Tippecanoe Valley Reviews Budget, OKs Teacher Pact
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
MENTONE - At the public hearing Thursday night, the Tippecanoe Valley School Board reviewed the 2009 budget and approved the 2008-09 master teacher contract.
No members of the public were present. The advertisements of the budget ran in two local newspapers Aug. 15 and 22.Assistant Superintendent Dr. Daniel Kramer said they met with a Department of Local Government Finance representative on Aug. 8 to discuss the budget.
Kramer reviewed each of the budget funds briefly with the school board. The board previously reviewed the budget July 28. The estimated 2009 total budget is $22,146,232.
The general fund is the largest of all the budget funds, Kramer said. It is used for daily operations such as salaries and benefits. In 2009, the fund will no longer be generated from property taxes. The state will pick up the fund for all state schools in its budget.
Valley's general fund for 2009 is estimated at $15,487,284.
"We're not going to spend more in general fund than we receive in revenue," said Kramer.
The other funds in Valley's budget include $2,980,582 in debt service; $2,015,374 in capital projects fund; $1,403,242 in school transportation fund; $180,000 in school bus replacement fund; and $79,750 in special education preschool fund.
Kramer said the school transportation fund is levy driven and determined by the state. The school corporation receives no state support for that fund.
The school bus replacement fund is need driven for the sole purpose of replacing buses. According to Valley's 12-year plan, two buses will be replaced in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2020. In all the other years up to 2019, three buses will be replaced each year.
For the capital projects fund, the school corporation has to have a three-year plan. The fund pays for building remodeling, special projects, leases and technology. A limited amount of the fund can pay for utilities, but that is determined by the state for Valley.
The school corporation receives $2,750 per student for the special education preschool fund, Kramer said. Right now, with the way the fund is set up, the amount Valley receives covers the corporation's expenses. Down the road, Kramer said, there may come a time when Valley will have to look at some other sources to meet expenses.
No action was taken on the budget Thursday. The board will adopt the budget at its regular Sept. 15 meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the board meeting room at Mentone Elementary School.
On Aug. 7, Kramer said they reached a tentative agreement with the teachers on the master contract for 2008-09. Teachers ratified it Aug. 14. There were three areas of change to the master contract over the previous one, including language changes regarding retirement/severance, salary provisions and salary schedule.
"Negotiations," said school board member Mark Wise, "I thought went well. Everyone was cordial with one another and wanted to get it done."
The last few years, Kramer said, the negotiations turned out to be very good. The teachers are trying to understand the administrators' side, and vice versa. He said they were able to come to an agreement on the contract in one session in about 3-1/2 hours. Everyone is trying to cooperate, Kramer said, and that is really appreciated.
"It's always nice to start the school year out with a contract," said Superintendent Brett Boggs.
The board approved the contract 4-0, with Hal Hoffman absent.
School board members are Wise, Hoffman, Rod Eaton, Bryan Murphy and Dave O'Brien.
