VIENNA - Ohio Department of Education representatives are scheduled to visit Mathews Schools officials on Wednesday to discuss the district's finances.
Brian Stidham, treasurer, said the school district is looking for community involvement at the meeting.
"We want as many residents as possible to come out for this, to know where we stand and what our financial situation is," Stidham said.
The state's presentation is set to start at 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria as part of the Mathews Board of Education's regular session. An executive session is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Stidham said the district has been able to avoid a deficit the past several years by using its reserve funds and government stimulus money. However, both of those financial streams are on the verge of being exhausted, he said.
The state's visit to Mathews is intended to be a "prevention measure," as the school district has not yet gone into fiscal watch or fiscal emergency, Stidham said.
Fact Box
If you go
WHAT: Mathews Board of Education meeting
WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Cafeteria, Mathews High School, 4429 Warren Sharon Road, Vienna
AGENDA: Includes report from Ohio Department of Education on Mathews finances
The state completed a financial analysis of the district's five-year forecast, which was submitted to the state Department of Education in May.
School officials said the state's findings have not yet been disclosed to them, but they will receive that information at Wednesday's meeting.
"We'll find out that night what the state is suggesting, what changes we should make," Stidham said.
The district's five-year forecast projects a deficit of more than $3 million by 2017.
The board of education has a five-year, 4.65-mill levy on the Nov. 6 ballot. If approved, the measure would generate $680,000 each year according to officials.
Stidham said if the levy fails and the district cannot come up with any alternatives to eliminate the deficit, ODE will inform the state auditor. The auditor issues the order to place a school district under fiscal watch or fiscal emergency.
A fiscal emergency status would place the district's finances under a financial planning and supervision commission.