PEMBERVILLE – Eastwood Local Schools will have a renewal levy on the May ballot.
The board of education is asking residents to support a 1% income tax that has been collected since 2006.

The tax generates about 10% toward the district’s budget, said Superintendent Brent Welker.
“It’s our only outside levy for funding the school district,” he said. “We need it.”
Eastwood operates with an approximate $18.5 million annual budget.
Treasurer Brad McCracken said the state has certified the tax at $2 million, but he is predicting $2.2
million to $2.3 million in collections.
“Their forecast is very conservative at the state level,” he said. “Our local economy has been more
resilient than the state overall and I think the state forecast is very conservative.”
The tax, if renewed, would continue for five more years.
The district allowed a 3.15-mill permanent improvement tax to expire in 2015, but those funds could not
be used for daily operating expenses.
Also at Monday’s board meeting, members extended a number of contracts.
Three-year contract extensions were approved for Jim Kieper, high school principal; Dwight Fertig, middle
school principal; Kris Wagoner, director of operations; and Angie Jones, school psychologist.
Two-year contract extensions were approved for Gary Gardner, assistant elementary principal; Jeff Hill,
athletic director; and Andrew Henson, assistant building and grounds supervisor.
There were no salary adjustments for the contracts and all are effective Aug. 1.
The board also approved a three-year contract for Diane Steagall as accounts payable specialist effective
July 1.
The next school board meeting will be Feb. 15 at 6 p.m.