DILLONVALE — Buckeye Local School District Board of Education members on Monday approved leasing just over 12 acres of district-owned property to Ascent Resources.

The school board heard from Larry Piergallini, a private attorney located in Tiltonsville. Piergallini handled a lease between the school district and Chesapeake Energy five years ago, and continues to help advise the board on issues regarding its property and the oil and gas industry. Piergallini said he has been approached several times about companies leasing Buckeye Local land, and came before the board to get some direction on how to handle the requests and advise the board on their options.

“Leasing has gotten very territorial,” Piergallini said. “You have to set the road map, because there will be multiple leases down the line.”

The board approved hiring Piergallini to draw up the paperwork for future leases, after the leases are approved by the board of education. Additionally, the board approved two lease agreements with Ascent Resources: a surface lease for 1.000645 acres at $5,500 per acre, and a non-surface lease for two tracts of 5.61 acres and 5.71 acres for $5,000 per acre. The leases should result in an up-front payment of about $62,000 to the district.

The board spent almost an hour in executive session to discuss personnel. When they returned, they approved a number of measures, including the resignation of South Elementary Principal Cindy Schooler and Administrative Coordinator of Special Programs Thomas Brown, among several others.

The board approved hiring an assistant cook, a physical education teacher and new sports coaches, as well as employing William Luther as assistant superintendent and director of curriculum, instruction and professional development; and Julie Packer as an elementary school principal.

The board also voted to adopt a resolution of “intent to proceed with election of the question of an emergency tax levy” to be placed on the November ballot. The levy comes on the heels of a similar measure that failed by a small margin at the election held in May. The levy would be for 4.9 mills, aiming to raise $1.9 million each year to help the school district, for a period of 10 years.

Levi Naylor attended the meeting, representing Team Buckeye Local Uniting Everyone, or “Team BLUE,” an organization comprised community members, that was formed to help foster positivity and unity among the Panther community. Naylor informed the board of the group’s mission statement: “To enable initiatives that promote unity, positivity, community involvement and pride within the Buckeye Local School District, therefore sustaining a strong and prosperous future for the BL community, staff, and most importantly, students.”

He reminded board members that the group was sponsoring the annual Back to School Bash in August, and donations are welcome.

The next meeting of the Buckeye Local Board of Education will be at 6 p.m. July 5 at the administrative offices in Dillonvale.