North Judson-San Pierre School board held a public hearing for a proposed lease agreement as well the 2018 school budget prior to their regularly scheduled meeting last night. They were specifically addressing the Capital Projects Fund and the Bus replacement fund during the hearing.
Treasurer Guy Richie explained that approximately 40 percent of the capital project funds go toward technology with the remaining funds being disbursed among things such as insurance, utilities and repairs. He also mentioned that the bus replacement fund is set up to allow the corporation to purchase three new buses in 2018.
Attorney Thomas Peterson addressed the board about the proposed lease agreement. He informed the board that the County Council’s approval of the lease agreement was received on Monday. Later Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin clarified that the lease agreement is how the school will be funding the $5.6 million worth of proposed projects. These projects include replacing damaged sidewalks, repairing roofs and other exterior issues, replacing lighting, upgrading the water heater system and a number of other needed repairs and renovations.
No public comments were provided during the hearing which allowed the board to adjourn and move forward with adopting the 2018 Capital Projects Plan, Bus Replacement Plan, advertised budget reduction resolution and the tax neutrality resolution.
The capital projects and bus replacement plans were adopted after receiving unanimous approval from board members. Before the budget reduction resolution was adopted, Richie explained the purpose of this resolution.
“When our 2018 budget is reviewed by the Department of Local Government Finance, they may find it necessary that some line items need to be reduced.” Richie said, “What you’re doing here is giving myself or the superintendent the power to make the decision on what items, you don’t have to come back and do a special meeting and we continue with budget at that point.”
The board members unanimously agreed to adopt the resolution, granting the treasurer and superintendent the power to make the call on what gets cut if the DLGF decides certain line items need reduced.
The final item up for adoption was the tax neutrality resolution. Richie said that the school has a severance pension fund that must be at a neutral cost to the tax payer. In order to do that other funds may need to be reduced, so the tax neutrality resolution grants the treasurer the ability to carry through with that action. The board unanimously approved the final item up for adoption.
The proposed lease agreement was discussed further during the regularly scheduled meeting.
