Reading from a prepared statement at the Monday night meeting of the Delphi School Corporation’s Board of Trustees, president Robert Resler announced after researching what the public is and is not entitled to do at board meetings, the board decided to limit public questioning about the agenda’s consent items.

Resler said questions concerning consent items, which include facility usage and claims and payroll, can only be addressed to him or to superintendent John Williams after the meeting.

Resler said he consulted the legal staffs of the state school board association and the state public access counselors and added that he spoke with the editor and co-publisher of the Carroll County Comet about meeting changes.

Additionally Resler announced a more regimented approach to receive questions from the public about the other agenda items. He explained members of the public with questions must be called upon, rise from their seat and state their name. He said two minutes would be allotted to them.

In response to the action during public comments, Shawn Ashby of Camden requested claims and payroll be made public at the time and in the same manner as the agenda. He reported the agenda is posted on the corporation’s Web site prior to the board meeting night. Resler said the board would take the request under advisement. Superintendent awarded retroactive pay increase

In a 5-1 vote, the board approved a two percent raise in pay for Williams retroactive to Jan. 1, 2006, without discussion. Board member Pat George gave the motion with Jeff Brown supporting it with the second. Jim Garrison provided the one dissenting vote. Tricia Hammond was not present for the meeting. Students honored

Nine members of the high school Academic Decathlon Team, along with their coach, were individually honored for placing sixth in recent state competition. The coach thanked the board for their financial support of the team. Advanced placement request

Four language arts advanced placement students requested the corporation pay all or part of the fee for year-end student testing.

Williams said the state no longer funds language arts tests, but continues to support testing for chemistry, calculus and history.

“I ask you to strongly consider the recommendation to have the fees totally paid for,” high school principal Keith Brakel said.

Williams said students receive college credits based on test scores. He said the fee per student is $73 and there are approximately 30 students affected. Hoosier conference

Brakel reported the Hoosier Athletic Conference is “stable and intact.”

Athletic director Robert Blaydes announced Delphi coaches are in favor of remaining in the conference. He provided a handout detailing enrollment numbers and statistics of area conferences and schools.

Blaydes said coaches expressed concerns about facility needs, the number of coaching staff and coordination of programs between the elementary, middle and high schools.

Brakel said he wants to provide first-class athletic facilities to students and said other schools do not want to visit Delphi because of the poor condition of some of the facilities. Athletic track concerns

Williams provided a pictorial report to depict curbing, surface and fencing conditions at the athletic track. He estimated the cost to fix only the most superficial problems to be $1,100.

According to Williams, the cost to totally refurbish the track with six lanes is estimated between $111,906 and $113,439. To refurbish and add two additional lanes would cost between $162,600 and $172,457.

Williams said the estimates do not include fencing or lighting work.

A copy of a letter from approximately 36 track team members dated September 2005 expressing concerns about track conditions, was distributed to board members.

Garrison asked why the board was not made aware of the concerns sooner. Blaydes said he received the letter around Christmas and knew the board was already discussing the situation.

Resler stated the board needed to be apprised of this kind of communication upon receipt of a complaint. Drug testing policy

Brakel distributed the final version of the proposed drug testing policy for review. He recommended the board accept the document so that it can be again presented to the public.

Brakel explained that students who ride the bus cannot be tested nor will student visitors. He reported there was no obligation to report a positive result to local law enforcement and because the policy was designed for the student population, staff members would not be included in the testing pool. Other news:

Board member Mike Shoemaker spoke about the need to update the facility usage policy. He indicated changes were needed to encompass long-term uses and energy-saving measures, late or non-payment for use by contract holders and consequences for damage done to facilities by contracted users.

Board consensus was to communicate the suggestions to the firm hired to compile corporation-wide policies for inclusion in their recommendations.

The summer school program was approved unanimously. Claims for $328,127.13 and payroll for $288,390.03 were approved unanimously.

The purchase of a replacement tractor was approved.

A software system upgrade costing in excess of $10,000 to be paid for out of capital projects was approved. Public comments

Parent Everett Snoeberger said he was concerned that students who become academically ineligible for sports are not being helped. He said he supports the corporation eligibility policy, but is concerned about the number of students who must leave sports due to their inability to maintain adequate grades.

Resler asked Snoeberger for documentation to support his claim.

Snoeberger explained he was not privy to student records. Parent Kirk Schwarzkopf said he appreciated the opportunity to live in the Delphi School District. “You deserve a pat on the back for serving on the board. There is not enough said to thank you sometimes.” Next meeting

The March 13 meeting date was changed and the March 27 meeting was canceled due to spring break. The only March meeting is March 20 at 7 p.m.