PIERCETON - Whitko Community School board members adopted the 2006 school budget, the 2006 capital projects plan and the 2006 replacement plan Thursday during a special meeting.

General fund expenditures are given as $11,744,957; debt service, $1,821,830; capital projects fund, $1,884,271; transportation operating fund, $811,180; transportation, bus replacement fund, $222,800; special education, preschool, $76,095; and retirement debt service, $95,269.

The corporation is asking for a .4907-cent property tax levy to raise $2,497,011 in tax revenue. Other income would come from auto excise, CVET and FIT receipts, $2,117,803. Cash available for the plan is given as $21,678 for a total of $2,636,492 in 2006. The levy will decrease in 2007 to .4154-cent and to .3220-cent in 2008.

The board has made a preliminary determination to apply for bonds in the amount of $16.4 million for renovations and additions to the high school. Payments for no more than 20 years are estimated to be $2,562,000 per year.

This year the corporation plans to add one 84-passenger school bus and two 72-passenger school buses to the fleet.

The board also approved several personnel items accepting the resignation of Lori Eigenberg, corporation nurse. Hired for the 2005-2006 school year are: Erin Nash, Amy Christoffel and Regina Friedrich as Title 1 assistants at Pierceton Elementary School; Anne Nicodemus, high school resource assistant; Rachelle Phend, South Whitley Elementary School cook; Chad Christoffel, middle school assistant football coach; Tracy Terrill, Sunshine Society sponsor; Steve Zimmerman and Josh Mohr, ninth grade boys assistant football coaches; Pat Westley, Ashley Gibson, Kami Utter and Tina Kessie as cooks at PES; and Melissa Smith as a receptionist at the bus shop.

The board approved a field day trip to Columbia City for the agriculture students Aug. 31.

School board members are Hal Trump, Marie Trump, Mike Braddock, Pete Mitchell and Dave Tranter. [[In-content Ad]]