Celina schools picks a new district treasurer

CELINA - A former area school administrator, has been selected as the district's new treasurer.

School board members on Monday night awarded Michelle Mawer a three-year contract effective Nov. 17. Mawer's base salary is $113,461.54 the first year of her contract.

The board also approved a new three-year contract with Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local #457 representing the Head Start preschool program held at Celina.

Mawer is presently the treasurer of Van Wert City Schools. She also had served as treasurer of Coldwater Exempted Village Schools for eight years. Prior to that, Mawer said she was employed by Dayton Public Schools as payroll manager for four years before ascending to budget director, a position she held for four years.

"I really look forward to working with the district and hoping to make an impact and help any way I can to make Celina schools the best district possible," Mawer said at Monday night's board meeting.

Mawer said she's lived in Celina the past 10 years. She also has two children who graduated from the district.

"The biggest reason is because I live here," Mawer told the newspaper when asked why she sought the position. "I want to work in the district I live in."

Board president Deb Guingrich citied Mawer's experience and her local roots as qualities that stood out during the interview process.

"We're very excited," Guingrich said. "We think she's going to be a great addition to the team. I see her doing great things for us. We have the most confidence in her abilities."

After the meeting, Mawer shared a few of her top priorities with the newspaper.

"The biggest thing is to get in and get the building projects going and get to know the district, the staff," she said.

Mawer also said she wants to talk with board members in more depth about their priorities and "what the priorities are for me, as a treasurer."

Tom Sommer has been working as interim treasurer after the sudden departure of treasurer Darren Jenkins. Jenkins, citing personal reasons, left on Sept. 26 after having served just 10 months with the district.

Mawer enters as school board members are in the midst of mapping out a path toward financial solvency, one that will likely entail cuts in staffing and curriculum.

Board members in August resolved to establish committees to set curriculum requirements and outline budgets for each school building, as well as Head Start and Tri Star.

The moves are intended to help shore up the district's beleaguered finances as well as streamline the curriculum to provide the most cost-effective, high-quality education to students. Board members look to slash at least $1.5 million from the district's annual budget of roughly $33 million to ward off projected deficit spending in 2026.

"I'll have to work with the board on that to see where they're at in that process," Mawer said, adding she's familiar with the district's five-year forecast.

Speaking further on achieving fiscal soundness, Mawer noted the importance of the district getting an income tax renewed next year at the ballot box.

"If that doesn't pass then there's going to have to probably be cuts," she said. "Hopefully the community backs the school district and will pass the income tax."

The 1% income tax currently garners roughly $4 million annually.

Board members, wanting additional time to precisely calculate how much money they'll need keep the school running, decided to wait until next year rather than the Nov. 8 general election to pursue an income tax renewal and/or addition.

However, their decision is not clear cut as the trajectory of the district's finances remains hazy at this time.

Board members on Monday night also approved a new three-year contract with the union representing Head Start, effective Nov. 17. Head Start employees will see a 1% raise the first year, a 2% raise the second year and a minimum 2% raise the third year, according to superintendent Ken Schmiesing.