The Eastern Pulaski School Board members held a public hearing Monday night on the proposed 2024 budget, Capital Projects Plan and Bus Replacement Plan.
According to the Notice to Taxpayers listing on the Indiana Gateway website, the Rainy Day Fund was advertised at $725,000, the Debt Service Fund at about $1.1 million, the Education Fund at about $8.9 million, and the Operations Fund at about $4.9 million. The total proposed budget is $15,701,777.
The three-year Capital Project Plan shows anticipated expenditures over $10,000 which includes classroom repairs, sport facility updates, and building improvements. The five-year Bus Replacement Plan shows the purchase of three new buses in 2024, and two new buses in 2025, 2026, and 2028. One new bus will be purchased in 2027.
Superintendent Dara Chezem said efforts are being made to keep tax rates low.
“We always advertise high because we know the DLGF [Department of Local Government Finance] will cut it, but our tax rate has been very steady for several years now,” stated Chezem. “In fact, we anticipate it actually going down a little bit. Out of 292 districts in the State of Indiana, we are about 30th from the bottom in having the lowest tax rate in the state. We are really proud with how we maintain our facilities and what we can do with taxpayer money and keep that tax rate low.”
The school board plans to adopt the 2024 budget Monday, October 23.
Additionally, the Eastern Pulaski School Board has come to a tentative agreement with the Eastern Pulaski Teachers Association and a public hearing on that agreement will be held tonight at 5:30 p.m. ET at the Meeting Conference Center at the Winamac Community High School.
