North Putnam board approves 2016 budget

Friday, October 23, 2015

BAINBRIDGE -- With a Nov. 1 deadline for final approval just around the corner, the North Putnam School Board adopted its 2016 budget Friday night at its October board meeting.

The $16.47 million budget passed by a 3-1 margin with aye votes from board members Darrell Wiatt, Travis Lambermont and Mark Hoke and a nay vote from board president John Hays.

Board members Jill Summerlot, Ron Spencer and Jim Bowling were absent Wednesday, barely giving the board the quorum it needed to conduct business.

With a precise budget figure of $17,469,175, the 2016 budget includes $12,123,590 for the general fund, 1,243,871 for debt service, $231,531 for the school pension debt, $1,986,183 for capital projects, $1,404,000 for transportation and $480,000 for bus replacement.

With the general fund not taken from property taxes, the 2016 budget leaves the North Putnam Community with an adopted tax levy of $5,252,146, or a 0.981 tax rate.

After passage of the budget, a financial resolution was also brought to the board for approval.

The resolution to authorize reductions simply authorizes school treasurer Tanya Pearson to perform budget reductions within the 2015 budget. Such reductions allow the school to roll the unexpended 2015 money into the 2016 budget for balancing purposes.

The measure passed 4-0.

With finances always a concern for schools, the board discussed a pair of grants the school has received.

Superintendent Dan Noel reported that the school recently received a $20,000 check from the Indiana Department of Education to support the 2014 National School Lunch Program Equipment Grant.

Likewise, Noel and Roachdale Principal Scott Spencer presented information on the corporation's 2015-16 high ability grant from IDOE with a total allocation of $31,483.

In other business:

* Spencer was one of four building principals to present their Celebrating Success nominees for October. Spencer honored Roachdale student Ethan Lawler, while Bainbridge Principal Rodney Simpson recognized Christian Judy.

At the middle school level, Principal Scott Miller celebrated eighth-grader Brett Asher. High School Principal Jason Chew honored senior Claire Sims.

* The board also approved 15 personnel items.

In the area of new employment, three classified employees were hired: Lynn Oaks as bus aide and substitute custodian, Lisa Sabens as temporary health and office assistant at Roachdale and Tony Gray as a special education assistant at Roachdale.

New employment was also approved for nine different athletic coaches: Josh Wiler as high school head swim coach; Benny Ault, Bob Clampitt, Chase Hiland and Tony Judy as high school assistant softball coaches; Katy Copsey as high school assistant girls' basketball coach; Greg Lyons as seventh-grade boys' basketball coach; Paxton Stephenson as high school girls' track assistant coach and Jessica Wright as seventh-grade girls' basketball coach.

The hires all passed by a 3-1 margin, with Lambermont casting the dissenting vote in each case.

The board also approved the transfer of Brooke Layton to the position of temporary teacher at Roachdale and the resignations of Tony Gray as high school head swim coach and Julie Mitchel as middle school instructional assistant. These matters passed 4-0.

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