North Putnam board approves 2023 budget advertisement

ROACHDALE — With a rise in assessed value (AV) affecting how budgets are being calculated, North Putnam Schools’ budget for 2023 will be higher. The goal is to keep the tax rate level overall.

Corporation Treasurer Tanya Pearson related as such to the North Putnam School Board Thursday evening as it approved to advertise the budget as it stands tentatively.

Noting that the AV raised about $97.5 million, but that North Putnam is also figuring increased enrollment, Pearson said she drew up a larger budget to account as such. Enrollment determines average daily membership (ADM) dollars from the state, though an official count is forthcoming.

The Education Fund is estimated at $10,407,000, while $6,295,100 is estimated for the Operations Fund. With the latter, the maximum funds to be raised stands at almost $3.4 million.

While the Rainy Day Fund is estimated at $3,288,071, Debt Service is estimated at $6,296,619, with the maximum funds raised at $6,602,393. This marks about an 130-percent difference from the estimated tax levy tagged to debt. This is as major renovations are working at Bainbridge Elementary.

The total proposed budget stands at $26,286,790, with a tax levy of $1.60. Pearson also noted that the proposed levy for 2022 was originally set at $1.67, but was adjusted to $1.59 by the Indiana Department of Local Government and Finance (DLGF).

A public hearing on the 2023 budget is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22 at North Putnam High School. It is then scheduled for adoption on Thursday, Oct. 20 at the same time and place.

In other business:

• The board approved an $18 flat hourly fee for extracurricular bus drivers. Director of Operations Terry Tippin initially proposed raising the drive-time rate from $14 to $20 and the sit-time rate from $11.50 to $12, citing a need for more drivers and few having expressed interest.

Supt. Nicole Allee noted that the increases would be covered through the Operations Fund and athletic and per-trip transportation fees through the corporation. With Ron Spencer bringing up whether activity fees would be affected, Principal Jason Chew added that the board previously approved a $20 per student-per sport athletic fee that has not changed.

With Spencer making the motion, the approval stipulated that the corporation’s charges to the schools are to remain the same.

• The board approved a property-casualty insurance package through Astra Insurance. EPIC Insurance agent John Parmley noting that property rates have risen along with building costs and the package’s cyber coverage being “phenomenal” at 10 percent. He noted one goal being to continue to drive down the workman’s compensation modification factor.

• With a dissenting vote from Spencer, the board approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Putnam County Health Department to provide a free nurse. The nurse would be provided at each county school corporation through a grant the health department received from the state.

Allee noted that the nurse would provide general support with on-site vaccinations and class presentations (i.e., on vaping, tooth brushing, etc.), as well as record-keeping and health exams. She added that the nurse would be in each school corporation one day a week.

Corporation Attorney Daniel Taylor said the MoU outlined that the nurse is a non-school-employed, unpaid volunteer and that he or she would work under the corporation’s discretion. But as to liability, Spencer was skeptical about potential incidents falling initially on the corporation. Taylor responded that the MoU was low-risk with coverage ensured either way.

The board also recognized Roachdale Elementary kindergarten teacher Valerie Lenihan as the Teacher of the Month.

The board also approved the following personnel report:

• New hires: Jessica Mitchell - Bainbridge Elementary instructional assistant; Dana Kimmel - NPHS instructional assistant; Lynn Miller and Stacie Hangar - NPMS instructional assistants; Leanna Collisi - Roachdale Elementary instructional assistant; Mark Osborn - NPMS football assistant coach; and Craig Franklin - NPMS girls’ basketball head coach;

• ECA: Brandy Dickson - NPHS concessions manager/Pep Club sponsor; Wesley Richardson - NPHS co-ed swimming and diving coach; Kristy Lippencott - NPHS math academic coach and department head; Kyle Morgan - NPHS social studies academic coach and department head; Annette Maier - NPHS science academic coach/science-physical education-health department head; Monique Fields - NPHS language arts academic coach/Spell Bowl academic coach/language arts-foreign language department heads/yearbook sponsor; Sarah Sims - NPHS fine arts academic coach and department head/Art Club sponsor; Katrina Skirvin - NPHS technology and practical arts department head/FFA sponsor; Kim Thomas - NPHS special education department head; Jon Hathaway - NPHS guidance department head/National Honor Society sponsor; Haley Weaver - NPHS Frosh Solutions department head; Dustin Bond - NPHS major production director and technical director/Musical One director, technical director and sound technician; Linda Gjesvold - NPHS major production art director/musical art director; Matt Wargel - NPHS musical orchestra director/NPHS and NPMS music director; Morgan Asher - NPHS major production assistant director/musical pianist/musical accompanist/music choral accompanist; Kirstin Mindiola - NPHS musical choreography; Janna Oxford and Drake Davis - FFA sponsors; Jordan Baire - NPHS Spanish Club sponsor/junior class sponsor; Tawnie Ramer - NPHS Gay-Straight Alliance Club sponsor/Student Council sponsor; Nathan Bryan and Vince Brooks - FCA volunteers; Chris Geeser - NPHS freshman class sponsor; Jessica Neild - NPHS senior class sponsor/junior class sponsor; Jennifer Graybill - NPHS Musical One vocal director/Thespians Club sponsor; Brandy Dickson - NPHS Key Club sponsor; Randy Funk - NPMS academic competition coordinator/science academic coach; Jennifer Fischer - NPMS language arts academic coach; Matthew Couch - NPMS Science Bowl coach/sixth-grade Outdoor Education (paid); Bonnie Osborn - NPMS math academic coach; Christina Miller - NPMS Spell Bowl coach; Jessyca South - sixth-grade team leader/sixth-grade Outdoor Education (paid); Scott Spencer - eighth-grade team leader; Alyssa Chew - seventh-grade team leader; Helen Dunn - NPMS Student Council leader/sixth-grade Outdoor Education (paid); Kayla Kocher - NPMS yearbook sponsor/Art Club sponsor/sixth-grade Outdoor Education (paid); Amanda Kramer - Junior National Honor Society; Angela Moore, Becky Cook, Michael Laplante and Mary Unger - sixth-grade Outdoor Education (paid); Jackson Kendall - NPHS sophomore class sponsor; and Vince Brooks - North Putnam TV (fall, winter and spring);

• Mentor teachers: Kristy Lippencott (for Jackson Kendall); Monique Fields (for Morgan Asher); Kim Thomas (for Anthony Rossok); Kate Skirvin (for Drake Davis); and Heather Conner (for Tiffany Collisi);

• Resignations: Terri Barnhart - Bainbridge Elementary instructional assistant (effective July 29); Angie Brown - Bainbridge Elementary instructional assistant (effective July 22); Carrie Bolen - NPMS instructional assistant (effective July 15); Lukas Haworth - NPHS social studies teacher/girls’ basketball head coach (effective July 26); Pam Bacon - NPHS English/language arts teacher (effective July 19); and Jeanne Seger - Roachdale Elementary instructional assistant (Aug. 29);

• Retirement: Patty Jones - Roachdale Elementary secretary/treasurer (effective Aug. 12).

With board members Travis Lambermont, Joanie Knapp and Amber Greene and Administrative Assistant April Lambermont absent, Eric Oliver, Heather Lawson and Mark Hoke joined Spencer, Pearson, Tippin, Allee and Taylor for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the North Putnam School Board is set for Thursday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. in the large group instruction room at North Putnam High School.

Correction: This article originally reported that the meeting would be on Sept. 15, not Sept. 23. The meeting was moved back.