YOUNGSTOWN — The city school board unanimously approved a resolution requiring the district’s chief financial officer to attend every scheduled board meeting, and to record and produce minutes as required by state law.

Minutes of board meetings have not been regularly kept within the district for at least two years, according to the board.

Board member Jackie Adair asks at the beginning of every board meeting whether minutes have been produced.

“The board expects the treasurer to fully and timely perform his duties under Ohio Revised Code, to attend future board meetings, to record, transcribe and attest to the minutes, and to promptly complete the transcription and attestation of the minutes of those past meetings,” Adair read from the resolution.

Adair demanded that the chief financial officer produce minutes of every meeting held in 2018 and 2019 by the end of the year.

Board member Ronald Shadd said he does not necessarily blame Arthur J. Ginnetti III, the district’s chief financial officer, because the chief executive officer position created by House Bill 70 has placed pressure on his office for doing other things.

“We are passing this resolution in the spirit of supporting the Ohio Revised Code stating that the treasurer is an employee of the board of education,” Shadd said.

Ginnnetti III did not have a comment about the approved resolution.

“We are clarifying the role of the treasurer for others, irregardless to the status of HB 70,” Shadd said. That state legislation put an academic distress commission in place, and a CEO has been running the schools in an effort to get the district out of academic distress.

“This is a move to make sure other people understand his duties,” board President Brenda Kimble said. “If he does not do this, he is the only person that will be held accountable.”

Adair emphasized that keeping an accurate record of the board’s minutes not only is a benefit to the board, but also anyone interested in obtaining information about discussions held during board meetings and actions being taken by the board.

rsmith@tribtoday.com