GCSC board mulls budget

On Wednesday, Greencastle Community School Corp. Supt. Robert Green presented the board with the corporation's 2007 budget, information he said he believed to be somewhat promising.

"I gave them a four-year snapshot," Green told the BannerGraphic.

Green said approximate numbers for the budget included $12.4 million for the general fund, $3.4 million for debt service, $2.6 million for capital projects, $900,000 for transportation, $250,000 for school bus replacement, $271,000 for pension bond retirement, and $102,000 for special education and preschool.

Green said there was a significant difference in the amount for special education and preschool when compared to previous years.

"That's a drop from what we've asked for in the past," he said.

Green said he believed the 2007 proposed budget was pretty compact, and added he didn't believe the numbers would change much.

"With the general fund, I expect very little increase," he said.

"We're doing everything we can to hold down expenses."

He added no new projects were being proposed through the budget, which could cause the tax rate to increase.

"We think the tax rate will be fairly stable," he said.

The board is expected to vote on the budget in September.

Meanwhile, Green said he and administrator Russ Hesler were recently trained to comply with the corporation's safety crisis plan.

"Eventually, we want to have all administration trained as school safety specialists," Green said, which he admitted could take up to four years.

In other business, the board:

-- Unanimously approved Supt. Green, treasurer Nancy Marlow and deputy treasurer Rosie O'Neal as agents to execute and deliver documents related to the Public Employee Retirement fund.

-- Approved and adopted the 2007 bus replacement plan.

-- Approved the high school cross country team to travel to McCormick's Creek State Park this weekend for a two-day trip.

-- Approved a grant for $1,000 from the P.I.E. Coalition for breathalyzers to be used for high school dances, prom and other extracurricular activities per request Russ Hesler.

-- Approved the resignations of Ridpath Elementary teacher Marla Parks, Greencastle High School Athletic Secretary Sue Resner, high school resource room instructional assistant Melissa Tippin Turner, and high school third shift 12-month custodian Nancy Chybowski.

-- Learned that the Greencastle Youth Football League had thanked the corporation for assistance with the press box facility at the middle school.

-- Approved the hiring of high school science teacher Valerie Bogan, high school resource room instructional assistant Rhonda Chaney, high school special education instructional assistant Alyce F. West, middle school cafeteria assistant Darlene Gibbs, seventh-grade volleyball lay coach Kristen Hendrich, high school boys' tennis lay coach Terry Ross, high school boys' soccer assistant coach Michael Tucker, freshmen football lay coaches Bill Shuee and Robert Wright, high school volunteer football coach Gary Williams, eighth-grade football lay coach Randy Pettit, seventh-grade football lay coach Larry Jones, and middle school volunteer football coach John Hendrich.

The board meets regularly on the second Wednesday of each month at the Miller Education Center.

Its next meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Sept. 13.