Questions linger on budgeting

Due to delays on the state level over the Indiana budget, Jay Schools will be flying partially blind into its own budget season.

With budget presentations on the horizon for July, accurate figures still aren't available a month after business manager Brad DeRome informed the board that the school funding formula won't be available due to the state legislature's failure to pass a new budget.

That formula is still not available, which is forcing the school corporation to move forward with estimates on state funding.

Deadlines to advertise school budgets have not been delayed and still need to be met in July whether the corporation has its formula or not.

The formula, which helps school corporations identify expected revenues, is still in limbo as lawmakers battle over the state finances. With legislators tossing around different proposals on school funding - some have said around a 2 percent increase while others are calling for a funding freeze - DeRome is playing with shaky numbers.

"We will comply (with deadlines)," DeRome told the board, but conceded, "I hope we have some firm numbers to give you.

"I hope there's not too many question marks from the state legislature," he said.

This is the first budget year that the school budget will be funded mostly through the state, instead of through local property taxes.

But there are also questions about that local share, as the corporation tries to estimate assessed valuation of property as it tries to determine a tax rate.

The Department of Local Government Finance has suggested this year to forecast a 20 percent dip in assessed value across the county.

The estimate will likely account for a large drop in values and will be reflected in "an artificially high tax rate," which will likely be trimmed as more firm numbers arrive.

Last year as assessed valuation on properties plunged around the state, some school systems discovered their tax base had dropped 25 to 30 percent, leaving their budgets crunched. Jay Schools will play for a significant fall, since the corporation can easily cut the advertised tax rate compared to the opposite case.

"You can't risk it," said board president Bryan Alexander.

The board will publish its budget estimate on July 29, with a public hearing on the budget scheduled for Aug. 24 and adoption set for Sept. 14.

"We'll certainly have more budget info for you next month," DeRome said as the legislature must meet a June 30th deadline to complete the Indiana budget.

In other business Monday night, the school board:

•Approved grant applications for Title I and stimulus funding from the state. The corporation will seek $908,000 in Title I money and $434,584 in stimulus money from the state, which is used to fund targeted assistance to at-risk students.

•Were updated on summer projects by superintendent Tim Long. Long said work on freezers at Jay County High School and renovations at East Elementary are moving along smoothly.

•Were informed by Long that a new goals survey will be conducted. Jay Schools has accomplished 127 goals to date since beginning the program.

•Approved the retirement and rehire of General Shanks Elementary principal Michael Eads.

The corporation will no longer have to pay into the Teachers Retirement Fund for Eads, which will save 3 percent of the salary benefit.

Eads chose to retire in accordance with state statute, which allow him to be rehired after 30 days.

•Approved 16 new hires, including: Karen Nichols, English as a second language teacher, Judge Haynes Elementary, beginning 2009 school year; Mark King, stimulus class teacher, Pennville Elementary, beginning 2009 school year; Rhonda Cunningham, stimulus class teacher, Pennville, beginning 2009 school year; Ryan Steinbrunner, math/science teacher, East Jay Middle School, beginning 2009 school year; Emily Garringer, color guard/music teacher, half day, Jay County High School, beginning 2009 school year.

Also, Cody Linville, agricultural mechanics, JCHS, beginning 2009 school year; Rebecca Allmon, speech therapy services contract, corporation-wide, beginning June 4; Dana McClung, adult ed contract, John Jay Center for Learning, July 6 through Aug. 27; Jessie Mangus, adult ed contract, JJCL, July 6 to Aug. 27; Jerry Flanagan, summer school, JJCL, June 12 to Aug. 14.

Also, Mike Crull, summer school, West Jay Middle School, June 22 to July 24; Lee Newman, summer school, WJMS, June 22 to July 24; Dennis Dwiggins, summer school, WJMS, June 8 to July 31; Ted Habegger, summer school, WJMS, June 8 to July 31; Karen Mettler, summer school, WJMS, June 15 to July 24; and Dawn Mock, 1st lead shift custodian, Judge Haynes, effective June 8.

•Approved 15 staff transfers, including: Larry Fifer, third shift custodian, JCHS, effective June 8; Kevin Degler, 1st shift outdoors maintenance, JCHS, effective June 8; Shellie Rines, 2nd shift custodian, East Elementary, effective June 8; Keith Bousman, resource teacher, General Shanks Elementary, beginning 2009 school year; Jerry Flanagan, credit recovery, JCHS annex, beginning 2009 school year; Leslie Goettemoeller, not yet assigned, EJMS, beginning 2009 school year.

Also, Julie Grant, half day, EJMS and WJMS, beginning 2009 school year; Julie Gregg, kindergarten, Bloomfield Elementary, beginning 2009 school year; Kim Haffner, 6th grade math, EJMS, beginning 2009 school year; Sherry Hilliard, severe disabilities, Westlawn Elementary, beginning 2009 school year; Mike Mertz, 8th grade social studies, WJMS, beginning 2009 school year; Amanda Omstead, EJMS, beginning 2009 school year; Christy Shauver, mild disabilities, East Elementary, beginning 2009 school year; Lisa Wood, full time bio-medical teacher, JCHS, beginning 2009 school year; Carol Rathbun, full time nurse, JCHS, beginning 2009 school year.

•Accepted the resignation of Jackie Smith, instructional assistant, JCHS, effective June 4.

•Approved leave of absences for Kari Anderson, English teacher, JCHS, Aug. 14 to Sept. 8, and Tommy Phillips II, WJMS, continued military leave.

•Approved extracurricular assignments at JCHS for the 2009/10 seasons for: Carrisa Goldsworthy, assistant girls golf coach; Josh Gibson, varsity assistant football coach; Christopher Overholt, varsity assistant football coach; Jacob Workman, varsity assistant football coach; Clayton Bailey, varsity assistant football coach; Eric Myers, assistant softball coach; and Doug Arbuckle, head softball coach.

•Approved a field trip for Coach Craig Teagle and the JCHS boys basketball team to a D-One Camp in Fort Wayne from June 24 to 27.

•Approved bus requests for the Jay Community Center for trips to Pine Lake, June 25; Morgan's Brookville Canoe Center, July 15; and King's Island, Cincinnati, Aug. 11.

•Approved a work agreement to employ Work One participants for custodial work throughout the school system.

•Were informed by DeRome that the corporation will be changing long-term disability coverage due to the Indiana State Teachers Association canceling coverage at the end of July 2009 because to cash flow problems.

•Approved a deposit of $90,000 in the corporation's rainy day fund. Also approved advertising for a public hearing to use $150,000 of rainy day funds to pay for summer work projects.

•Approved a change in property casualty and workers' compensation insurance to Indiana Insurance at a cost of $202,424, about $18,000 less than the system's current policy.

Alexander voted against the measure, which passed 5-1.

•Approved textbook rental and fees for middle schools.

•Tabled action on school policies and Department of Education grants until the next meeting.

•Were asked by board member Jay Halstead if work was being done to fix water leaks at the JCHS football stadium. Long informed the board that some issues will be fixed as part of concrete step replacement at the field, but that a total fix isn't on the agenda as the corporation is tackling "have-to" projects only this summer.[[In-content Ad]]