Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Board of Education President David Croft, left, confers with Superintendent Kim Miller before a May board meeting.

WHEELING — Ohio County Schools teachers and service staff members will get a 2.5% raise as part of the 2021-2022 budget approved by board of education members Monday night.

The move came as 11 members of the public came to address the board regarding its move to cut its funding to the Ohio County Library from $884,547 a year to $589,698 — a reduction of about 33 percent.

The 2.5% raise for employees will result in a cost of about $1 million annually for the school district, according to Steven Bieniek, business manager for Ohio County Schools.

Bridge Street Middle School Principal Jessica Broski-Birch spoke on behalf of the Ohio County Principals Association, and thanked the board for providing the raise to employees.

Superintendent Kim Miller said the pay increase was a well-deserved one.

“A school system is only as good as its staff members, and that’s why Ohio County is an excellent one,” she said. “Our employees have always stepped up, and they deserve it. It’s been quite some time since there has been a pay increase for our staff members, and this is the right time.

“Our staff members are dedicated to their students and their schools, and we want them to know how much they are appreciated.”

The board held a public hearing to discuss the budget at the end of its meeting Tuesday night before officially approving the spending plan. While the board room had been full for the first time in over a year at the start of the meeting, most had left before the budget hearing took place two and a half hours later.

The budget approved by board members allocates spending of $70,582.363 for the 2021-2022 school year, according to Bieniek. This is $1,399,431 less than last year, he said.

Bieniek attributed the reduction mostly to a drop in Ohio County’s property taxes. The school district also is receiving less funding from the state board of education.

Meanwhile, $76 million in construction projects are taking place across the district courtesy of a separate bond issue approved by voters in 2018.

Some of the projects are costing more as the price for construction materials continues to rise, and this resulted in the board’s decision to decrease its funding to the library in the budget.

Eleven people signed up to speak at Monday’s meeting and reinstate the funding. They were Jeanne Finstein, Laurie Ruberg, John Hargleroad, Ginger Kabala, Bob Rine, Brooke Boston, Elissa Gross, Michael Borsuk, Chuck Wood, Christina Fisanick and Margaret Brennan.

Board President David Croft explained the public is permitted to speak as a delegation during the public meeting, but the board would not comment or answer questions posed.

Finstein told the board the funding reduction equals 14% of the library’s budget. She noted the programs it provides not just to the public, but to youths, as well.

“I ask that you please reconsider your decision to cut library funding at the board,” she said.. “The school district and the community at large stand to lose more than would be gained by reallocating the funding.”

Ruberg spoke of the library providing digital access to books, and how that had been important to the community during the pandemic.

“It is not just about the library, but about how the school board thinks about the library,” she said.

Hargleroad said he was “dismayed” by the board’s decision to cut its library funding, and that the board thus far had offered “no cogent reason for it.” He predicted the decision could hurt future bond issues.

Others told of how they had been inspired by the library as a youngster, and that it had led to their success as adults.

“I’m embarrassed by you,” Wood told board members. He added it is a library’s role to preserve knowledge, and children who grow up around books are more likely to finish college.

Brennan returned after previously addressing the board at its May 10 meeting.

She told members this time those who might want to move to Wheeling might just base their decision on whether it had a strong library.

“To think it won’t make a difference — it will,” she said.

During the meeting, the board called for a closed-door session, which lasted about 30 minutes to discuss a personnel matter. When board members reconvened, they voted unanimously to suspend Dayne Kritz, a teacher at Wheeling Middle School, for 30 work days. The suspension is retroactive to April 26, and extends through June 7.

The board will next meet at 6 p.m. on June 14 at the board office, 2203 National Road, Wheeling.