Martins Ferry City School Superintendent Jim Fogle, left, and board member Brian McFarland and other board members went into executive session Thursday and came to no decision in the matter of the district treasurer, who has been suspended with pay for almost half a year.

MARTINS FERRY — The Martins Ferry City School Board of Education again met in executive session Thursday night regarding its treasurer, but it still came away without a decision.

Treasurer Karen Blake has been suspended without pay since July. The board has not given a reason for the suspension or what the ongoing discussions have been during several executive sessions.

The full board of Bill Suto, Brian McFarland, Scott Ballint, Nick Stankovich, Dorothy Powell and Superintendent Jim Fogle went into executive session for about 1 1/2 hours during its regular meeting to discuss the dismissal or discipline of an employee, including the possible termination of the district treasurer. The board immediately adjourned after its session.

Board members would not comment on the matter, or speculate when it might be resolved.

“I wish I knew,” Suto said.

According to Ohio’s Online Checkbook, a public service provided by Ohio’s Treasurer’s office, Blake’s salary in 2017 was $89,981. Since the suspension, the district has used the services of Dana Garrison, an interim treasurer through the Eastern Ohio Educational Service Center. According to the ESC, she is paid $40 per hour. She does not have regular hours. Fogle would not comment about the cost incurred thus far.

In other matters, the board discussed roof repairs at its three school buildings. Members heard a presentation from Eric Prall, representing Hilltop Securities, on the possibility of using certificates of participation to pay for the roofs. This would involve borrowing $8 million for a period of 20 years for upgrades to the roofs of the elementary, middle and high schools.

“They are a simple way for us to finance the roof project,” Fogle said. “The biggest advantage would be a very low interest rate.”

Fogle said the interest rate would likely be less than 4.5 percent.

“The current market is very good in terms of interest rates,” Prall said, adding that it would involve attracting investors to the project. “Any buyer that’s potentially looking at tax-except bonds is a potential candidate for purchase. They may be local, they may be national.”

He said he would provide more information and options to the board in the future.

“We anticipate for this work to begin toward the end of this spring and the beginning of summer,” Fogle said. “The (roofs) are 11 years old…There are a multitude of problems with the roofs.”

The board reorganizational meeting was set for 5:30 p.m. Jan. 10.