MENTONE - Next year's budget was the focus of Tuesday's Tippecanoe Valley school board meeting, with a total proposed budget of nearly $6 million.

The 2002 budget - $5,928,401 - is aproximately 10 percent higher than the 2001 budget of $5,335,828, according to figures presented by Dan Kramer, assistant superintendent.

He also said the proposed amount will probably be reduced somewhat in the October meeting with an officer from the State Board of Tax Commissioners.

A breakdown of the individual funds in the budget is as follows: general fund, which includes personnel salaries and benefits - $2,871,110; debt service, including loan, lease and rental payments - $1,536,560; capital projects fund, which pays for building and remodeling schools and for lease, repair and maintenance of equipment - $743,760; transportation operations fund, including salaries, insurance, fuel and operating expenses - $675,671; bus replacement fund - $92,028; and preschool education fund, which is for special need children between the ages of 3 and 5 - $9,272.

Confusing the issue this year is the difference in the way the state assesses property values, Kramer said. In the past, property values were assessed on a percentage basis. Now the assessed values reflect the true value of property, he said, which makes the total assessed property value in the school corporation look much higher.

For example, last year's AV was $90,280,630, using the old assessment method. This year's estimated AV, under the state's new calculation method, is $270,841,890, he said.

Because of the difference in calculating assessed value, Kramer said, the tax rate - the proposed 2002 rate of $2.1889 compared to the 2001 rate of $5.9881 - will appear different but taxpayers' actual bills won't change that much.

The board unanimously approved advertising the proposed budget, which will be discussed again at the Aug. 13 school board meeting.

In other business, the school board:

• Approved hiring Paddock Enterprises to do the work for the new high school bleachers for a bid of $13,740. Larry Sanders, maintenance director, said Paddock expects to have the work done before the beginning of the school year.

• Approved Director of Technology Brad Hagg's suggested changes for the "Internet Safety and Acceptable Use Policies" for students and for faculty and staff.

The changes make clear that "the educational value of student Internet access is the joint responsibility of students, parents and employees of the school corporation." They also stipulate, in the student policy, that "any financial obligations resulting from use of school corporation resources/accounts and the Internet will be the responsibility of the student and parents."

Likewise, faculty and staff also will be responsible for any charges or expenses they incur.

• An agenda item dealing with approval of an "administrative retirement/severance package" was not addressed.

The board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13 at Mentone Elementary School for its regular meeting, and will hold a budget hearing Aug. 27 at 7:30 p.m. in Mentone Elementary School. The budget will be adopted at the Sept. 10 regular meeting. All are open to the public.

School board members are: Mark Wise, Hal Hoffman, Rod Eaton, David O'Brien and Tom Weaver, who was absent Tuesday. Dr. Karen Boling is superintendent and Dan Kramer is assistant superintendent. [[In-content Ad]]