Brad Stuver's Hard Work Pays Off With MLS Draft Pick

Twinsburg graduate Brad Stuver was the 32nd pick in the MLS SuperDraft by the Montreal Impact. He talked to Twinsburg Patch about becoming a professional athlete.

Zoltan Mesko. James Posey. And now, Brad Stuver. These athletes once donned their blue and white Twinsburg Tiger uniforms and now are professional athletes in their respective sports. Stuver was the most recent addition to such an elite group after he was drafted by the Montreal Impact with the 32nd pick in the MLS SuperDraft on Thursday. "I'm feeling great," Stuver said Friday afternoon. "It's sunk in that I get to play pro soccer." One of several goalkeepers in the draft, Stuver was the first one selected this year. He is the first-ever MLS draft pick from Cleveland State, according to the school's athletic department.  "I was very shocked at first," he said. "I didn’t know how to respond. I didn’t think I’d be the first goal keeper …

• Photos (1)

Renewal Levy Vote Set For May

The renewal levy would not ask for new money from taxpayers. But without voter approval, Twinsburg Schools would lose $4.3 million annually.

Editor's Note: The original story had incorrect information. The levy will be put to voters in May. Twinsburg voters will likely head to the ballot boxes in May to decide whether to renew a school tax levy. The Board of Education approved a resolution setting the date for the 6.9-mill levy vote during Wednesday's meeting. A second resolution still needs to be approved by the school board. The renewal levy would not raise new money from taxpayers, it would simply continue taxes they are already paying. Without the levy, the schools would be out $4.3 million annually and would have to again discuss operational and instructional cuts. The schools have already cut positions and raised fees to improve the district's budget picture. "If this …

• Photos (1)

School Board Changes Remonstrance Policy

New participation cards and extended times will go into effect at Wednesday's Twinsburg Board of Education meeting.

Community members wishing to speak to the Twinsburg School Board will see some changes at Wednesday's meeting. During the remonstrance section of the meeting, people wanting to speak to the board will be asked to fill out a participation card before the meeting. The card will then be given to Treasurer Martin Aho. President Ron Stuver said Superintendent Kathryn Powers presented this idea to the board so that they can answer certain questions before the meeting. Stuver said some parents use the time to ask questions that are specific to their son or daughter and not about the district in general. "The cards head off situations where they expect some kind of change," Stuver said. The cards will be placed in the lobby of the Twinsburg …

• Photos (1)

POLL: Twinsburg Schools' Levy Approved; How Will You Vote?

The Twinsburg School Board approved putting a 4.9 mill new tax levy on the November ballot

The Twinsburg Board of Education unanimously approved putting a new tax levy on the November ballot Thursday. The 4.9 mill new tax levy will go before the voters on Nov. 6. It means the owner of a $100,000 home would pay $150.06 annually. That would generate $3.8 million for the district each year. "We’ve implemented operational changes over the past two years, however, the district is still operating in the red," Board President Ron Stuver said. Earlier this month Treasurer Martin Aho's five-year forecast predicted the district would be in the red $12.8 million by 2016. If approved, the levy would leave $550,000 in the district's reserves by 2016. “It is absolutely essential to the future of the district that this passes,” Board Member …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Names in the News

Names in the News: School Board President Ron Stuver

It's been a tough year for Twinsburg schools as School Board President Ron Stuver has tried to lead the district through a financial storm

His name is Ron Stuver. By day Stuver is an IT consultant for Client Strategy Group. But since 2007 he has given much of his time as a member of the Twinsburg Board of Education. For the past two years he has served as president. In his term as president he's seen a new superintendent, tried to figure out the district's financial problems, and helped oversee $3.2 million in cuts and changes, amongst other joys and challenges. Twinsburg Patch caught up with Stuver to find out more about him and issues facing the school district. Twinsburg Patch: How long have you lived in Twinsburg? What do you love most about the community? Ron Stuver: My wife, LeAnne, and I moved our family to Twinsburg in 1994.  It has been a good blend of a small town …

• Photos (1)

