The Carmi White County School board met Monday night, with a Fiscal Year 2025 Budget hearing held previous to the regular meeting at 6:45 PM. Scott Mareing was there and has this report…
Superintendent Jarrod Newell went over the figures, no one had any questions, so the hearing ended at 6:49PM and the board met immediately in regular session.
In the regular session, the board voted unanimously to approve the budget. Total receipts for all funds are projected as $20,425,586 with expenditures of $20,423,756. This results in a 2024-25 projected balance of $24,452,806 for all fund accounts. Newell said the budget continues to allow them to maintain the programs that are expected while providing dollars to maintain a positive teaching and learning environment.
The board also approved applying for the FY 25 School Maintenance Project Grant, which is a dollar-for-dollar state matching grant program providing awards up to $50,000 to grantees, exclusively for the maintenance or upkeep of buildings or structures for educational purposes. There is no limit to the cost of a project, but grant awards cannot exceed $50,000, and applicants must provide a match from local funds equal to the grant amount requested. Director of Building and Maintenance John Goematt and Superintendent Newell will meet with the architect to review possible projects.
In the Superintendent’s Report, the district’s sixth-day enrollment for the 2024-25 school year was 1,296, which is up four students from last year’s enrollment of 1,292. Also, an after-school tutoring program for qualifying district students in grades K-8 has begun now using district grant funds.
The Consent Agenda was approved. It includes the adoption of the Serious Safety Transportation Hazard Resolution as required by IDOT to certify that the serious safety hazards still exist; approval of the district’s FY24 Administrator and Teacher Salary and Benefits Report, which will be on the district’s website by October 1st; and approval of $900 in donations to the Brownsville Attendance Center.
The board went into Closed Session at 7:01 PM to discuss personnel.
In the executive session, Connie Elder submitted a letter of retirement as an individual aide at Jefferson Attendance Center; Chris Myers resigned as a high school assistant varsity wrestling coach, and Jade Brooks resigned as an individual aide at Brownsville Attendance Center. Melissa Cullison was reassigned to Lincoln Attendance Center as an assistant cook.
The employment of six people was approved as well. Sophrona Benham as the noon supervisor at Lincoln Attendance Center, Tabitha Lemmons as an assistant cook at Washington Attendance Center, Morgan Pringle for a special education classroom aide at Brownsville Attendance Center, Keith Moore as a bus driver and Junior High noon supervisor, Jace Carter as the 7th grade boys basketball coach, and Jeremy Jordan as a volunteer golf coach.
