The Riverside Board of Education met for the first time in 2026 and welcomed a new board member. Dr. Brad Adams was elected in November and will serve on the board until December 31, 2029. The board also appointed current board member Joel Snow to fill an unexpired term ending December 31, 2027. District CFO Ronnie Fitchpatrick administered the oath of office to both men.
The board also reappointed Janet Siders as Board President and named Dr. Adams as Board Vice-President.
The board also approved the following committee appointments:
- OSBA Legislative Liaison – Board Vice President Dr. Brad Adams
- OSBA Student Achievement Liaison – Board President Janet Siders
- Audit Committee
- Treasurer
- Superintendent
- Board President Siders
- Board Vice President Dr. Adams
- Records Committee
- Superintendent
- Treasurer
- Board President Siders
- Finance Committee
- Treasurer
- Superintendent
- Board Members Siders and Adams
- Grounds/Maintenance Committee
- Transportation/Maintenance Supervisor
- Ag. Teacher/FFA Supervisor
- Board Members Joel Snow and Duane Heath
- Technology Committee
- Superintendent
- Treasurer
- Technology Coordinator
- Board Members Siders and Adams
Staff Members (to be determined)
- Wellness Committee
- Superintendent
- Board Members Blaine Dixon and Duane Heath
- Staff Members (9) (to be determined)
- Student Representative (to be determined)
- Curriculum Committee
- Elementary Principal
- Board Members Dixon and Heath
- Grade Level Representative (as needed) (to be determined)
- Athletic Committee
- High School Principal
- Athletic Director (to be determined)
- Board Members Snow and Dixon
- Community Advisory Committee
- Superintendent
- Board Members Adams and Siders
The board also approved the Superintendent’s consent agenda:
- Approved up to twenty board meeting days per year.
- Named the Superintendent as the purchasing agent for the district.
- Appointed the Treasurer as investment officer for the district.
- Appointed the Superintendent as the Suspension Appeals/Expulsion Hearing Officer.
- Approved several standing authorizations for 2026:
- Treasurer is authorized to invest in active, interim, and inactive funds at the highest possible rate and report such investments to the board regularly.
- Treasurer is authorized to secure advances from the county auditor when funds are available and payable to the school.
- Authorize the treasurer to pay all bills to the limits of the appropriations resolution as bills are received and to report to the board of education those bills that were paid.
- Superintendent is authorized to employ or release from employment personnel as needed. Such employment will be presented for approval at the next regular school board meeting.
- Superintendent is authorized to accept resignations on behalf of the board.
- Superintendent is authorized to retain law firms as needed and to appoint Board’s designees to hear student discipline appeals.
- Approve Board authorization to allow the Superintendent and Treasurer to enter into routine contracts for services and repairs not in excess of the competitive bidding threshold of $74,999.99.
- Approve the Sidney Daily News as the official newspaper of Riverside Local School District.
- Appoint Treasurer, Ronnie Fitchpatrick as public records designee for the board.
- Recognize UREA as the majority bargaining unit.
- Approve mileage reimbursement rate for required travel at the IRS rate ($0.725 for 2026).
- Approve staff Per Diem meal maximum reimbursement at $40 per day for overnight trips.
The board also voted to keep their meetings at 5:30 PM on the third Tuesday of the month.
After the organizational meeting, the board moved to its regular meeting.
The board approved the MRESC Substitute list and approved the resignation of Kitchen staff member Jeannie Cooper, effective May 21, 2026.
They also approved the following payroll and atypical vendor expenditures:
- Regular Payroll $453,237
- Payroll Related $192,605
- Midwest Regional ESC $48,562 (various services)
- AES (DP&L) $10,765 (electricity)
- Fairfield ESC $20,184 (Online Licenses)
- Ohio BWC $16,337 (workers comp insurance premium)
The next regular meeting will be held on February 17, 2026, at 5:30 PM in the district library.
