Work moves ahead

Jay Schools took the first step toward borrowing nearly $2 million to make major improvements in heating and air conditioning systems at three elementary schools Monday.

Board members voted 6-1, with Jim Sanders dissenting, in support of a resolution to borrow the funds with a commitment to repay the loan over 10 years with money from the capital projects fund.

"This does not increase taxes," said board president Bryan Alexander. "By law, it must be tax neutral."

But county resident Paula Confer was critical of the school corporation's level of indebtedness, which she said has ballooned in recent years.

"I think we need to look at it a little closer and a little harder," she said. "We're in enough debt right now."

Current indebtedness for the school corporation totals about $52.4 million.

Board members, however, said the project is needed and has been scaled back to keep costs under control.

"We have buildings we have to keep up and keep operating," said Jay Halstead. "I think the need is there. ... I think it's the right thing to do."

"Nobody's taking this lightly," added Alexander. "We've cut this project in half."

Board members have been reviewing options for upgrading heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems at several schools for the past several months.

As outlined by John Rigsby of CSO Architects, the work focuses on three schools:

•Redkey Elementary School, where inefficient floor-mounted heating units will be replaced with vertical heat recovery units similar to those recently installed at Bloomfield Elementary School, a new HVAC unit will be installed to replace an aging one in the gym, and a digital control system will be installed to allow zoning of the building. The estimated cost is $670,000.

•Westlawn Elementary School, where inefficient units that do not provide adequate fresh air, cooling, and humidity control will be replaced with units similar to those at Bloomfield, an aging unit will be replaced in the gym, and digital controls will be installed. The estimated cost is $600,000.

•East Elementary School, where 14 inefficient air handling units will be replaced with new efficient roof-mounted ones, HVAC zones will be established, digital controls will be installed, and an old chiller and boiler will be replaced. The estimated cost is $720,000.

"These are 50 to 60-year-old units in some cases," Rigsby said of the equipment to be replaced. "You have equipment that's just wearing out."

Bids for the work will be received Aug. 18, with the board selecting a successful bidder on Aug. 23. Construction would take place from Aug. 30 to March 31, 2011.

Superintendent Tim Long said five different vendors have expressed interest in the project.

Business manager Brad DeRome told the board federal stimulus dollars continue to be part of the state's basic grant to support public schools.

For the 2010 school year, five teachers and three aides are being paid with stimulus grant funds.

DeRome also outlined the impact of the "circuit breaker" tax cap on 2010 property tax collections. The cap will have no impact on the general fund but will reduce the debt service fund by $61,336, the pension debt service fund by $17,345, the capital projects fund by $54,905, the transportation fund by $34,705, and the bus replacement fund by $8,031. "This is basically the equivalent of a 1.8 percent reduction of our expected tax levy," he reported.

In other business, the board:

•Approved property casualty and workers compensation insurance with First Merchants Insurance Service and Indiana Insurance Co. at a cost of $194,463.

•Approved a new annual agreement with Area 18 Career and Technical Education.

•Approved revised handbooks for elementary and middle school students.

•Revised a part of the retired teachers VEBA plan to allow for more flexibility in use of those dollars by retirees.

•Authorized a Title 1 grant application prepared by Pennville Elementary School principal Larry Wilson requesting $1.33 million.

•Hired Dana McClung, Gerald Flanagan, and Jessie Mangus as adult education teachers and Brittany Bridges as a summer agriculture teacher.

•Accepted the retirement resignations of Susan Rager as an elementary physical education teacher, Nancie Miller as a food service employee, and Alice Poole as a business teacher at Jay County High School.

•Authorized leaves of absence for instructional assistant Mary Lou Wendel and third grade teacher Tisha Walker.

•Approved JCHS extracurricular assignments for Josh Gibson, Tyler Hunt, Jason Phillips, and James Heflin as assistant football coaches, Jason Hart as assistant summer band director, Billy Saxman as freshman football coach, Jeff Erb, Joni Aulbach, and Ben Dues as student council sponsors, Chrissy Krieg as National Honor Society sponsor, Douglas Arbuckle as varsity softball coach, Laura Collins as JV volleyball coach, Tracy Muhlenkamp as assistant girls' soccer coach and freshman girls' basketball coach, and Nancy Lopez as assistant coach for academic competition.

•Accepted JCHS extracurricular resignations from Cheryl Guise as assistant summer band director, Devon Lykins, Julie Szymczak, and Paul Szymczak as student council advisers, Christie Sommers as JV softball coach, Jan Rittenhouse as junior class sponsor, and Trina Sommer as social studies academic team adviser.

•Approved a field trip by FFA to Bearcreek Farms.

•Approved four bus requests by the Jay Community Center.

•Approved a summer musical theater workshop at JCHS in July.[[In-content Ad]]