001Thank you, Pastor Balinger. Moving on to A3. I'm calling this meeting to order. It's the September 22nd board of trustees meeting for Huntington County Community Schools. And we'll go to A4. Roll call. Mrs. Gray. >> Mr. Allen. >> Here. >> Mr. Mlullen. >> Here. >> Mr. Meltchure. here. >> Mr. Wall >> here. >> Mrs. Hine >> here. >> Mr. Carl >> here. >> Mrs. Miller is absent. >> Thank you, Mrs. Gray. On to A5, revision of the agenda. Mr. Trout, do we have any revisions tonight? >> Yes, we have one uh for personnel. This item will be now E4 uh resignation of administrator. Uh Mike Sumpter, director of technology. um effective noon on December 10th, 2025. >> Thank you, Mr. Trout. I'll entertain a motion reference to revision. >> Make a motion we approve the
002uh revision of the agenda as presented. >> Thank you, Mr. Wall. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Carl. Any questions or discussion before we vote? Hearing none, we'll vote on the motion. Motion passes 6. The agenda is revised. Moving on to B1, public comment from visitors. This is an opportunity for the public to come forward and um comment to the board. I have no one signed up. Sorry, Cindy. I should have seen you earlier. That's an extra 50 steps. >> That was rude. >> You're going to be over in my seat beside her if you keep that. >> Somebody Somebody already brought it up to me. Sorry about that. Sorry. No one's signed up and no one coming forward. Uh we'll move on to item C1, special presentation, HNHS tree campus
003designation Arbor Day Foundation Award. Um it's always great and I mean this uh we always enjoy when Mr. Park comes and especially Mr. Park when you come with your students. Um it's just such a joy for all of us um to see all of you. And as always when Mr. Park comes, he's got great news. And so, uh, today board, I'm very proud to introduce Mr. Park and his students. So, if you guys would like to come to the podium, um, and then you get to get your pictures taken with all of us afterwards, too. But, uh, Mr. Park, we'll turn it over to you then. Well, it is always a pleasure to bring great news. Um, but I'm just simply the purveyor of information here. uh the wonderful people behind me and equally as
004important as the people who are in college right now who laid the groundwork for this who couldn't be here but will be here Friday night for homecoming um certainly are the ones that um deserve any sort of accolades. So last year, one of the things that we really wanted to do as part of the Huntington North High School green team is to um become a Tree Campus USA designation by the Arbor Day Foundation. And so um we we dug into some information and realized that they just don't hand these out. And so uh so what we had to do we basically had to do five different things. Uh the first thing we had to do is create uh a board of stakeholders and so uh we elected green team members. Um Jesse Bill is our
005uh president right now and we also had to have uh administration as part of that and uh Dr. DeGot stepped up to that and Mr. Hamill also gets a shout out because um he's uh laid a lot of the groundwork for this as well. Um as part of that as well, we have city leazison. Uh our uh city leazison is Katherine Lissania and uh she does part of their stewardship uh uh groundwork at the uh at the city level. And so it's really uh amazing to see all of these different factors all tie together um to uh to get this done. And uh the second thing we had to do is create some sort of funding source. And so uh with the help of our treasur and Dr. Deets, we were able to create an
006ECA account. Uh I know that sounds very business-like, but it's an important part to keep it sustainable uh from year to year. The third thing we had to do is create a tree management plan. And essentially what that means is we're taking an an inventory of every tree on our campus, which doesn't sound like a lot when you look at it from uh a satellite, but when you're walking, you know, 60 acres, uh that can be uh quite an interesting thing. And to do that, uh we're also going to be partnering with uh Dr. Hobbs over at the university and some of his students to doublech checkck our work on our inventory. Uh as part of that as well, uh we have to have a a tree management plan. Uh which means how are we
007going to take care of what we currently have and what are we going to do going forward. Um and then the next part was a community outreach. Each year we have to do some sort of community outreach. And last year we partnered with the city to uh plant 39 trees over at Crest View. And then we also planted four native trees here uh on our own campus. Um and then the last thing is uh obviously you have to recognize or do some sort of celebration uh for Arbor Day which is typically in April although that can vary. So last year we we coupled our celebration and our teaching part with uh teaching uh sixth, seventh, and eighth graders over at Crest View. um why we're planting native trees, the importance of that um and kind
008of our focus um and one of our purposes of that of course was to hopefully gr to generate some uh some excitement at the middle school level so that when we get up here we can just grab those kids right away and make them part of our team. Um and so with that, um I am pleased and honored to announce that Huntington North High School is the first high school in the state of Indiana designated as a tree campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in America. [Applause] Any questions? you know, I it's it's quite impressive what you and your students are doing. Um, and I know this is just the start. Um, what what you continue to do. Um, Mr. Park, we with your kids. We're just so excited and so grateful for you.
