Belpre City Schools Board of Education members Mollie Haught and Mike Miller talk before their organizational meeting Thursday night. The board elected Miller as the next president and Larry Lorentz, right, as the vice president. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

BELPRE — The Belpre City School Board of Education elected Mike Miller as its next president and Larry Lorentz as its vice president Thursday during the organizational meeting which kicks off 2025.

The board also appointed members to its varies committees. The selections included:

* Ohio School Boards Association Legislative Liaison – Miller

* Ohio School Boards Association Student Achievement Liaison – Mollie Haught

* Athletic Committee – Fred Meredith and Miller

Belpre City Schools Superintendent Jeff Greenley, left, talks to the board of education Thursday about the district being on a two hour delay today. Greenley said some changes to bus routes in outlying areas, notably around Route 20, might need to be adjusted but families would be notified if that was the case. (Photo by Douglass Huxley)

* Negotiating Committee – Cathy O’Donnell and Lorentz

* Personnel Evaluation Committee for the Superintendent – O’Donnell and Meredith

* Personnel Evaluation Committee for the Treasurer – Miller and Haught

* District Policy Committee – O’Donnell and Haught

* Buildings and Grounds Committee – Meredith and Miller

* Finance Committee – Lorentz and Miller

The board also held its first regular meeting of the new year, approving a number of financial and personnel matters and approving a resolution to proceed with a bond and levy being placed on the May 6 ballot.

The levy measure would allow residents to vote on the building levy and facility maintenance millage for the construction of a new 6-12 middle and high school facility in the district.

The building levy would be a 9.1 mill bond and the facility maintenance would be placed at 0.5 mills. The total annual cost per $100,000 of home value would be $337.

The board approved the agenda item without discussion.

The district has had a bond issue to fund the construction of a single K-12 campus in the district fail three times in 2022 and 2023.

The board also approved a resolution to participate in the Expedited Local Partnership Program (ELPP) from which the district would receive matching state funds through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) to complete the construction of a new pre-kindergarten through fifth grade elementary facility.

Superintendent Jeff Greenley thanked Director of Operations Ryan Lemley and his staff for their work clearing snow allowing the district to have classes today.

“I do want to thank Mr. Lemley and his team for the work they’ve done this week managing our entryways and roads,” Greenley said. “We are going to be able to reopen (today) for a two hour delay.”

Greenley said some changes to bus routes in outlying areas, notably around Route 20, might need to be adjusted but families would be notified if that was the case. He said the district would be doing targeted calls to specific bus route families, as well as an all-call, to notify them of any adjustments.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we’ve worked through those challenges this year,” Greenley said.

He said the district’s wrestling and basketball teams had continued to compete over the winter holiday and had represented the school well.

“We’re just looking forward to more success as we enter into the winter sports season,” Greenley said.

The next regular meeting of the board of education is scheduled for Feb. 20 in the Belpre Stone Building located at 2014 Rockland Ave. The meeting is open to the public.

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsenitnel.com