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Warsaw School Board's appeal of a state property tax shortfall has been tabled until the board's Sept. 20 meeting so the board members can study the issue.
At Monday's school board meeting, Superintendent David McGuire proposed the board approve the appeal of a $689,759 shortfall. The appeal would be before the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.
Larry Chamberlain made the motion to approve the appeal, and James Folk seconded.
However, before the board vote, board member Ron Yeiter said he would abstain from voting because he wanted more information.
"I clearly don't understand this," he said. "It may be that we need it for the school corporation."
He said he thought the board was aware of the situation before last week's vote for a 4 percent increase for administrators and didn't mention it.
Board member Mark Minatel made a motion to table the appeal approval until next month's meeting "so all board members have the opportunity to understand the impact of it."
McGuire explained the shortfall: The estimated assessed valuation of property in the Warsaw school district was higher than the actual AV by $689,759. Revenue for Warsaw Community Schools is based on the assessed valuation in the school district.
He said the state's approval of the appeal would mean the tax rate would stay up and not go lower - "it won't necessarily go up," he said.
He also said the DLGF recommended the appeal for Warsaw schools and other school corporations as well.
The board voted to table the motion to appeal, with Craig Allebach, board president, voting against tabling the motion.
The board also approved of McGuire's proposal to dispose of unnecessary real estate - the three elementary schools that were closed this year by the board.
McGuire recommended offering the school buildings to their respective townships. If the townships do not respond within 60 days or do not accept, he recommended that WCS have the properties appraised and offer the buildings and grounds for sale.
By statute, he said, the townships must use the buildings for park and recreation purposes.
Yeiter voted against the motion.
The board also:
• Heard from Tom Ray, principal of Washington Elementary and coordinator of this summer's Reading Camp for first- and second-graders. He said 415 students participated in the five-week program, which was funded with Title I grants, and had more than 80 staff members (teachers and aides) involved. The purpose of the program, which included field trips and physical activities, was to make reading fun, he said, and a majority of the students enrolled improved in reading by the end of the camp.
• Agreed to reappoint John Yingling as the board's representative to the board of directors of Warsaw Community Public Library. The reappointment will not be formally approved until the Sept. 20 meeting, and anyone else interested in the position should contact McGuire's office or Ann Zydek, library executive director.
• Was reminded that filing for the three school board positions up for election this year ends Friday at noon. Also, the Indiana School Boards Association is holding a candidate forum for school board candidates from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 22 at Warsaw Community High School.
Board members are: Craig Allebach, Larry Chamberlain, Gene England, Cathy Folk, James Folk, Mark Minatel and Ron Yeiter. The board meets at 7 p.m. in the administration building on the third Monday of each month.
