Wawasee School Board Approves 8 Financial Resolutions
October 12, 2022 at 1:17 a.m.
Wawasee School Board Approves 8 Financial Resolutions
By David [email protected]
The first was a resolution to give Wawasee Superintendent Dr. Steve Troyer the authority to reduce the 2023 adopted appropriations and reduce and/or transfer the 2022 appropriations. The authority may be exercised during the school corporation’s response period to the Department of Local Government Finance’s modification of Wawasee’s 2023 budget.
The second resolution gives the superintendent the ability to transfer money from the education fund to the operations fund. Interim Chief Financial Officer Dr. Brandon Penrod said up to 15% is allowed to be transferred.
Another resolution allows for the transfer of 2022 budget appropriations.
Resolution 2022-12 is what is called a “form 4,” Penrod said. “This is what establishes your tax rate, tax levy and budget. He reminded the Board they’ve already gone through all of that, starting back in July and August. A budget hearing was held in September.
“This is what adopts the rate, the levy and the budget,” Penrod said.
The adopted budget includes a rainy day fund of $750,000; debt service, $12,305,651; education fund, $21,641,503; and operations, $10,145,806 for a total of $44,842,960. The adopted tax levy total is $19,541,999, with an adopted tax rate of $0.8362 per $100 of assessed valuation.
“I point out again that you’ll see very high rates there because we’re protecting the school. We lowered the (assessed valuation) that we advertised and then ... we do expect the rate to be where it was for ’22 rolling forward,” Penrod said.
The final two resolutions related to the budget were the capital projects fund plan and the bus replacement plan. The CPF is a general idea of what Wawasee Schools might spend money on at each facility, while the bus replacement plan is the five-year plan based on 12 years of use of buses and their replacements, he said.
The final two resolutions were bond resolutions.
Resolution 2022-15 states that Wawasee intends to finance the renovation of and improvements to school facilities, including interior renovations, HVAC renovations, athletic improvements and the purchase of buses, technology and equipment for an amount not to exceed $5,815,000 and it intends to fund the project with proceeds of obligations incurred by the school corporation in an amount not to exceed the $5,815,000.
The preliminary bond resolution - Resolution 2022-16 - states that the interest rate for the general obligation bonds of 2022 will not exceed 6% per annum. The first bond payment will be paid in July 2023.
Those two bond resolutions are the first to be presented to and approved by the School Board, with three or four more resolutions in November.
The bond sale is expected to close in late November or early December, Penrod stated.
In other business, the Board:
• Approved to increase substitute nurse pay as suggested by Troyer and Director of Special Services Jennifer Phillips. A certificated medical assistant will be paid $117 per day, while a registered nurse will be paid $130 per day.
• Approved a special education evaluation agreement with Rachelle A. Mabee, a school psychologist. Troyer said Wawasee has been “overwhelmed” with special education evaluation requests and with those requests the school corporation has to adhere to a specific timeline. Mabee will help Wawasee with those evaluations.
• Heard two reports from Assistant Superintendent Dr. Shelly Wilfong, including a report on 2022-23 kindergarten readiness. She pointed out that students who participated in Wawasee pre-kindergarten and/or the Start United program were more ready for kindergarten than those who didn’t.
• Approved three donations to the Wawasee High School Supermileage Vehicle and program, including $3,000 from Sally Mahnken; $1,000 from Jason E. and Melanie C. Mickley; and $500 from Lakeland Animal Clinic.
• Approved a $500 donation from an anonymous donor to send a couple students to a week-long audio/video/film camp at Huntington University.
• Heard North Webster Elementary School Principal Lee Snider was a finalist for the Indianapolis Colts Classroom Quarterback Award. The Colts and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield teamed up to recognize school teachers, administrators, nurses and staff members who go above and beyond their students, schools and communities. As a finalist, Snider received a $100 Amazon gift card for school supplies, two tickets to the Colts’ first regular season home game and Colts merchandise.
• Was reminded by Troyer that a community meeting on combining the two middle schools into Wawasee Middle School will be at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Milford School gym. There will be time for public comment. A formal recommendation on the middle schools will be presented to the School Board at their Dec. 13 meeting.
He also reminded the Board about the Wawasee Community Educators Association forum for school candidates will be at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Wawasee Middle School lecture room. It is not a debate, but candidates will answer prepared questions.