009So, thank you for your continued leadership and students. Um, what an what an incredible job that you all are doing and the legacy that you're leaving. So, thank you to all of you. It's it's it's absolutely incredible and we're proud of all of you. >> I'm going to echo that, Mr. Park. Um and all you ladies and gentlemen, um you may not understand at this point in your life exactly how important this is and how big this is. Um being the first in anything in state uh is a big deal. Um I'm old so um we don't have a lot of firsts in Huntington. um not in the state, but we got a few and they're all big deal. So, uh being the first high school to get this designation is a proud moment um
010for us. I know and I I certainly hope the rest of the community realizes how how really cool this is. So, thank you so much. So, what we would like to do is get our picture taken with you. We haven't done this for a few meetings. So, students, if you and Mr. park when I come up toward the front up here right in front of me and then board members and Jay and Chuck and Russ. No, I didn't know it was an option. If you guys would like to come forward and get your picture taken, too, that would be awesome. See Find Squeeze in a little bit. Can you squeeze in just a touch? There you go. Thank you. [Applause] All right, we can move on to item C2, health and wellness update, HCC CS.
011Mr. Brimberry, >> board, honored to have uh Meg Fson with us tonight to give us uh just an update. This isformational item to talk a little bit about how things are going in our district with uh some of the things that she's been working on. So Meg, thank you for joining us tonight. >> Thank you. Um, so I think I wanted to say thank you to Deb Miller because I think that she was the one that maybe said that suicide prevention month it's September. Um, let's get a little update on what our students are doing. So I just wanted to say thank you um to her for that. Um, so uh specifically we're doing a lot within mental health. Um, but because it's September and it is suicide prevention month, I just wanted to focus
012a little bit on that. Um, so we started this year with three different suicide prevention clubs. So we have um two at the middle schools and one at the high school. And all three of these clubs are under the umbrella of hope which is the adult group um in Huntington called Huntington Outreach Prevention and Empowerment. Um so we have one at Riverview, one at Crest View, and then the High Hopes Club is at um the high school. So at the beginning of September, Riverview did um an all seventh grade training. So, our seventh and eighth graders got trained in what does it mean to be a member of Hope in the Middle. So, that was pretty exciting. Um, they'll be getting, um, sixth graders coming in on board in January. And so, then that whole
013school will be trained. Um, also in September, uh, Cresview did a 988 day. So, this was new to me that now September 8th is a day that we celebrate 988. So, making sure that every single person knows that there is a phone number that you can call. Um, all the board members got magnets tonight in case you didn't have one um that you can give to a friend or put on your fridge. Um, but they did a 988 celebration and um made a big bulletin board display to just let people know um that 988 is the number to call. And Riverview and Crest continue to do campaigns all year. So, yes, September is a big month for us, but they continue to do campaigns. At Riverview, they call it a um big share or a
014show up and go. And if you ever had the chance to go to Riverview and see them put on one of these, it's almost like a performance. The kids spend a month or two months just planning these big events and then they hold them at lunch. Um, and it just gets the whole school into it, like the whole culture into it. So, it's pretty exciting. Um, Crest View is also working um to send out their applications for their sixth grade. Um, so you would not believe the energy in the middle schools to be part of Hope in the Middle. And it's not something like underground that the kids don't know that this is about suicide prevention or this is about mental health. They know exactly what the group or the club is about and they
015really want to be part of it. So they know that this is something important. So it's really exciting to see sixth graders that are like clamoring. They're like, "Oh my goodness, I really want to be part of that um group." So I felt pretty special today because I got an email that um a kid wants me to be like their recommendation like fill out the recommendation for the club and this is like a top-notch kid. So, I'm super excited that he wants to get involved. Um, coming up, both of our middle schools are going to help um support our counselors with anti-bullying week, which comes up in October, and then um substance abuse prevention, which we're going to be um doing in the spring this year. Our high school students um really spent most of
016the first quarter um planning for the Walk for Hope. So, that was this Saturday. Um, so we had not only all of the community came out, but we had tables there so that our community could see what our students are doing. So we had a hope in the middle table, we had a high hopes table, and we had a diversity club table. So all of our clubs that are focusing on mental health and suicide prevention were um represented there. Our high school students also um broke out into four groups this last week when we met and they're going to be working on a bunch of different campaigns, but specifically um what's coming up is an anti-bullying campaign where we're looking at language and that the words we say can either help other people or hurt
