NORTH MANCHESTER - Although it's just a few days into the new school year, things at Manchester Community Schools are going well, officials say.

"It almost seems like we never left," said Manchester Community Schools Superintendent Diane Showalter. "Things seems to be moving right along so far."

"Fall sports and activities have started," said Manchester High School Principal Nancy Alspaugh at Tuesday's school board meeting. "We are off to a smooth start."

In Tuesday's meeting, board members approved several consent items, including a $900 donation from Quinn Griffing to the Manchester High School Athletic Fund for the boys golf team and a Title I grant for $154,793.73.

The board also approved renting the high school football field to the Manchester Youth Football League for Sunday afternoon games.

Then the board opened the hearing for the 2005 budget, 2005 capital projects fund and the 2005 bus replacement plan for public discussion.

One citizen, Charlie Signs, expressed concern about the amount of the budget.

"Fourteen million dollars is a lot of money, and whether that comes from state or local funds, those are still tax dollars," said Sign. Later in the meeting, he added, "You are running a very expensive business here, and I think you are going to have to figure out how to cut some costs."

After that public hearing, the board moved on to the public hearing for an additional appropriation to the 2004 capital projects fund. After no one commented on the $125,351 ($25,351 from the capital projects fund and an additional $100,000 from the building improvement fund) expense appropriation, the board approved the appropriation unanimously.

Later in the meeting, business manager Steve Shumaker presented several items to the board. First, he explained an amendment to the bargaining agreement regarding retirement severance liability, and the board approved the changes. He then advised the board about the hiring of a bond counsel and a financial adviser. The board approved hiring Ice Miller as its bond counselor for $7,000, and CitiSecurities as a financial adviser for a fee of $3,500.

Showalter updated the board about changes being made to ISTEP testing. More grade levels will be tested and the tests are now available on tape for students who need the tests read to them. There is also a new format for both the ISTEP and the GQE this year.

In other business, the board:

• Approved the issuance of $2.27 million in pension bonds and advertising a public hearing for the additional appropritation for the pension bond.

• Approved a tax neutrality resolution to use funds from the capital fund to pay for the pension bonds.

• Approved a bus pricing extension with Kerlin Motors. The proposal extends the current contract with the same prices as last year. The school corporation will purchase two 2005 model buses for $54,477 each.

• Approved removing obsolete items from the junior high school and donating them to the Manchester Historical Society, Since the items are no longer being used by teachers and students, the items would get more use there.

• Approved Susan Klingler as the Manchester Community Schools representative on the symphony board.

• Approved the hiring of Michelle Smith (instructional assistant at Manchester Elementary School), Mary Ann Rager-Hire (Manchester Community School nurse), Brandon Baker (seventh-grade boys basketball coach), Sam McFadden (volunteer boys soccer coach) and Steve Olson (assistant volleyball coach at Manchester Junior High).

• Approved the resignation of Sam Rohr as Manchester High School JV baseball coach.

Manchester school board members Sally Krouse, president, Thom Frantz, Kent Terrill, Brian Schilling, Carlye McLaughlin and Brad Perrot were present at the meeting. Todd Speicher was not at Tuesday's meeting. Superintendent is Diane Showalter. [[In-content Ad]]