Both events are open to the public.
E-Editions
The first was a resolution to give Wawasee Superintendent Dr. Steve Troyer the authority to reduce the 2023 adopted appropriations and reduce and/or transfer the 2022 appropriations. The authority may be exercised during the school corporation’s response period to the Department of Local Government Finance’s modification of Wawasee’s 2023 budget.
The second resolution gives the superintendent the ability to transfer money from the education fund to the operations fund. Interim Chief Financial Officer Dr. Brandon Penrod said up to 15% is allowed to be transferred.
Another resolution allows for the transfer of 2022 budget appropriations.
Resolution 2022-12 is what is called a “form 4,” Penrod said. “This is what establishes your tax rate, tax levy and budget. He reminded the Board they’ve already gone through all of that, starting back in July and August. A budget hearing was held in September.
“This is what adopts the rate, the levy and the budget,” Penrod said.
The adopted budget includes a rainy day fund of $750,000; debt service, $12,305,651; education fund, $21,641,503; and operations, $10,145,806 for a total of $44,842,960. The adopted tax levy total is $19,541,999, with an adopted tax rate of $0.8362 per $100 of assessed valuation.
“I point out again that you’ll see very high rates there because we’re protecting the school. We lowered the (assessed valuation) that we advertised and then ... we do expect the rate to be where it was for ’22 rolling forward,” Penrod said.
The final two resolutions related to the budget were the capital projects fund plan and the bus replacement plan. The CPF is a general idea of what Wawasee Schools might spend money on at each facility, while the bus replacement plan is the five-year plan based on 12 years of use of buses and their replacements, he said.
The final two resolutions were bond resolutions.
Resolution 2022-15 states that Wawasee intends to finance the renovation of and improvements to school facilities, including interior renovations, HVAC renovations, athletic improvements and the purchase of buses, technology and equipment for an amount not to exceed $5,815,000 and it intends to fund the project with proceeds of obligations incurred by the school corporation in an amount not to exceed the $5,815,000.
The preliminary bond resolution - Resolution 2022-16 - states that the interest rate for the general obligation bonds of 2022 will not exceed 6% per annum. The first bond payment will be paid in July 2023.
Those two bond resolutions are the first to be presented to and approved by the School Board, with three or four more resolutions in November.
The bond sale is expected to close in late November or early December, Penrod stated.
In other business, the Board:
• Approved to increase substitute nurse pay as suggested by Troyer and Director of Special Services Jennifer Phillips. A certificated medical assistant will be paid $117 per day, while a registered nurse will be paid $130 per day.
• Approved a special education evaluation agreement with Rachelle A. Mabee, a school psychologist. Troyer said Wawasee has been “overwhelmed” with special education evaluation requests and with those requests the school corporation has to adhere to a specific timeline. Mabee will help Wawasee with those evaluations.
• Heard two reports from Assistant Superintendent Dr. Shelly Wilfong, including a report on 2022-23 kindergarten readiness. She pointed out that students who participated in Wawasee pre-kindergarten and/or the Start United program were more ready for kindergarten than those who didn’t.
• Approved three donations to the Wawasee High School Supermileage Vehicle and program, including $3,000 from Sally Mahnken; $1,000 from Jason E. and Melanie C. Mickley; and $500 from Lakeland Animal Clinic.
• Approved a $500 donation from an anonymous donor to send a couple students to a week-long audio/video/film camp at Huntington University.
• Heard North Webster Elementary School Principal Lee Snider was a finalist for the Indianapolis Colts Classroom Quarterback Award. The Colts and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield teamed up to recognize school teachers, administrators, nurses and staff members who go above and beyond their students, schools and communities. As a finalist, Snider received a $100 Amazon gift card for school supplies, two tickets to the Colts’ first regular season home game and Colts merchandise.
• Was reminded by Troyer that a community meeting on combining the two middle schools into Wawasee Middle School will be at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Milford School gym. There will be time for public comment. A formal recommendation on the middle schools will be presented to the School Board at their Dec. 13 meeting.
He also reminded the Board about the Wawasee Community Educators Association forum for school candidates will be at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Wawasee Middle School lecture room. It is not a debate, but candidates will answer prepared questions.
Both events are open to the public.
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