Budgeting is uncertain

BERNE — South Adams Schools plan to have a balanced budget for the 2015-16 school year. But it’s difficult to tell whether that will require cutting costs.
The uncertainty of enrollment and questions about the effects of the new state budget, currently being debated by the Indiana Senate, make predicting what will happen with the general fund difficult, South Adams superintendent Scott Litwiller told the school board Tuesday.
Board members also approved using April 3 — Good Friday — as a make-up day, if necessary, and got updates on several construction projects.
Litwiller noted that there is some good financial news as the tax rate for South Adams Schools went down to $1.03 from $1.04 last year. And assessed value went up, which resulted in an extra $41,620 in local tax revenue.
But he also said estimates from the Indiana Legislative Services Agency project South Adams will lose general fund revenue from the state in 2015-16 based on the two-year budget passed by the House of Representatives. Those numbers show a decline of about $75,000.
“Balancing the budget for this upcoming school year … will be a challenge,” said Litwiller.
The difficulty, he noted, is that those numbers are just a guess and could change based on what the Senate does with the budget. And the count day — South Adams has seen its enrollment decline to 1,259 from 1,334 since fall 2011 — isn’t until September.
“The tricky part is, we’re considering programs for next school year now,” said Litwiller. “We’re making decisions about that.
“It’s difficult to make plans when it’s kind of in a state of flux.”
South Adams also had its 2015 capital projects fund cut by $300,000.
Board members Arlene Amstutz, John Mann, Julie Mansfield, John Buckingham, Amy Orr, Landon Patterson and Mitch Sprunger approved using April 3 as a make-up day if another day of school is canceled between today and April 1.
Litwiller made the recommendation Tuesday, saying he doesn’t want to be in the position of bringing students back to school after graduation. Cancellations have already pushed the last day of school back to May 29, and graduation is scheduled for May 31.
Students who miss the day for religious reasons will have excused absences.
South Adams used a three-hour delay, which was approved by the board in December, for the first time today in order to avoid missing school because of fog.
Director of building and maintenance Dave Vorhees updated the board on several projects scheduled for this summer, including construction of a bus wash bay and replacement of sections of the school’s roof.
Construction of the wash bay was scheduled for last summer, but was delayed because bids came in higher than expected. Some of the necessary electrical and water line work will be completed by South Adams employees to help reduce the cost, Vorhees said. Bids for the project will be opened April 9.
Other work will include replacing the remaining five sections of the roof as part of an ongoing project and sealing the south parking lot. However, plans to install artificial turf along the home sideline at the football field have been halted after costs came in higher than expected.
In other business, the board:
•Honored members of the high school choir, swim team, wrestling team and FFA as examples of excellence. Wrestler Sawyer Miller finished as the runner-up at 120 pounds, swimmer Cady Farlow placed 10th in the state in the 100-yard breaststroke and choir members earned gold and silver medals at the Indiana State School Music Association contest. Alex Yoder and Katelin Hawbaker earned a grant from the National FFA organization to build raised gardens for low-income families in Berne. Also honored, was Jaci Gorrell, who placed eighth in the state Poetry Out Loud contest.
•Learned from high school principal Trent Lehman that the school has been nominated as a National Blue Ribbon finalist. Applications are due March 20, and winners will be announced in the fall.
•Approved new high school courses, including music history and appreciation, drawing IV, painting III, college entrance prep, digital electronics, civil engineering, advanced science and special topics, intro to health occupations education, education professions and welding. Some of the courses are being offered through partnerships with Jay County and Bellmont high schools.
•Set lunch prices for 2015-16 at $1.85 for elementary school, $1.95 for middle and high school, $2.90 for adults, 40 cents for reduced lunch, $1.25 for breakfast, 30 cents for reduced breakfast, $1.50 for adult breakfast and 40 cents for milk. Paid lunch prices each increased 10 cents.
•Approved Kevin McClung as South Adams Classroom Teachers Association’s representative to the School Employee Benefit Trust Health Insurance Board.
•OK’d field trips for auto service and machine trades students to the SkillsUSA state contest April 10 and 11 to Indianapolis, the freshman class to the University of Northwestern Ohio and Wright State University - Lake Campus and marine biology students Oct. 19 through 23 to the Florida Keys.
•Approved the hiring of coaches Chad Mitchell (assistant baseball), Eric Pimentel (volunteer baseball) and Ashley Buckingham (volleyball), part-time technical/library assistant Stacy Pierce and auditorium co-director Nathan Houser. Also accepted the resignation of wrestling coach Barry Humble.
•Heard from Litwiller that board visitation day will be April 14. The regular board meeting will follow at 4 p.m.