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Chardon BOE Swears in New Members and Organizes for 2026

Chardon Board of Education Tax Budget Hearing and Organizational Meeting - January 14, 2026 

Meeting Details: The Tax Budget Hearing and Organizational Meeting was held beginning at 5:15 pm at the Chardon Transportation and Business Affairs Center at 400 Washington Street, Chardon.  Here is the link to the available Meeting Agendas and Minutes. Click on the meetings tab on the right to access the Agendas and Minutes.  The board meeting video (1) is available here.  Agenda items are listed according to the time that they were discussed on the video.

0:20.21 Min  Video Opens at 5:15 pm. There was no roll call.

0:34 Min  Welcome to the January 14, 2026 Tax Budget Hearing for the 2027 Tax Budget 

Attendance: Karen Blankenship, Andrea Clark, James Midyette, Gordon Landries, Ash Galhotra

Staff in Attendance: Superintendent Dr. Michael Hanlon, Treasurer Deb Armbruster

1:10 Min The Treasurer presents the Fiscal Year 2027 Tax Budget 

• Each school district prepares a tax budget or alternative tax budget information covering the period from July 1 through June 30th of the following year. The budget must be submitted to the County Auditor by January 20th of the current year.

• Presentation slides available here  

• Tax Budget document available here

17:00 Min Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0142.1, the oath of office was administered for incoming Board Members, Mr. Galhotra and Mr. Landies.

19:40 Min ORGANIZATIONAL MTG. ROLL CALL AND WELCOME  - This meeting is being held in accordance with Section 3313.14 of the Ohio Revised Code.

Attendance: Karen Blankenship, Andrea Clark, James Midyette, Ashish Galhotra, and Gordon Landies

Staff Attendance: Superintendent Dr. Michal Hanlon, Treasurer Deb Armbruster

21:07 Min Adoption of the Agenda - Approved

Pledge of Allegiance

Mission Statement 

21:55 Min Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0152, the Board of Education will elect the Board President.

• James Midyette and Karen Blankenship both were nominated for BOE President for 2026. Karen Blankenship was elected BOE President in a 3-2 vote. 

23:50 Min Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0152, the Board of Education will elect the Vice President.

• Andrea Clark was nominated and elected for BOE Vice President in a unanimous vote.

24:35 Min Administration of Oath of Office of President and Vice President

26:43 Organizational Agenda

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0153, C, the Board of Education appointed Andrea Clark  to serve as Delegate to the Ohio School Boards Association's Annual Conference, November 15-17, 2026. Approved.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0153, E, the Board of Education appointed Ashish Galhotra   to serve as alternate. Approved.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0153, D, the Board of Education appointed Andrea Clark to serve as Legislative Liaison to the Ohio School Boards Association for 2026. Approved.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0153, E, the Board of Education appointed James Midyette to serve as the Alternate Legislative Liaison to the Ohio School Boards Association for 2026. Approved.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0153, C, the Board of Education appointed Ashish Galhotra as Representative to the City of Chardon Parks and Recreation Board. Approved.

• The Board of Education appointed Andrea Clark to serve as the Member-at-Large Auburn Career Center Representative for a 1-Year term. Approved. 

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0153, the Board of Education appointed James Midyette as the Student/Staff Liaison. Approved.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0153, the Board of Education appointed Gordon Landies as the Chardon Schools Foundation Liaison. Approved.

• Appointment of Board Member Gordon Landies to the Tax Incentive Review Council. Approved.

  • Section 5709.85 of the Ohio Revised Code permits county, township, or municipal corporation legislative authorities to grant certain tax exemptions. The statutory procedures call for creating tax incentive review councils that include an individual appointed by the board of education affected by the tax exemption. In general, the tax incentive review council assesses property tax exemptions resulting from the declaration of public purpose improvements, it reviews certain agreements granting exemptions from property taxation and related performance or audit reports, and it evaluates whether tax exemption recipients are complying with nondiscriminatory hiring policies. This Council meets once a year, and this year’s meeting is on February 11, 2026 at 1:00 pm. 

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 8310, the Records Commission is required to meet once annually and is defined as the Superintendent, the Board President, and the Treasurer. 

  • The Records Commission is scheduled to meet on February 3, 2026 at 2:00 pm at the Chardon Local Schools Administration Building located at 428 North Street, Chardon, OH 44024. Approved.

43:15 Min Consent Agenda. All Approved, 4.1-4.21.

• The Board chose to not appoint a school physician at this time, but may do so at a later date.

• The Board chose to not appoint a school dentist at this time, but may do so at a later date.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0154, B, the Chardon Board of Education acknowledges the "News Herald" or "Maple Leaf" as designated news media for the purpose of official notification.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 7544, the Chardon Board of Education designates the following social media platforms as the information outlets for the school district. 

  • Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ChardonHilltoppers

  • X.com:  https://x.com/ChardonSchools

  • Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/chardon_schools

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0154, C, the Board of Education designates a day, place, and time for regular meetings which shall be held at least once every two (2) months.

  • WHEREAS, the Chardon Board of Education desires the public to be fully informed of meetings and location of meetings. 

  • BE IT DECLARED, that the Chardon Board of Education will hold regular meetings at the Business Affairs Transportation Center, 400 Washington St, Chardon, OH 44024, beginning at 5:30 P.M. except as may be adjusted and communicated based on the requirements of the Board of Education.

Regular Meeting Dates:

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0154, D, the Chardon Board of Education establishes BoardDocs as a reasonable method whereby any person may determine the time and place of all regularly scheduled meetings and the time, place, and purpose of all special meetings.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0154, E, the Chardon Board of Education determines that no fee will be charged to individuals requesting the schedule of meetings, agenda, or notice of individual meetings.  This information is contained in BoardDocs electronically.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0154, G, the Chardon Board of Education re-adopts continuing contracts and agreements of the Board where continuation is not authorized by law.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0154, F, the Chardon Board of Education approves Resolution 2026-01: to re-adopt existing bylaws and policies for its own operation and the operation of the school system.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0154, H, the Board of Education recognizes the following majority bargaining agents.

  • The Board of Education recognizes the Chardon Association of Classified Employees (CACE), an Ohio Education Association affiliate, as a majority bargaining agent for the Classified employees of the school district.  

  • The Board of Education recognizes the Chardon Education Association (CEA), an Ohio Education Association affiliate, as a majority bargaining agent for the non-exempt certified/licensed employees of the school district.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0154, I, the Chardon Board of Education took Board action on December 13, 2021 to join the Ohio School Boards Association.  This action reaffirms the action previously taken by the Board.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0153, F & G, the Chardon Board of Education approves the use of the following law firms for general counsel.

  • Geauga County Prosecutor

  • Weston Hurd, LLP

  • Dinsmore & Shohl LLP (Bond Counsel)

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0154, J, the Board of Education certified the number of students for purposes of establishing a Service Fund.

  • WHEREAS, ORC 3315.15 provides for the establishment of a service fund to be used in paying the expenses of members of the board actually incurred in the performance of their duties, or as the official representatives when sent out of the district.

  • WHEREAS, the Chardon Board of Education certifies the number of students at 2,217 (FY2026 SFPR Oct #2).

  • NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that a service fund in the statutory amount of $20,000 be established from the General Fund for such stated purposes.

• The Chardon Board of Education authorizes the Superintendent of Schools to grant leave to Board of Education employees to attend school business oriented functions held either on a local, county, state, or national level and to allow reimbursement of expenses to such employees according to the current Board policy for reimbursement rates.

• The Chardon Board of Education authorizes the Chardon Board President to approve the expenditure of funds for reimbursements for the Superintendent and Treasurer, and approve leave requests for the Superintendent and Treasurer.

• The Chardon Board of Education designates the Superintendent as the official District Purchasing Agent, then the Assistant Superintendent if the Superintendent is unavailable, then the Business Manager in the absence of the Assistant Superintendent. The Superintendent is the authorized Board representative for all Federal and State Programs.

• The Chardon Board of Education approves the Superintendent as designee to approve District Advertising.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 6510, the Chardon Board of Education authorizes the Superintendent to employ personnel and accept resignations, which includes substitutes, new and replacement personnel. Any appointments will be presented to the Board of Education for authorization at the earliest possible regular meeting.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0153, H, the Chardon Board of Education designates the Treasurer/CFO as the Records Officer and designee of each of the elected officials for the purpose of required public records training.

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 6550, the Board of Education establishes reimbursement rates.

  • Meals/Parking/Tolls Daily Allowance (includes gratuity) - Per GSA (General Services Administration) daily rates for area traveled

  • Mileage - IRS 2026 rate of 72.5 cents per mile

  • Lodging Daily Allowance - Per GSA daily rates for area traveled

  • Airfare - By approval of the Superintendent 

  • GSA Link for Rates

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 6320, the Board of Education approves the fiscal year 2027 blanket purchase order amount sum limit not to exceed $350,000.  

52:58 Min Chief Financial Officer’s Recommendations

• Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0154, the Board of Education adopts the Fiscal Year 2027 Tax Budget.

  • Tax Budget document available here. Approved.

54:05 Motion to adjourn approved at 6:09 pm and the video ended at 54:22 min.

Board agendas and minutes are available online.

The next meeting is the Regular Meeting scheduled for January 26, 2026 at 5:30 pm.

Observer: Jacqueline Berger

Editor: Carol Benton

Reviewer: Sarah McGlone 

Date submitted: January 26, 2026

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