Triad approves territory transfer

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NORTH LEWISBURG – A rare school district territory transfer has been approved by Benjamin Logan Local Schools and Triad Local Schools.

Triad approved the resolution authorizing the transfer at its Thursday meeting. Benjamin Logan approved the transfer at its Jan. 26, 2017 board meeting.

Residents can petition the state Board of Education to transfer territory to a contiguous school district, Triad Superintendent Chris Piper said. The resident seeking the transfer has students that are open enrolled in Triad.

But transferring territory means transferring tax revenue from one district to another, and Benjamin Logan officials are opposed to that. The property owner’s property is also not contiguous to Triad’s territory – he needed to get other property owners to also be willing to transfer into Triad.

“The property in question is in the Benjamin Logan School District, and is not contiguous to the Triad School District’s border,” Benjamin Logan Superintendent David Harmon said. “This proposed transfer would require other home/land owners beyond the requesting landowners to also transfer their property or subdivide and then transfer portions of their property from the Benjamin Logan School District into the Triad district in order to create the necessary contiguousness with the Triad School District. The Triad Board of Education is accepting this proposed transfer of property because they have no reason not to do so. I do not blame them.”

Though Benjamin Logan officials are not in favor of the transfer, they needed to do so by state law, Harmon said.

“We completely respect the family’s decision to open enroll their children to the Triad school district, but we believe that transferring their land from one school district to the other is completely unnecessary,” Harmon said. “The family that is requesting this is very happy with the education that their children are receiving at Triad as open enrolled students. However, this proposed transfer would cost the Benjamin Logan School District land mass, valuation, and thereby revenue.”

The property owner presented his case to the state board in February, and the board approved the transfer on condition the property owner got approval for transfer from the remaining parcels between him and the Triad territory line. That has since occurred, Piper said.

Harmon said it has been at least 20 years since territory was transferred between school districts in the state.

Once the transfer is finalized, the two counties’ auditors will determine how much tax money is owed between the two districts.

In other action, the board:

•Approved the non-renewal of expiring one-year contracts for four-hour aide Leslie Runion, bus aide Vicky Culp and Van Driver Melanie Dowell. The non-renewals are not performance-based; the contracts are on an as-needed basis.

•Approved the non-renewal of the expiring one-year contract of Joe Cardinal. The non-renewal is not performance-based.

•Approved substitutes for the 2016-17 school year.

•Approved the tentative list of graduating seniors for the 2016-17 school year.

•Approved May 23-25 as early release days for the Class of 2017. Seniors with excessive absences will be required to make up days before graduation.

•Approved Guarantee Trust Life to offer student insurance for the 2017-18 school year. There is no cost to the district.

•Approved the amended certificate of estimated resources.

•Approved appropriation modifications.

•Accepted donations of banners worth $378 from Ohio Hi-Point Graphic Arts; $500 from Roger and Linda M. Coleman for the drama department; $100 from Chris and Lynn Peters for the elementary; $60 from an anonymous donor for the cafeteria; and $50 from Dr. Susan Yu for the middle school library.

By Casey S. Elliott

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Casey S. Elliott may be reached at 937-652-1331 ext. 1772 or on Twitter @UDCElliott.

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