LIGONIER — West Noble school board acted on five resolutions during a public hearing Monday night in the process of financing its building projects this fall.
The board agreed July 17 to proceed with planning for facility improvements and Americans with Disabilities accessibility upgrades at the high school football and track stadium.
Other summer projects, already underway, include construction of a ground-level fitness center and repurposing of the second-floor space into Pathway classrooms at the high school; an HVAC system at the middle school, air conditioning in the elementary school gymnasium and a new roof at the primary school.
Lisa Huntington of BakerTilly, a municipal financial advisor, opened the hearing with an explanation of flexible planning and the maximum estimates for a fall bond sale. She said the district may borrow an estimated maximum of $6.1 million, with an estimated maximum of $5.8 million available to spend. Interest on the bond will be an estimated maximum of $1.9 million, calculated at a maximum interest rate of 5.5% and assuming that the federal rate continues to trend upward.
Huntington said the district has existing debt service that is about to roll off. She estimated the tax rate effect to be between 4 cents and 12 cents per $100 of assessed evaluation, depending on factors such as the debt service roll-off, lower interest rates or an increase in assessed evaluation.
For example, Huntington said an average market price for a home in West Noble’s district is $144,000. At the estimated 4-cent tax rate increase, the homeowner would pay an additional $26.96 annually in property taxes.
No members of the public spoke for or against the building projects.
School attorney Randy Hesser took the board through the passage of the five required resolutions. Only the first one, the Project Resolution itself, drew any dissent with John Schwartz casting the lone “no” vote.
The Project Resolution authorizes the project plans with estimated costs, timing, impact and the maximum financial figures..
The board unanimously passed the other four resolutions for determining the need for the project in order to issue bonds; approving the preliminary plans, forming the lease and authorizing publication of the notice of hearing for the lease; reapproving the formation of the West Noble Building Corporation; and adopting the reimbursement resolution.
In the regular meeting that followed the public hearing, elementary principal Mark Yoder honored second-grader Andrea Glick with a certificate for not only passing the third-grade iRead state test a year early, but achieving a perfect score.
Yoder said some second-grade students were given an opportunity last year to take the test early. Second-graders who pass the test will not have to take the test again as third-graders.
In his superintendent’s report, Dr. Nate Lowe said the school buildings are fully staffed and ready for school to begin on Aug. 10. Ten new teachers are in the four-day orientation class in the morning and working in their buildings in the afternoon.
Lowe said he is meeting weekly with Elevatus architects, construction contractors and suppliers for the building projects, which are moving quickly on a short timeline.
In a related question, Lowe asked the board to consider options for construction management and sign-off on the final inspections when the projects are finished.
The board approved these personnel changes:
Retirements: Karen Records, elementary food service and bus driver, effective Aug. 2.
Resignations: Elizabeth Lindsay, high school guidance counselor, effective July 31; and Kirsten Alles, primary special education teacher, effective, July 31.
Certified Hiring: Ruthanne Easterling, elementary teacher; Abigail Richardson, elementary teacher; and Cynthia Owen, middle school teacher, from temporary to regular.
Classified Hiring: Makayla Lee, elementary applied skills program assistant; and MacKynzie Graber, primary early intervention program assistant.
Service Agreements: Chassy Gallmaier, high school freshman volleyball coach; Christian Hernandez, high school assistant boys soccer coach; Thalia Parson, high school volunteer assistant girls cross country coach; Cristian Roque, high school volunteer assistant boys cross country coach; and Dave Shields, high school volunteer assistant football coach.
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