By Laura Mazur
Community Post
Pleading parents and tax abatement allowance were key issues members of the Minster Board of Education dealt with on Monday night.

More than a dozen parents of second graders at Minster Elementary School begged their case with the board of education earlier this week on the need for small class sizes. The school currently has three sections of third grade classes, with 17 in each class. However, with the size of classes of this year's second grade, these sizes will increase to two classes having 23 students and the third having 22, and parents asked that class sizes stay smaller by adding a fourth section.
“This is the foundation of education. To get as much out of education as possible is so important,” said parent Christy Wuebker.
Funding and budget crunching are the main reasons a fourth section has not been added, though, according to board members, stating that about $50,000 per year is needed for a new teacher.
Parents gave suggestions for cutbacks in areas other than academia, such as pay-to-play, as well as suggested the search of grants for the money needed to keep one-on-one education at a maximum for students. Ohio Achievement Test scores, the district's annual report card rating and keeping kids on task with studies were all reasons cited for the need for keeping smaller class sizes.
Board members decided to brainstorm solutions for this issue at next week's planning meeting.
Another issue board members heard was from representatives from New Bremen. Karen Mauch, economic development director for New Bremen, and Wayne York, New Bremen Village Administrator, addressed the issue of a proposed assisted living community moving to their village and what it means for the Minster Board of Education.
Elmwood Centers' proposal of the building of a two-phase assisted living facility passed through New Bremen Village Council's hands about a month ago. The main thing holding up construction currently is tax incentives to defray land costs of the 12-acre parcel located between Walnut Street and Wuebker and Amsterdam roads. Although within the corporation limits of New Bremen, the parcel of land rests in the Minster School District. This means that Minster will get real estate taxes from the facility, but will share income tax revenue with New Bremen Schools. Elmwood Centers is seeking tax abatement through creation of a Community Reinvestment Area.
This means that the value of the abated property would not show up on state funding paperwork for the district. But if not abated, the full value would be on the district's paperwork. If abated, Minster Schools loses the property tax revenue, but gains more state funding. Board members will have time to look over paperwork and agree or disagree on the abatement.
“It's more investment and more jobs,” said York. “What we're seeking is more money and more jobs.”
Board members additionally accepted $1,600 in donations from Weigandt Development and Area Energy Electric with sincere appreciation for the agriculture program. Students in FCCLA, as well as Girl Scout Gold Award recipients were recognized at the beginning of the meeting for their accomplishments. FCCLA members will head to Florida in July for a national leadership competition, where senior Jason Westerheide will preside for the week's events.
A planning meeting is scheduled for the board of education for next Wednesday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m., in the middle school large group meeting room. The next regularly scheduled meeting for the board is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, at 8 p.m.