Board of Education Meeting - 10/28/2026

Big Walnut Local Schools Board of Education meeting, October 28, 2026. The board unanimously approved retaining Rich & Gillis Law Group for legal services involving the tax duplicate, property-tax valuation complaints, tax increment financing (TIF), and economic-development financing agreements. No spending cap or total contract amount was stated; the treasurer described the work as monitoring commercial-property valuations and noted that prior valuation challenges had generated additional revenue for the district. The board also approved grants for Highland Soldiers Elementary and Big Walnut High School, donations, extended field trips, student-activity accounts, and “then and now” purchases under Ohio Revised Code 5704.41; the transcript does not provide the purchase details or amounts clearly enough to report them.

The board unanimously adopted a resolution opposing TIF incentives that reduce school-property-tax revenue without full compensation, and directed that it be shared with elected officials. The resolution concerns the district’s position on local development financing and calls for collaboration with municipalities; it is not a contract award. The board also discussed forming a community facilities committee, with applications open through December 9 and a charter and related policy language expected to come before the board. No construction or facilities contract was awarded at this meeting.