The Indiana School Board last night approved their budget and also confirmed that the district will not move forward with further work on the 900-student Ben Franklin school project.
Prior to the meeting, the audit and finance committee met and discussed further budget options. The preliminary budget that was approved at last month’s meeting included a 3% tax increase, but the budget put forward after the meeting reduced taxes to a 1.99% increase. That means taxes would increase from 15.06 mils to 15.36 mils, and the final operating budget would come to $55,307,502. The move was meant to lessen the impact on taxpayers.
The board also addressed the PlanCon plans for both the Ben Franklin and East Pike projects, deciding to suspend both plans yet keep them in the PlanCon funding queue. But board member Walter Schroth wanted to add something to the motion for the Ben Franklin plan, stating that the board would no longer move forward with plans for the 900-student Ben Franklin project. That addition was unanimously approved. Schroth said it brings a sense of closure to this issue.
The board also approved employing Kelly Konitsky, Jonelle Dongilla, Ashley Jayne and Kristen Nunez as teachers within the district.
