WESTFIELD TWP. – The Cloverleaf Board of Education voted unanimously at its Sept. 16 meeting to adopt a general fund reserve policy that protects Cloverleaf from financial uncertainties and honors the board’s “Promises Made, Promises Kept” pledge not to ask voters for any new funding until 2032 or beyond – marking at least an 18-year span without a tax increase for district residents.
“Our promise to get to that 2032 mark is solid,” board President Jason Myers said. “I feel confident we can achieve that, barring nothing happens with our reserve cash balances.”
On March 6, the Medina County Budget Commission voted to cut $546,000 from Cloverleaf’s reserve funds – a decision later invalidated because the commission had missed its March 1 deadline to certify school budgets.
Since emerging from Fiscal Emergency in 2015, Cloverleaf has lived up to its vow to limit spending, save tax dollars and stay off the ballot for new taxes. Not only that, the district has proactively reduced school taxes five times in six years, providing relief to constituents struggling with sharp increases in property values.
In addition, the board of education fulfilled the community’s directive to use NEXUS Natural Gas Pipeline tax revenue to construct a new high school and middle school, at no cost to local taxpayers. And in August, Cloverleaf’s bond rating was upgraded to Aa2 by Moody’s Ratings – a testament to the district’s financial stability and fiscal management.
The resolution approved by the board of education on Wednesday is a formal statement of Cloverleaf’s long-held practice of continuous review of district financial reserves, balancing current needs with future obligations. The policy spells out the crucial role a prudent monetary reserve plays in providing a high-quality education and safe learning environment for Cloverleaf students by reducing the impact of inflation, property tax reform, enrollment increases, reduced state funding, unanticipated expenses and more.
Take away that carefully managed “savings account” and it puts Cloverleaf’s promise to the community at risk. The board of education is not about to let that happen, Myers said.
He noted taxpayers have had multiple opportunities to weigh-in on Cloverleaf’s financial resources through the five-straight levy renewals voters have approved over the past 10 years – including by a near-record margin for the most recent renewal in May 2025.
“Our residents, I believe, are best-equipped to decide what happens to Cloverleaf dollars – their dollars,” Myers said. “I hate to say we still act like we're in Fiscal Emergency, because that’s been 12-13 years ago, but we still operate like that. Every dollar is a precious dollar that our constituents give to us.”
A full version of the Cloverleaf Board of Education’s general fund reserve policy is below:
