Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
PIERCETON - Whitko School Board approved the budget Monday for Whitko Community Schools, but final approval won't come until next week.
The board approved a total budget of more than $13.7 million. Monday's board meeting allowed for final public debate and comment on the budget, but no members of the public spoke. The board will formally adopt the budget in a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 27.
Business director Phil Menzie, when asked what the proposed tax rate would be for the 1998 budget, refused to speculate, saying the estimated assessed property valuation of approximately $79.4 million had not yet been certified by the county auditors.
Last year's tax rate for Whitley County was $5.1549 and for Kosciusko County was $5.4310.
The budget includes an appropriation of $150,646 for three new 72-passenger buses, which the board also approved Monday. Each bus costs $53,882, for a total of $161,646, but the school corporation will trade in several old buses, receiving an $11,000 credit.
In other business, the board:
• Established a committee to study the issue of student drug testing. The committee will be made up of members of the community who are interested in the issue and community members designated by board members.
The board's purpose for the committee includes gathering information regarding drug and alcohol use, identifying community agencies that might contribute ideas and information, reviewing approaches used in other school districts, and analyzing data and making suggestions to the school board.
• Heard reports from school principals on readiness for the new school year.
• Discussed repairing the roof leaks at Whitko Middle School. Board president Mark Skiles said experts were hired to look at the roof and document any deterioration, and legal counsel has been notified because the middle school is only four or five years old.
"I assure everyone that the leaks will be taken care of as we proceed," Skiles said. "We know that there's a problem; we're dealing with the problem ... by keeping leaks to a minimum until we can come up with a better way."
