By Martha Jacob – 

The Western Brown Local Board of Education met in regular session Dec. 11 and was able to wrap up some end-of-the- year projects.
Following approval of the last meeting, the November financials and investments, Superintendent Reagan White promptly introduced Bruce Lunsford, mayor of the Village of Mt. Orab, who spoke briefly about the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) program which the village and the schools are a part of.
“I’ve had the opportunity to talk with (board treasurer) Denny (Dunlap), about a new TIF District,” Lunsford began, “We have been able to create 40 TIF Districts. In 2006 it began. The new TIF Districts I want to talk about tonight is the indoor soccer complex, sports center on Daye Road.”
Lunsford reminded the board of what the TIF Districts have done for Western Brown Schools. He said that twenty percent of revenue from the TIF districts goes directly to Western Brown and 3.3% goes to Southern Hills Career and Technical Center.
“All total TIF has provided $996,167 to the school district,” Lunsford said. “Had it not been for the recession in 2008-9 and 10, that number would have probably been close to $2 million.
“There are a lot of things happening in Mt. Orab and the next few years there will be a lot more progress made here. And this TIF money that comes to the district has no effect on the schools state funds, It’s money that’s just given to the district.”
Lunsford continued, “We need to create a lot more TIF Districts. They won’t actually be activated untill something is built on the TIF area.”
Lunsford explained that TIF Districts are very beneficial to the school. He told the board that he would be back to talk to the board  about creating more TIF Districts in the very near future.  He opened his  discussion up to members of the board to ask questions.
Board member Scott Moore had several questions about the TIF program and made plans with Mr. Lunsford to meet with him at a later date to find out more about  TIF.
In other business at the meeting, board member Tracy O’Hara thanked everyone on the board that she had served with and told everyone good-by since it would be her last meeting as board member.
Actions taken by the board included:
• employment of Emily Maggard as Mt. Orab Elementary School music extension, Michelle Bernhardt as Hamersville Elementary School as music extension and Vanessa Bishop as high school assistant theater director;
• elected Lynnette Garrett as president pro-tem
• set the date of Tuesday, January 9, 2018 for the boards re-organizational meeting;
• approved a contract with Quad County Service and Repair;
• approve extending the high school theater trip by one day to New York.