Schools' Updated Five-Year Forecast Presented Wednesday

Treasurer Martin Aho will present the most recent forecast; budget deficit is smaller than thought, still greater than 2011

When Twinsburg City Schools' Treasurer Martin Aho presents the updated five-year forecast on Wednedsay, it will have its ups and downs. School Board President Ron Stuver said the new numbers present some "good and bad news." “The good news is that the year will finish better than we had forecasted," Stuver said. "The bad news is we’re still in deficit-spending mode and it’s larger than it was last year.” Aho originally forecasted last October that the district would be short $5 million when its fiscal year ends July 31. The updated report now shows the deficit at $3.2 million. One year ago it was $2.3 million. The reason the updated forecast is slightly better, Stuver said, is because of changes the district made, such as health care and …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

School Board Should Make Levy Decision by July

In order to get on the November ballot, a board vote on the levy would have to be made this summer

Now that the final changes have been approved to the Twinsburg City School District's 2012-13 school year budget, the discussion will likely move to a new levy. “The final piece of this puzzle is going to be asking the taxpayers for new money,” Board Member David Andrews said Wednesday, after the board finalized nearly $3.3 million in cuts and new revenue. Board President Ron Stuver said the board will be looking at a few things in May before they start seriously talking about a new levy. The board will examine the results of the Ohio Department of Education's audit of the last five-year forecast and also look at the newest forecast, which includes how the recent changes are implemented. "I want to see how those numbers are crunched by our…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Mitch Cooper

4:53 pm on Monday, April 23, 2012

Jac, while this is my first hearing about such a rumor, I can tell you from everything I know, this is not the case. In his latest contract the language states that he is taking a wage freeze. You can get the full scoop here: http://patch.com/A-rLrx.   more ›

Schools Will Take Twinsburg's 'Temperature' Using Phone Survey

After spring break the school district will ask residents to take a survey over the phone

As the changes to the Twinsburg City School District continue, the administration wants to get more feedback from the community. A community phone poll is being developed -- launching the week of April 16 -- to provide feedback on residents' satisfaction with the district's performance, especially regarding the recent $3.2 million changes. "We are curious to hear what the community thinks of the value of education and we want to be able to respond to concerns that are being raised," Superintendent Kathryn Powers said of the "temperature check". District officials will use voter registration records to contact 320 residents, -- chosen at random -- to take the survey, which should take 15 minutes to complete. An online survey will be posted …

• Photos (1)

Stuver, Slaby Discuss State Problems on the District Level

Board of Education President Ron Stuver and Rep. Lynn Slaby sat down with the media last week to discuss financial issues in the district; state

It all started with a letter. In a January issue of the Twinsburg Bulletin, a Twinsburg High School teacher wrote a letter blaming the district’s financial woes entirely on the state. Rep. Lynn Slaby responded, saying that wasn’t a fair assesment and said it could be a school spending problem. The district wasn't very pleased with the comment from Slaby, one that he has since apologized for. Now the issue is water under the bridge. But it does bring to the surface a real problem: The state is trying to cut a nearly $8 billion dollar deficit and the Twinsburg school district is staring at a financial shortfall in the next few years. Last week board president Ron Stuver invited Slaby to sit down with the media to discuss how the situation …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

What Would You Ask Ron Stuver and Lynn Slaby?

Both Board of Education President Ron Stuver and Rep. Lynn Slaby will sit down with Twinsburg Patch and other local media to discuss education and school funding

Tonight Twinsburg Patch, along with other local media outlets in Twinsburg, will have the opportunity to sit down with some folks who know their stuff when it comes to public education. Board of Education President Ron Stuver, Rep. Lynn Slaby, and Superintendent Kathryn Powers will sit down with the local media "to discuss issues related to public education, and specifically school funding," Stuver said via email. But before we get down to the nitty-gritty, we want to hear from you: What questions do you have for one or all of them? Be sure to pose your question in the comments section below. In January Slaby commented in a letter to the Twinsburg Bulletin that the district's budget woes may be a spending problem and not from Columbus; a …

•  13 Comments
• Photos (1)