for his service. Ms. Burks said she wanted Mr. Creps and Mr. Rossler to have suggestions ready in January on what the board should do next with the plan to upgrade school buildings. She said not all members of the citizens’ group that produced the district’s plan supported it, and “multiple messages were sent,” contributing to the levy’s defeat.
The salary for the new assistant treasurer will be negotiable, but is expected to be in the range of $45,000 to $52,000.