Carroll's advertised budget to increase tax rate
By Jennifer Archibald

Carroll School Board had public hearings on the corporation's 2007 budget and the three-year Capital Projects Plan at its regular meeting on Sept. 5.

Both the budget and the Capital Projects Plan have been advertised twice in the newspaper.

The budget's general fund, which is the lion's share of the budget, was advertised at $6,539,127. This figure represents the total amount appropriated and includes both tax money to be raised and the cash operating balance. If the State Tax Board approves the amount, it gives the school corporation the authority to spend up to that amount.

Sayers said the advertised general fund, if approved, will call for a 3 or 4 cent increase in the tax rate from last year (per $100 assessed valuation), plus it could include another 3 or 4 cents that the state is passing along to local funding, for a total increase of 6 to 8 cents. If approved, Sayers said the state would reduce its funding by the amount passed along to local taxpayers.

The Capital Projects Plan for 2007, 2008, and 2009, if approved, gives the school corporation the authority to collect and spend the amounts advertised. If the board would choose to put air conditioning in the junior senior high school, the amount allocated for that project is $400,000 for each of the three years. The amount for 2007 shows a cumulative total of $900,000, including $500,000 allocated for 2006.

Sayers said in a phone conversation Tuesday that the Capital Projects tax rate, based on the advertised budget, would be only slightly more than last year.

"It is the goal of the board to keep the tax rate as level as possible," Sayers said.

There were no public comments

at either hearing.

The board will adopt the budget

and Capital Projects Plan at its next meeting, Sept. 19.

Technology

Richard June, new technology coordinator for the school corporation, gave each board member a hand-out containing a technology inventory and network map. He said he'd like to get wireless network throughout the building and to tie it into the phone system. He also mentioned the state's push for a computer in every classroom and for every student. More immediate plans call for fixing some email and server problems and getting rid of 70 floppy drives. He also will be updating computers that are being replaced in the business lab, but will still be used elsewhere in the building.

Bill Nelson, a representative from Cyberlink, an Internet provider, addressed the board about an opportunity to get 10 times the band width that the Carroll corporation gets today. He said two of the benefits would be video conferencing and distance learning. He said Carroll could take advantage of this through the Wabash Valley Education Association with federal funding accounting for 60 percent of the cost. He said there would be no cost to Carroll, but in exchange, Cyberlink would put antennas on three buildings, so the public living in a three to six mile radius could sign up for broad band.

The offer was taken under advisement, and board president Sam Zook said the matter would be turned over to the newly formed technology committee. Members of the committee are: David Myer, Carolyn O'Connell, Cathy Ayres, Judy McCracken, Richard June, Tyler Sausaman, Fred Schnarr (chairman), Erika Eller, Phil Benson, Katherine Seward, David and Tracy Miller, Michael Eikenberry, Sam Zook, and student Chris McGrew. Another student will be named to the committee by the high school principal.

The board approved two purchase requests in excess of $5,000. One was for 100 student desks at the elementary school, totaling $7,298, and the other was for two dishwashers (one at the elementary and one at the high school), totaling $28,400.

Battle of the Books

Debra Duff and Rebecca Lain were present to tell about grants they applied for and received, for Battle of the Books. Grants awarded were $850 from Carroll County Advocates for Literacy and $1,500 from REMC/Operation Round Up. Duff said this money will go toward the purchase of books, but will only partially fund the program. She said last year there were 16 teams from the high school, and 11 teams from the junior high. (The Comet learned this week that Flora Psi Iota Xi will donate $1,000, providing the rest of the money needed for Battle of the Books.)

In her presentation, Duff said, "We believe the Battle of the Books program is extremely valuable as it increases student reading and generates enthusiasm for reading as well as uniting a large, diverse part of our student body in working toward a common goal."

She said after the competition (with Delphi) is over, the books are placed in classrooms for other students to read.

On behalf of the Carroll County Pork Producers, board member Dave Lambert announced a donation of $500 to the Athletic Fund.

The board accepted Todal Fencing's bid of $19,983 for softball fencing.

Personnel

Stacey Brazel resigned as Senior Class sponsor, and the board approved Tyler Sausaman as her replacement.

Karen Stankard will take a sixweek maternity leave starting Oct. 12, and Peggy Oakley will be her substitute.

Other personnel approved were: Monica Sitzes, remediation aide; Patsy Bosley, additional bus driver, for transporting a student in a wheelchair to Twin Lakes; Matt Stump and Kevin Hammond, volunteer junior high football assistant coaches; Taylor Fife, volunteer tennis coach; and spring sports coaches, not individually named.

Cash tuition requests were approved for students Eddie Flanagan and Nic Overmyer. A Sponsorship Policy will be

adopted at the next meeting, and a proposal for a policy on performance enhancing supplements can be seen on the corporation Website.

The next meeting will be Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Administration Building.