Warsaw Schools Replaces Fired Grounds Director
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Heather Reichenbach also was sworn in as the newest board member, and the board elected its officers for 2015.
Felger replaces Greg Schroeder, who was fired Oct. 27 after “admitting that for a number of years, a Continental Maintenance Specialties Inc. sales representative paid him approximately $30,000 in kickback payments,” according to a press release that was issued that day by the board. Legal authorities were notified of the allegations and started an investigation into the matter.
According to a press release provided by WCS Tuesday, Felger is a Warsaw Community High School and Ball State University graduate. He most recently served as the maintenance director for Whitko Community Schools since 2001.
He and his family live in Winona Lake, and his wife currently works at Washington Elementary School as a paraprofessional.
Felger’s duties with WCS begin Monday.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Felger told the board it was “quite a process to get here,” and thanked them for the opportunity to serve WCS. “I want to serve however I can,” he said.
Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott said he was very thrilled with the strong candidate pool they had for the position.
“Dirk worked his way through three rounds,” Scott said. “I’m excited about moving forward with him.”
Dan Metzger, board member, said he was a board representative on the hiring committee and got to know Felger through the process.
“I will tell you Mr. Felger is highly qualified and has the utmost integrity,” Metzger said.
Board Secretary Randy Polston said he’s known Felger for a number of years and was excited to have him “on board and on the team.”
Earlier in the meeting, school board attorney Timothy S. Shelly, of Warrick & Boyn LLP, Elkhart, swore in Reichenbach and re-elected board members Jennifer Tandy, Matt Dick and Metzger. Reichenbach won the November election unopposed to replace Delores Hearn, who could not run for re-election due to term limits.
After the swearing-in ceremony, Tandy officially welcomed Reichenbach to the board.
Reichenbach introduced her family, who was with her. She and her husband, Brian, have two children, fifth-grader Jonah and third-grader Claire, who both attend Madison Elementary.
Reichenbach told the board, “It’s a pleasure to serve Warsaw in this way. I’m very passionate about education.”
She received her bachelor’s degree in social studies from Bluffton University, and taught U.S. history, American government, world history, sociology and psychology in Iowa. She has experience working with at-risk youth and recently worked as an administrative assistant to the Madison principal.
In other business, the school board voted to keep its officers the same for 2015. Tandy will remain president, Matt Dick vice president and Polston secretary.
It also approved:
• To hold its regularly scheduled monthly meetings at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of every month, and its public work sessions at 4 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month.
Exceptions for the regular monthly meetings will be Jan. 26, April 27 and Dec. 17. Exceptions for the work sessions will be Jan. 20, April 21, Sept. 15 and Dec. 14.
• The treasurer of WCS will be Erica Purvis and the deputy treasurer will be April Fitterling, both from effective appointment date to appointment date.
• Lori Tilden as the executive secretary to the school board, effective appointment date to appointment date.
• The copy fee for records obtained through the executive secretary to the school board for 2015 will be 10 cents per page.
• The officers and members of the Board of Finance shall be the same as the officers and members of the school board.
• School board compensation for 2015 shall not exceed $2,000 per year and a per diem of $3,000 per year for a total of $5,000 per year. The per diem rate for regular meetings is $112, and for committee meetings is $62.
• The cash management provider for 2015 will be Lake City Bank, Warsaw. LCB also will be the primary, but not exclusive, investment institution for WCS.
• Two firms were appointed as legal counsel: Reed & Earhart, Attorneys at Law, P.C., and Warrick & Boyn, LLP.
• The Times-Union was designated for the advertisement of legal notices to the public.
• Mileage rate reimbursement shall be the IRS rate effective Jan. 1.
Tandy announced the 2015 appointees for the administration committees for 2015 will remain the same as they were set at the beginning of the school year. The only change will be that Reichenbach will step in for those committees that were assigned to Hearn.[[In-content Ad]]
Heather Reichenbach also was sworn in as the newest board member, and the board elected its officers for 2015.
Felger replaces Greg Schroeder, who was fired Oct. 27 after “admitting that for a number of years, a Continental Maintenance Specialties Inc. sales representative paid him approximately $30,000 in kickback payments,” according to a press release that was issued that day by the board. Legal authorities were notified of the allegations and started an investigation into the matter.
According to a press release provided by WCS Tuesday, Felger is a Warsaw Community High School and Ball State University graduate. He most recently served as the maintenance director for Whitko Community Schools since 2001.
He and his family live in Winona Lake, and his wife currently works at Washington Elementary School as a paraprofessional.
Felger’s duties with WCS begin Monday.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Felger told the board it was “quite a process to get here,” and thanked them for the opportunity to serve WCS. “I want to serve however I can,” he said.
Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott said he was very thrilled with the strong candidate pool they had for the position.
“Dirk worked his way through three rounds,” Scott said. “I’m excited about moving forward with him.”
Dan Metzger, board member, said he was a board representative on the hiring committee and got to know Felger through the process.
“I will tell you Mr. Felger is highly qualified and has the utmost integrity,” Metzger said.
Board Secretary Randy Polston said he’s known Felger for a number of years and was excited to have him “on board and on the team.”
Earlier in the meeting, school board attorney Timothy S. Shelly, of Warrick & Boyn LLP, Elkhart, swore in Reichenbach and re-elected board members Jennifer Tandy, Matt Dick and Metzger. Reichenbach won the November election unopposed to replace Delores Hearn, who could not run for re-election due to term limits.
After the swearing-in ceremony, Tandy officially welcomed Reichenbach to the board.
Reichenbach introduced her family, who was with her. She and her husband, Brian, have two children, fifth-grader Jonah and third-grader Claire, who both attend Madison Elementary.
Reichenbach told the board, “It’s a pleasure to serve Warsaw in this way. I’m very passionate about education.”
She received her bachelor’s degree in social studies from Bluffton University, and taught U.S. history, American government, world history, sociology and psychology in Iowa. She has experience working with at-risk youth and recently worked as an administrative assistant to the Madison principal.
In other business, the school board voted to keep its officers the same for 2015. Tandy will remain president, Matt Dick vice president and Polston secretary.
It also approved:
• To hold its regularly scheduled monthly meetings at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of every month, and its public work sessions at 4 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month.
Exceptions for the regular monthly meetings will be Jan. 26, April 27 and Dec. 17. Exceptions for the work sessions will be Jan. 20, April 21, Sept. 15 and Dec. 14.
• The treasurer of WCS will be Erica Purvis and the deputy treasurer will be April Fitterling, both from effective appointment date to appointment date.
• Lori Tilden as the executive secretary to the school board, effective appointment date to appointment date.
• The copy fee for records obtained through the executive secretary to the school board for 2015 will be 10 cents per page.
• The officers and members of the Board of Finance shall be the same as the officers and members of the school board.
• School board compensation for 2015 shall not exceed $2,000 per year and a per diem of $3,000 per year for a total of $5,000 per year. The per diem rate for regular meetings is $112, and for committee meetings is $62.
• The cash management provider for 2015 will be Lake City Bank, Warsaw. LCB also will be the primary, but not exclusive, investment institution for WCS.
• Two firms were appointed as legal counsel: Reed & Earhart, Attorneys at Law, P.C., and Warrick & Boyn, LLP.
• The Times-Union was designated for the advertisement of legal notices to the public.
• Mileage rate reimbursement shall be the IRS rate effective Jan. 1.
Tandy announced the 2015 appointees for the administration committees for 2015 will remain the same as they were set at the beginning of the school year. The only change will be that Reichenbach will step in for those committees that were assigned to Hearn.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092