Office of the Treasurer
Treasurer's office hours are Monday - Friday, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm
Welcome to Swanton Local Schools’ Treasurer’s web page. My name is Cheryl Swisher, Treasurer and Chief Fiscal Officer for Swanton Local Schools. Some of the more important duties of a school treasurer are:
- safeguarding public assets,
- ensuring that business practices comply to all federal and state laws,
- the responsible investment of board funds in accordance with state law and board policy,
- the provision of information about the financial condition of the school district to the local board of education and the community, including the semi-annual Five-Year Financial Forecast,
- working with the county auditor to ensure that taxation is in accordance with state law and voter approval,
- reporting district financial activity to the Ohio Department of Education to ensure proper state funding for the district,
- management of the district’s accounting ledgers,
- keeping the minutes of board meetings, and
- certification of contracts.
Public education finance is a fascinating field that can also be frustrating. For most Ohio school districts, state funding is insufficient to meet rising costs while maintaining a consistent, acceptable burden on local taxpayers. Districts must constantly seek new efficiencies and economies that stretch resources. The challenge is compounded by ever-increasing mandates requiring new costs, but providing no more funding. Maintaining programs and services becomes a balancing act for administrators and the Board, and that makes good financial information a very valuable commodity.
Information allows for proactive management that will help keep the district out of financial crisis during these times of inadequate state funding. The state Supreme Court has held that school funding in Ohio is unconstitutional, overly dependent on local taxation. Despite this condition, State Foundation funding is set to decline from year to year based on the new Evidence-Based Funding Model (EBFM). At Swanton Schools, the Board of Education and administration are committed to minimizing the burden on local taxpayers through efficient, effective programs, producing graduates that are well prepared for college, trade school, and participation in an ever-changing job market. Unless the state funding issue can be resolved, this will be a more and more difficult task as the costs for educational services keep going up every year. In our district, the state share of our general fund revenue pie is about 37%. With projected cuts in such an important source of operating revenue, you can see why balancing the budget has become an increasingly challenging endeavor.
Swanton is a wonderful place to live and work – a place where residents value education and take pride in their schools. This is a place of tradition, where excellence is expected and supported, where accountability is promoted and valued. Swanton’s beautiful neighborhoods produce wonderful hard-working, enthusiastic children who reflect their parents’ community pride. I am proud to have the opportunity to help produce the best educational outcome possible for each Swanton child.
I invite the public to call me with questions about district financial matters. I also invite you to attend meetings of the Board of Education, at which monthly financial information is presented and discussed. Minutes of past meetings are available on this website under the Board of Education Tab. If you have need of additional information not provided here, please don’t hesitate to call me at
Regards,
Cheryl Swisher
Treasurer/CFO
Swanton Local Schools
108 N. Main Street 108 N. Main Street
Support Staff:
DEB SCHMUHL
LAURA KUHLMAN
Assistant Treasurer
Payroll Coordinator
Swanton, Ohio 43558
Phone:
Fax #: (419) 826-7589
Deb.Schmuhl@Swantonschools.org
Ext: 1607
Swanton, Ohio 43558
Phone:
Fax #: (419) 826-7589
Laura.Kuhlman@Swantonschools.org
Ext: 1609