By Betsi Werling

The Bluffton Exempted Village School Board met on Monday, July 21, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. in the Elementary School Library.

The Board approved the 2025-2026 appropriations totaling $25,935,403.69. The resolution in the agenda stated that Bluffton School District has sufficient funds to meet their contract, obligations, payments and expenditures for the district to provide a successful district. 

An administrative report came from Superintendent Greg Denecker, who reported that state budgets have been signed into law by Governor DeWine. Governor DeWine has appointed a Property Tax Reform working group that will thoroughly examine how to provide relief for homeowners while maintaining adequate funding for schools, police and EMS, libraries and other services within communities. Allen County has local representation by Krista Bohn, the Allen County Treasurer.

Visitor Paula Pyzik Scott, editor of the Bluffton Icon, asked the Board if there would be any school district public meetings regarding a proposed athletic practice field. Bluffton Schools have submitted a proposal to close Vine Street and create an artificial turf practice field for the school district. 

Superintendent Greg Denecker responded that the proposal had not passed through Village permission processes, so at this time they were in a waiting period. Paula asked a follow up question if an RFP would be collected. Greg shared that Bluffton Schools is part of a consortium that allows for discounts on work. The project would go through that consortium for all work completed.

Treasurer Paula Parish reported that the Audit for 2023-24 academic year was completed and it was a clean and successful audit. The Board approved the following items: 

Certificate of Sources Available - the total amount of all sources available for the expenditures and balances dated July 1, 2025 

Amended Certificate 2025-2026 - the amended official certificate of estimated resources for the academic year 

Appropriations Measure Certification - approves the annual appropriations 

During Contracts, Assignments and resignations, several supplemental contracts were approved for the Fall Athletic teams. The Board also approved all the substitute teachers, secretaries, cafeteria workers, custodians and bus drivers. 

During the Apollo Report, Mr. Scoles shared that Apollo, like many districts, is working through filling vacancies in personnel when people leave prior to the end of their contract. He said that in the reports he read, there is a lot of support for Career Tech programs at the state level.

NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Bluffton Board of Eduction is at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 18.

Meeting documents archived by the Bluffton Schools are at https://go.boarddocs.com/oh/blufftonschools/Board.nsf/Public