School Board Names 6 Finalists for Treasurer

Clarification: Board President Matt Markling said the full list of applicants will be submitted to Lakewood Patch by Monday evening.

announced the six candidates it will be interviewing for the position of treasurer Tuesday, Dec. 6, according to a press release from the district.

The candidates are:

• Teresa L. Emmerling, Treasurer, Massillon City Schools
• Lewis E. Galante, Treasurer, Perry Local Schools
• Robert J. Matson, Treasurer, North Olmsted City Schools
• Timothy J. Penton, Treasurer, Whitehall City Schools
• Biagio Sidoti, Treasurer, North Ridgeville City Schools
• Kevin M. Staller, Treasurer, Nordonia Hills City Schools

Board President Matt Markling said during the he hopes to have a contract signed with the new treasurer by the end of this month — his last official day on the board.

The new treasurer will start on Aug. 1, 2012, and current treasurer Rick Berdine’s last day is Dec. 31, 2012.

“We’re not going to interview in public – they’ll be private interviews,” Markling said at the meeting. “If we don’t find a candidate, we hold the right to continue until we find the right person. However, we have reason to believe, based on our consultation with OSBA, that we’re going to and have had outstanding candidates apply for the position.”

Berdine – who unexpectedly in June after 10 years with the district – will help the new treasurer throughout the transition process.

Lakewood Patch filed an open records request for the names of the applicants on Thursday, Dec. 1, however all of the information requested hasn't yet been fully provided.

Until Thursday, that information was held by the Ohio School Boards Association, a private group not covered under Ohio’s open records laws.

Superintendent Jeff Patterson said the board received the list of candidates from OSBA Thursday night.

Markling said the two future board members – , and – will be involved in the search “as appropriate.”

Stay tuned to Lakewood Patch for more on the story.