Morning Journal/Liz Lehman New ESC Board Members Aaron Hinchliffe and Marilyn Parks attended their first meeting Tuesday evening.

LISBON — Columbiana County Educational Service Center met for the first time in 2022 and they welcomed their two newest members, Aaron Hinchliffe and Marilyn Parks. Back in December, the board began accepting letters of interest from interested residents from Beaver Local, Southern Local, United Local, Crestview Local and Wellsville Local.

“Mrs. Parks is one of several people who applied for it and was duly considered and chosen,” Board President Richard Stout said of Parks.

Parks was officially appointed by the board in an executive session at Tuesday’s meeting. Hinchliffe had been elected in November.

“It’s certainly my pleasure to welcome you,” Stoudt said. “We look forward to having you aboard.” Stoudt also thanked former board members Mark Guy and Paul Taylor for their dedicated service.

In other business, board members voted to establish a service fund of $20,000 which is to be used to pay board members’ expenses incurred while performing duties. Board members will be responsible for approving these payments.

The board also voted to allow Superintendent Anna Marie Vaughn to make job offers to candidates for teaching and non-teaching positions when the board is not in session. Board members will vote on candidates at the next session; then, upon approval, the employment is to be backdated as effective when the employee accepted the offer from Vaughn. Employees still must pass a criminal records check and satisfy all prerequisites of employment created by law or board policy.

Board members approved December 2021 financial statements with $1,512,596.56 in bills and $17,951 for the Bureau of Worker’s Compensation. They also approved three firms as legal counsel for the ESC: McGown and Markling of Akron; Squires Patton and Bogg of Cleveland; Walter Haverfield LLP of Cleveland. The Salem News, The Morning Journal, The Review and The Vindicator were approved as the publications of record for the board.

Certified Personnel approvals included:

Hiring Melissa Malito as COTA limited substitute from Jan. 18 to May 30

Approving Heather Yoho as academic leader for the Learning’s Cool After School program at Crestview Elementary

Hiring Delores Alcoces as substitute teacher for the 2021/2022 school year

Hiring Payton Munoz as academic leader for the Learning’s Cool After School program at Wellsville Elementary

Classified personnel recommendations by the superintendent included:

Resignations of paraeducators Carolyn Baker, Scotina Beadnell, Christopher McKinnon and Tara Brown

Approval of Chanie Danks as activity leader for the Learning’s Cool After School program at Crestview Elementary

Hiring of paraeducators Delores Alcoces, Jayden Vernaccini, Brianna Welton and Jaimee Santangelo

Acceptance of the resignation of paraeducator Brandi Gibson

Other recommendations of the superintendent approved included:

Haley Eskra as a speech language pathology intern to be placed with Sarah Bowser at Crestview

Gretchen Kalinay to provide at-home instruction for United Local

Michael Hively for the CBA worker program

The resignation of Jayne Bezeredi, classroom assistant

A consignment agreement with Jeffrey Hughes and Debra Goodman

The next board meeting will be held Tuesday, Feb. 15 at the new time of 5 p.m. after the board opted to move the meetings from the former time of 4:30 p.m. in order to better accommodate members’ schedules. llehman@mojonews.com