The Olentangy Board of Education has selected a search firm to find a new treasurer — after listening to presentations from three firms at its meeting Thursday.

The board accepted the resignation of Brian Kern, who will become the school treasurer at Dublin City Schools on Sept. 1.

“I appreciate the opportunity to be treasurer,” at Olentangy, he said.

Board members heard presentations from Education Service Center of Central Ohio, Finding Leaders in conjunction with Ohio Association of School Business Officials and the Ohio School Boards Association.

“I feel comfortable with any of those three,” board member Julie Wagner Feasel said.

Board president Dave King agreed but said the board was familiar with how OSBA handled the hiring process of Superintendent Mark Raiff and Treasurer Kern.

Board member Mindy Patrick said they should take an aggressive approach to the hiring process since the district has community support under Kern’s handling of the district’s finances based on the last levy approved. She considered Finding Leaders the candidate that would provide that option.

Feasel said that the district does have a positive reputation that attracts good workers.

Board vice president Roger Bartz said he did not like how OSBA presented its expenses. OSBA could charge up to $9,500 for the search process, including additional expenses such as travel.

But the board voted 3-2 to approve a contract with OSBA. Bartz and Patrick were the dissenting votes, but said they would support the board’s decision.

The board appointed Olentangy Assistant Treasurer Emily Hatfield as interim treasurer as of Sept. 1, pending selection of a permanent treasurer. She will receive an additional $5,000 to her current annual salary.

King said they hope to have new treasurer before the end of the year.

In other business, the board approved a contract sum of $22,101,488 in guaranteed maximum price with Gilbane Building Co. for the district’s fourth high school project. Gilbane Building works with the vendors working on the project on behalf of the school district. Ground was broken on the yet-to-be-named high school along Berlin Station Road on June 9.

The $22,101,488 includes $6,755,053 in GMP approved at the board’s last meeting in July. The additional $15,346,435 would be used specifically for the masonry, concrete, structural steel and roofing packages to be completed next year.