South Putnam board holds budget, project hearings

The South Putnam School Board held different hearings related to adopting its budget for next year, as well as resolutions for an upcoming improvement project, during its regular meeting Wednesday evening.

In the same vein, the board also approved resolutions to adopt a school bus replacement plan and a capital projects plan, as well as for additional appropriations for the Debt Service and School Pension Debt funds. The board also approved a resolution stipulated that $400,000 would be transferred from the Education Fund to the Operations Fund in the last six months of the year.

South Putnam’s 2022 budget is outlined as follows:

• Education Fund: $7,628,955

• Operations Fund: $3,784,452

• Debt Service: $1,602363

• School Pension Debt: $237,945

Taken all together, the adopted tax rate will stand at about a 1.6 percent increase, with the current tax levy at $4,319,038. The 2022 budget will total $13,253,715.

Stacey Barclay from Sutherlin, Zeiner & Barclay also outlined six different resolutions passed by the board pertaining to a bond project to shore up the school corporation’s infrastructure.

The board approved resolutions stating a need for the project, as well as executing an amendment to lease the school property to levy the required property tax to pay bondholders. Another was passed to approve Cassie McDaniel as part of the building corporation to replace Richard Coffin, who resigned.

The last three resolutions pertained to the school corporation using additional appropriations, as well as assigning contracts to the building corporation and the school corporation supplying financial information to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

In other business:

• South Putnam Middle School Principal Tona Gardner announced South Putnam was recognized by the state for its advanced placement offerings. She noted that South Putnam was the only Putnam County school district to be acknowledged, with Hendricks County being the only surrounding county to see this recognition.

• The board held a public hearing on a collective bargaining agreement with the South Putnam Classroom Teachers Association. Superintendent Corey Smith specifically outlined that a catastrophic illness/injury leave bank was added, and that teachers would have 13 personal leave days a year. Teachers will have 185 contract days.

The board will hold a special meeting on Monday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. to approve the agreement.

• With the omission of specific language discouraging students skipping grades, the board approved updated corporation policies. Board member Lisa Cooper expressed disagreement with the language, saying high-ability students are cases in which this might be needed. Smith provided that the policy was not meant to prevent it.

It was agreed that Neola, which assists school administrators with policies according to state and national standards, would give Smith more clarification on the language.

The board also recognized South Putnam’s Students of the Month:

­• Central Elementary: Emylia Hardy

• Fillmore Elementary: Nic Pierce

• South Putnam Middle School: Parker Dickson

• South Putnam High School: Joscelyn Pilcher

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• Resignations: Tina Kirchoff - Title I (temporary contract); Casey Rossok - MS/HS nurse assistant; and Christina Price - Central Elementary food service;

• Employment: Christina Price - food service; Jennifer Schlatter - Title I (temporary contract, effective after fall break); and Amanda King - MS/HS mentor teacher.

Joining Smith and the entire board for the meeting was Administrative Assistant Terri Beasley and Corporation Treasurer Hilarie Logan.

The next regular meeting of the South Putnam School Board is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. in the South Putnam MS/HS Learning Center.