YOUNGSTOWN — A dean and basketball coach charged with domestic violence will not return to Youngstown City Schools.

The district’s Board of Education confirmed Wednesday that Chivas Whipple is among those whose contract will not be renewed amid a plan to reduce costs through budgetary revisions and personnel cuts.

Whipple, 41, whose contract as dean of students and head boys basketball coach at East High School was set to expire at the end of the year, was arrested by Liberty police on Feb. 24 on charges of domestic violence and criminal damaging or endangering. Both charges are misdemeanors.

He pleaded not guilty on Feb. 27 in Girard Municipal Court. He was released on a $5,000 bond, and ordered to take anger management classes and have no contact with the victim, a girl related to Whipple.

A Liberty police report stated that a Ring doorbell camera at the victim’s boyfriend’s house caught Whipple striking and shoving her.

Court records show that Girard Judge Jeffrey Adler recused himself from the case to avoid the appearance of impropriety but the record does not say why that was necessary.

The Ohio Supreme Court appointed Robert G. Lavery, retired judge from Alliance Municipal Court, to replace him. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for May 30.

District spokesperson Stacy Quinones said the district cannot comment on Chaney High School Football Coach Seth Antram, who was charged with OVI in March, except to say that the district is following due process per its policies.

Antram’s OVI charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement March 16, which included a six-month license suspension with work privileges and an $850 fine.

On Tuesday, the district released a statement broadly outlining a staffing and budgeting plan it says will save between $3.5 million and $4 million over the next fiscal year.

That plan includes personnel cuts at the administrative and support staff levels.

The district on Tuesday ratified a new two-year contract with the Youngstown Education Association teachers union, and YEA spokesman Jim Courim said he has not been made aware of any proposed cuts to teaching staff. The Tuesday statement said the district will notify some employees over the rest of the year.

“It’s important to note that this decision has been made with utmost fairness and consideration for all parties involved,” the statement reads. “Others in similar roles, whose contracts are not expiring, will have contracts suspended.”

The plan also includes nonrenewal or termination of contracts with some of the district’s vendors. The district’s statement said the budgeting and staffing plan were identified through analysis of financial forecasts and a performance audit.

The district is expected to operate with an annual deficit for the next five years. A January report from State Auditor Keith Faber’s office said Youngstown is headed toward a projected $16.9-million shortfall by fiscal year 2028, despite voter approval in November of a four-year, 9.51-mill renewal levy that will bring in $5.2 million for annual general operating expenses.

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