July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Balanced budget OK'd
Jay School board passes 2004 spending plan
The Jay School Board has come a long way.
After nearly a year of making cuts throughout the corporation, the board voted 6-1 Monday to adopt a balanced 2004 budget. However, the transportation fund is not balanced — which caused former board president Ted Champ to cast the only nay vote — and the balanced budget depends upon collection of property taxes and receiving expected revenue from the state of Indiana.
The advertised budget will be $29.7 million and a tentative tax rate of $1.56 per $100 of assessed valuation.
With the state still facing a structural budget deficit of $800 million for the current fiscal year, educators across Indiana are concerned their schools will be targeted for more cutbacks.
In the 2004 Jay Schools budget revenues exceed expenses by $1,564, and are $1,302,289 greater than the approved 2003 budget. Just over $1.3 million of that increase has been allocated to the bus replacement fund. The corporation has planned to buy 19 new buses in 2004, which will be the first time in four years the corporation made a major bus purchase.
The projected deficit for the transportation fund is $41,000, which is a result of projected revenue and state cuts in transportation. The state cut transportation funding by $109,000 in 2004. Champ explained he was opposed to approving the budget if all funds were not in a positive balance.
“Maybe we need to combine some jobs,” Champ said. “I just think more needs to be done in transportation to get that fund balanced.”
The board also approved Board Policy 8800 on Religious/Patriotic Ceremonies and Observances. The board voted 7-0 to approve the policy, with the word “celebration” removed. The policy will read, “Corporation staff members shall not use prayer, religious readings, or religious symbols as a devotional exercise or in an act of worship.”
Board member Bryan Alexander had suggested the removal of “celebration” because he wanted to make sure the corporation didn’t run into any problems during Christmas time activities.
In other news Monday, Jay Schools Supt. Barbara Downing announced the corporation had received a Title II, Part A grant for $178,240 to help pay for the salary and fringe benefits of four teachers.
In other action Monday, the board:
• Accepted the resignations of Heather Hedges, pre-school instructional assistant, Redkey Elementary and Jay County High School; Amy Steed, cheer sponsor, Redkey; Jan Hurst, newspaper sponsor, East Jay Middle School.
• Rescinded the leave request of Jeremy Gulley, from Oct. 26 through Nov. 8.
• Unanimously accepted the following hires of: Iva Jean Ault, part-time food service, EJMS; Jill Ford, elementary girls basketball coach, Pennville Elementary; Larry Wilson, boys basketball coach, Pennville; Sarona Rains, cheer sponsor and intramural coach, East Elementary; James Myers II, varsity wrestling coach, JCHS; Paul Szymczak, National Honor Society sponsor, JCHS; Tony Howell, English Department Head, JCHS; Dolphus Stevens, academic coordinator, JCHS; Shawna Davis, cheer sponsor, Redkey.[[In-content Ad]]
After nearly a year of making cuts throughout the corporation, the board voted 6-1 Monday to adopt a balanced 2004 budget. However, the transportation fund is not balanced — which caused former board president Ted Champ to cast the only nay vote — and the balanced budget depends upon collection of property taxes and receiving expected revenue from the state of Indiana.
The advertised budget will be $29.7 million and a tentative tax rate of $1.56 per $100 of assessed valuation.
With the state still facing a structural budget deficit of $800 million for the current fiscal year, educators across Indiana are concerned their schools will be targeted for more cutbacks.
In the 2004 Jay Schools budget revenues exceed expenses by $1,564, and are $1,302,289 greater than the approved 2003 budget. Just over $1.3 million of that increase has been allocated to the bus replacement fund. The corporation has planned to buy 19 new buses in 2004, which will be the first time in four years the corporation made a major bus purchase.
The projected deficit for the transportation fund is $41,000, which is a result of projected revenue and state cuts in transportation. The state cut transportation funding by $109,000 in 2004. Champ explained he was opposed to approving the budget if all funds were not in a positive balance.
“Maybe we need to combine some jobs,” Champ said. “I just think more needs to be done in transportation to get that fund balanced.”
The board also approved Board Policy 8800 on Religious/Patriotic Ceremonies and Observances. The board voted 7-0 to approve the policy, with the word “celebration” removed. The policy will read, “Corporation staff members shall not use prayer, religious readings, or religious symbols as a devotional exercise or in an act of worship.”
Board member Bryan Alexander had suggested the removal of “celebration” because he wanted to make sure the corporation didn’t run into any problems during Christmas time activities.
In other news Monday, Jay Schools Supt. Barbara Downing announced the corporation had received a Title II, Part A grant for $178,240 to help pay for the salary and fringe benefits of four teachers.
In other action Monday, the board:
• Accepted the resignations of Heather Hedges, pre-school instructional assistant, Redkey Elementary and Jay County High School; Amy Steed, cheer sponsor, Redkey; Jan Hurst, newspaper sponsor, East Jay Middle School.
• Rescinded the leave request of Jeremy Gulley, from Oct. 26 through Nov. 8.
• Unanimously accepted the following hires of: Iva Jean Ault, part-time food service, EJMS; Jill Ford, elementary girls basketball coach, Pennville Elementary; Larry Wilson, boys basketball coach, Pennville; Sarona Rains, cheer sponsor and intramural coach, East Elementary; James Myers II, varsity wrestling coach, JCHS; Paul Szymczak, National Honor Society sponsor, JCHS; Tony Howell, English Department Head, JCHS; Dolphus Stevens, academic coordinator, JCHS; Shawna Davis, cheer sponsor, Redkey.[[In-content Ad]]
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