Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE – Wawasee Community School Board’s Tuesday meeting included four public hearings, lengthy patron comments and final adoption of the district’s 2026 budget, capital and bus replacement plans, and bond project resolutions.
Board President Don Bokhart opened the evening by noting the meeting’s procedural nature, with Superintendent Dr. Steve Troyer and Chief Financial Officer Dr. Brandon Penrod explaining the purpose of each statutory hearing.
The first hearing centered on a proposed $6.6 million general obligation bond, designed to address ongoing capital improvements such as HVAC replacements, roofing and safety systems across district facilities.
Penrod said the bond’s “maximum impact to taxpayers” would remain neutral, keeping the district’s tax rate at approximately $0.5399 per $100 of assessed value.
“Our goal is zero tax increase,” Penrod said, adding the bond would maintain flexibility to address unforeseen infrastructure needs.
Troyer said the district’s list of facility projects - now available under the “Operations” section of the Wawasee website - includes everything from middle school generator replacement to parking lot repairs.
“We try to keep the list general enough to give the district flexibility to respond to immediate needs,” Troyer said.
Public comments grew pointed as several residents criticized the district’s posting of project information.
Patrons Lissa Krull and Rob Chalk questioned why project and bond documents were difficult to locate.
Krull said, “If I couldn’t find it, no one else could,” urging the board not to “give another blank check” until a full plan was visible.
Chalk said, according to state data, the district still held over $2 million in unspent bond funds. “Why ask for another $6.6 million when you haven’t used what’s available?” he asked.
Troyer and Penrod responded that some older bond funds were written narrowly for specific projects and could not be reassigned.
Troyer said new funding was needed to “keep pace with aging facilities and unforeseen issues,” such as fire suppression upgrades needed after discoveries made during the Wawasee Middle School pool renovation.
During subsequent hearings, patrons again voiced frustration over delayed or inconsistent documentation.
Krull and others questioned inconsistencies in the bus replacement plan, stating state inspection records showed mismatched bus inventories.
Penrod said the district was reconciling those inconsistencies after recent turnover in transportation leadership.
“We’ve gone through three transportation directors in a short period,” he said. “Our goal is an accurate five-year plan based on 12-year bus lifespans.”
The 2026-28 capital projects plan and 2026-30 bus replacement plan were both adopted unanimously following public comment. Penrod said the finalized versions would remain posted online for community review.
The regular meeting’s open comment session lasted nearly an hour, with multiple parents and residents addressing issues ranging from school safety to employee retention and bus discipline.
Parent Curt Hursey asked who was currently responsible for school safety.
Troyer confirmed he now leads the district’s school safety committee, which includes principals, school resource officers and department heads.
Board members Mike Fowler and Neil Likens confirmed that in an emergency, “law enforcement assumes command” once on scene.
Former employee Mariah Roberts urged the board to begin conducting formal exit interviews to better understand staff turnover.
“Until you figure out the root cause of the intimidation and fear tactics, we’ll keep losing good people,” she said.
Resident Alex Wild detailed ongoing communication issues among bus drivers, citing malfunctioning radios and lack of video equipment in minibuses.
Troyer said the district had previously invested in upgraded radio towers to address coverage gaps and would review current equipment issues.
Board Vice President Andy Cripe acknowledged the tension in recent meetings but thanked patrons for their persistence.
“We’re not perfect, but we’re listening,” Cripe said.
Likens encouraged residents to continue reaching out directly. “It shouldn’t be you against us, it should be us against the problem,” he said.
Troyer closed by reiterating that debt issuance remained the district’s only viable means of maintaining facilities.
“We can’t fund these projects through operations alone,” he said. “We’re trying to balance community expectations with fiscal responsibility.”
The meeting adjourned after final approvals of the 2026 budget and associated resolutions.
The Wawasee School Board's next regular meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at the Wawasee Professional Learning Center, 801 S. Sycamore St.
