By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
For the past three years, David Conley has been the consultant that Bowling Green Board of Education has turned to for tricky school finance matters.
When his contract came up for renewal Tuesday evening, some board members felt his expertise was still needed, and others felt it was time to take what they had learned from him and go forward on their own.
When it came to a vote, Norm Geer, Jill Carr and Ginny Stewart voted to keep him on an annual contract of $50,000. Tracy Hovest and Ryan Myers voted to just use Conley when needed at a rate of $300/hour.
Conley has been through some difficult times with Bowling Green City Schools – some with successful outcomes, some not.
When the district tried to get voter support for a new elementary school, he spent countless hours with citizens trying to arrive at a combination of property and income taxes acceptable to local residents. The effort failed.
But more recently, Conley explained to the board and voters how the district would be more financially sound by turning two temporary tax levies into continuing levies. Those both passed.
School Treasurer Cathy Schuller recommended that the board renew its contract with Conley, who is president of Rockmill Financial.
“He has served the district very well,” Schuller said.
Conley is an expert in school taxation, with more than 30 years of experience working with more than 120 school districts in Ohio.
“No treasurer in the state of Ohio has his form of expertise,” Schuller told the board.
But Hovest pointed out that when Conley was hired three years ago, it was intended to be as a temporary consultant.
“It was never meant to be long-term,” she said.
Hovest said she has confidence in Schuller’s skills, and would rather see Conley’s salary used for the students. She suggested that the board has learned a lot from Conley and ought to be able to continue without him on contract.
“Three years of education with him has provided a lot to this board,” Hovest said.
Myers suggested the board hire Conley on an as-needed basis.
“I don’t doubt his expertise,” Myers said, adding that he would prefer to use that expertise as needed.
Board President Norm Geer agreed that Conley may not be needed for an entire year.
“The idea of having him on an as-needed basis is an intriguing option,” Geer said.
But Geer also pointed out Conley’s expertise, which would be useful when navigating the new federal infrastructure funding and the Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.
“He is uniquely talented and at the top of his field in the area,” Geer said.
Schuller said Conley is an expert on levy structures and taxation policies. And Stewart said that he came up with a financial analysis of the school district – which the community deserves.
While the treasurer manages the day-to-day operations, Conley looks at the bigger financial picture.
“These things are complex,” Stewart said. “We’ve just got a lot of issues that have to be resolved.”
And the district must be prepared if federal infrastructure funding is made available for local school buildings. “We don’t want to miss an opportunity,” Stewart said.
Carr agreed that while she has confidence in Schuller, she believes continuing a contract with Conley would be good since more COVID and infrastructure money may soon be available to the district.
“I also don’t think we’ll need David forever,” Carr said. “But we do get our money’s worth.”
