Portage County Budget Commission reappoints leaders and approves school district funding certificates

The Portage County Budget Commission reappointed Matt Kelly as chairman and approved certificates of estimated resources for several local school districts during an organizational meeting at 3 p.m. Monday in the Portage County Auditor's Office.

The session, called to order in the Auditor's Office on Feb. 2, 2026, listed members present as Joe Beka (member), Connie Lewandowski (vice chairperson) and Matt Kelly (secretary/chairman). Commissioners moved and seconded nominations to continue Kelly as chairman and to appoint Kylie Lewandowski as vice chairperson; both motions were approved by voice vote recorded as "Aye." A correction was made on the record noting that figures presented as "fiscal 2027" appear on the documents for fiscal 2026.

After approving minutes from the Jan. 27, 2026 meeting, the commission reviewed certificates of estimated resources for numerous school districts. Among the amounts presented: Kent, $117,739,424; Aurora Consolidated School District, $78,369,795; Streetsboro City School District, $52,331,423; Ravenna, $48,142,180; Field Local School District, $46,838,738; Crestwood, $45,953,388; Maplewood Joint Vocational School, $37,851,751; Southeast Local, $39,525,685; Rittstown, $22,772,063; Waterloo, $18,331,010; Wyndham exempted, $15,582,511; and Garfield, $28,157,846. The commission then voted to approve the certificates as submitted.

The commission also considered amended certificates of estimated resources for 2026. Portage County presented a third amendment in the amount of $19,294,893, bringing the county's total to $382,893,587. Ravenna City presented a first amendment of $3,554,928.84 (total $55,966,171); Hiram Village presented a first amendment of $350,696.27 (total $4,175,085.27); and Ravenna Township presented a first amendment of $235,497.27 (total $6,847,645.38). No substantive questions or comments were recorded on those amendments in the provided transcript.

Votes at a glance: motions to reappoint Matt Kelly as chairman, to appoint Kylie Lewandowski as vice chairperson, to approve the Jan. 27 minutes, and to approve the certificates of estimated resources were each moved, seconded and recorded on a voice vote as "Aye." The transcript records the vote as "Aye"; it does not verbally enumerate individual votes, but three members were listed as present on the record. A motion to adjourn was moved and seconded; the provided transcript ends before a recorded vote on that motion.

The meeting moved through routine organizational business and the formal presentation of resource certificates and amendments; no further public comment or contested items were recorded in the provided segments.