South to pay back Rainy Day Fund

Friday, June 23, 2017

The South Putnam School Board recently approved Resolution 2017-6-19, which will permit the corporation to begin roof work this summer using the Rainy Day Fund and later reimburse that fund with proceeds from bond sales.

The resolution is part of a large-scale improvement and renovation project that will take place throughout the corporation. Answers on what exactly will be done, when the project will be complete and total cost are expected in the next few months, but for now the resolution states that the project will not exceed $2 million.

The Rainy Day Fund currently has $1.5 million, and the fund is expected to be reimbursed by December.

“We’ve got some major work to do on the roofs within the corporation, some HV/AC systems that need overhauled, as well as some minor projects that we’re looking at anytime from now over the next year or so, to make some improvements in the school corporation,” Superintendent Bruce Bernhardt said. “Our intent is that we’ll be selling bonds to raise the revenue to pay for those and then pay those back through the lease rental on the bonds. This resolution will allow the school corporation to use our Rainy Day Fund money currently that we have to make any immediate expenditures that we might want to make before bonds are sold.”

In addition to roof, HVAC work and other improvements, the plans will include installing a sidewalk on the back of the high school, which was discussed last year.

“Because we have some bonds that we’ve been paying on that are going to be coming off in 2018, this will not raise taxes at all,” Bernhardt said. “We expect that tax rates will be level or drop some even when we take on this project. But by doing this, the intent is absolutely not to raise taxes by selling bonds in the future.”

In other developments:

-- Area 30 Career Center: Lora Busch, director of the Area 30 Career Center, reported that seven more South Putnam students had enrolled at Area 30 than last year, making up 87 of the 379 students at Area 30, and had earned 28 of 136 certifications last year. She also said that two of the 16 students who attended the inaugural Computer Science Summer Camp were from SPHS, and South Putnam offers more college credits than any other partner school (Greencastle, Eminence, North Putnam and Cloverdale high schools).

-- Claims: The board approved the claims at a total of $1.2 million, an increase from last month of $729,244.68 from last month and of $463,812.47 from the year’s average. The increase was due to a regular building payment for Central Elementary School.

-- Other expenses: The board approved the purchase of a new wrestling mat at $12,615 total cost. Athletic Director Troy Burgess said the old mat was 11 years old and had cost $2,000 a year in mat tape. The new mat will not require tape. Burgess said he would try to host a middle school wrestling tournament to recoup the cost.

-- Budget: The board approved the consulting agreement with the Educational Services Co., which examines the annual budget.

-- Conflict of interest: The board approved a conflict of interest statement from Holly Hutcheson that listed Graphic Shack and Hutch’s Body Shop.

-- Personnel: The board approved the following personnel report:

-- Resignations: Christa Stone (Fillmore part-time food service); Jill McCammack (middle school swim coach); Rebecca Beyers (middle/high school band/choir teacher); Michael Fenneman (math); Samantha Ricks (science); Mary Bills (part-time food service) and Katie Patberg (athletic trainer/secretary)

-- Hirings: Holly Cooper (middle/high school art teacher); Dorothy Hoffman (special education); Heather Nees (math); Brian Baker-Watson (instructional assistant for ISS); Donna Boyd (instructional assistant for special education) and Danielle Thomas (girls’ varsity assistant volleyball coach)

In a separate item, the board approved the hiring of a new athletic trainer from Hendricks Regional Health pending an employment contract.

-- Recognition for AP scores: “The high school was one of 73 schools in the state to be recognized for having over 25 percent of graduates complete an AP class and score three or higher in at least one AP class,” high school Principal Mike Schimpf said of an accomplishment reported by the Banner Graphic in a June 20 story. “Our percentage was actually 27 percent of graduates. This is the second at least, and maybe third consecutive year of that achievement, which is fantastic. And it’s an opportunity for those teachers who worked so hard in that AP classroom. (The teachers) are the ones who are making the difference and they’re the ones who should get recognition. They represent us so well at the state level, and it’s a great accomplishment.”

Superintendent Bernhardt added, “We appreciate all the hard work that the teachers have put in, and all the hard work that the students have done for the achievements they’ve made.”

The South Putnam School Board’s next regular meeting is set for July 17 at 7 p.m. in the Central Elementary music room.

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