NILES — The Niles Board of Education unanimously accepted what it is called a “voluntary resignation” by abandonment of position from Treasurer Lori Hudzik, who did not return to work as mandated on Dec. 27.

“We want to do what’s best for the district,” said Mary Ann McMahon, board president, during a special meeting Monday. “We need a treasurer. We need someone who is going to be able to perform the job and be here every day.”

McMahon said the board was complying with a directive from the Financial Planning and Supervision Commission when it ordered Hudzik to return to her position. The board placed Hudzik on “unrequested leave” on July 1, after what a recent resolution calls Hudzik’s “inability to perform those assigned duties” as treasurer.

“We want to be complaint and we want to be out of fiscal emergency,” said McMahon.

Hudzik exhausted family medical leave, and unpaid leave approved by the board was denied by the financial commission, which oversees the district while it remains in state-mandated fiscal emergency.

Currently, Niles has a shared services agreement to use Brookfield Local School District treasurer Craig Yaniglos part-time, and Niles also entered an agreement with Howland Local Schools to get additional assistance from treasurer Rhonda Baldwin-Amorganos. But both agreements expire Jan. 31.

Yaniglos is leaving his position at both Brookfield and Niles for a position as the chief financial officer in the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District. As for Baldwin-Amorganos, McMahon said the board will have to wait to “see how things progress with her.”

She said agreements still have to be worked out, but it is likely the district will be looking for an interim treasurer in the new year.

When asked if she was concerned about potential litigation, McMahon said she “had no idea” what Hudzik would do.

“The board doesn’t like to be sued ever, so yes I would be concerned,” said McMahon.

Also at the special meeting, the board voted to accept incoming board member Chris Cheiffo’s resignation as a classroom teacher. Outgoing board member Bobby Seifert voted against the move, but said he would not comment on his vote because Chieffo is involved with pending litigation with the school district.

Chieffo was a Niles district teacher and administrator until the outgoing board voted to terminate him from his position in January 2018. He has since been suspended without pay but has remained an employee of the district. Chieffo had to resign his position to become an acting board member.

Chieffo, along with new board members Shelly Lamb and Kimberly Barrell, is set to be sworn in during a Jan. 2 organizational meeting.