017other people and what that looks like, especially in the high school setting. Um high school students will also be tableabling at the football game on Friday. So, this is the second year in the in a row where homecoming has been um in September and we've had a high hopes club. Um so, we get the word out about 988. We get the word about out about suicide prevention at a game where there's a whole lot of people um that are attending. So, we feel like that's important. Um something that I'm really excited about and I hope I can come back in May and talk about this. Um but we received a grant last year from a program in in in Indianapolis that is called One and Five. And if you're interested in it, um, if you
018do Google it, type out one in five, like all the letters, not the numbers. Um, but we received a grant to start a peer-to-peer counseling program. So, more and more research is showing us that students do want to get help, but they also want to talk to somebody that is their age. Um, so this is an opportunity for us to train up students who are juniors and seniors to be able to learn about um, counseling and listening and really be paired up with students who want to talk to a peer about what's going on in their lives. Um, so we're really really excited about that. And applications for that will go out to high school students um who are going to be juniors or going to be seniors um in the 2627 school year and
019those will go out in um January. And um just a a little other thing uh I just have like really been blessed to just have this position in general that the board and the admin is supporting that this position even exists in the school district. Um, I'm having so much fun in this job. Uh, so I get to on Mondays I spend the day in the Cougar success classes and teaching preventative skills and mental health uh to kids at Crest View. And then on Fridays I get to spend my day at Riverview doing the same kind of classes with Riverview students. Um, it has been such a joy to just be in there and talking to kids and working with kids that need just a little bit of extra support. Um, I've also been able
020to teach in the health classes. Um, this is just kind of everybody. So, this is a tier one outreach. Um, so I've been able to teach in the sixth and eighth grade health classes, like a specific mental health lesson, and then YSB comes in and does the lifelines um, lesson. So, very, very exciting. Um, I also just wanted to let you know that all of our counselors like in the district are reading The Anxious Generation. So, if this is a book that you have not read yet and you're thinking, "What should I read because I have nothing else to do, you should read this book. This is fantastic." Um, and I just highly, highly recommend it. So, as counselors, we're going through it um all together. So, I thought it would be super fun for
021you guys to get to be involved in something. So, you each have one of these um at your table. if you just want to write your name on it. Um, Crest View is going to be doing um a new campaign for anti-bullying. Um, the idea is connection is protection. So, as a student, if you are connected to other students, if you're connected to a school, you are protected um by like the harms of having negative mental health in your life or um thoughts of suicide. So, if you write your name on it and you pass it over to Jay, um then I will add you on a really big connected um it'll go through the entire school. Um but you guys can be part of that as somebody who um supports students that are in
022our school district. So, thank you very much for letting me come and talk. Um and I'm just really excited about all that we have coming up in the future. >> Thank you, Meg. Uh Mr. Allen and Mr. Trout. I I want to echo a couple things from that Meg talked about uh that she's been working on our secondary schools, but she is a tremendous asset to our school system, is doing amazing work with our kids. Um I talk to me frequently and her excitement to help our kids is uh inspiring. So Meg, thank you on behalf of director of secondary education. All you're doing with the kids, I know it's a busy job, but I know you love it. So thank you again. And if you want to come back and talk, come back anytime.
023>> Thank you, Mrs. Freezen. Thank you, Mr. Brimberry. Move on to item D, finance D1, financial reports, August 2025. Mrs. Smith, >> good evening. It is the finance show this evening, so um bear with me as we go through a lot of stuff this evening. Um first, we'd like to go through the um financial statements that ended in August. And if we'll go to the first one, which is the customary um funds, main fund um education fund. And you'll see here um our total for the year to year-to- date actual is a little over um $27 million. And then you'll see also the expenditures a little over $27 million. You'll see over to the right there that we're about um 66 and a half% through the year. and all of our um our budgets that
024we have spent so far is about 56.5. So So that is really good for the district that that we're in through August and we're lower than um our um year and also um lower than our revenues that we received. So that's good for the district right now. Um August, as a reminder, was a three payroll month. So you'll see um that stated and reflected in the salaries and benefits of course. So um as you come down to the totals, you'll see the the total uh fund balance is a little over um $16.2 million with approximately 168,000 and some change um in outstanding purchase orders. So we're right on target for this time of year for our education fund as you can see. Before we move on, I haven't asked you a question in a long
025time, so I thought I'd ask. We're as we're getting ready for budget se or in budget season and stuff like that. I was just going to ask >> uh from the the revenue standpoint, >> we budgeted that last year about this time trying to figure that >> did we budget well? Did we did we think we did it or or is how how how would you say our forecast was? So you can see here by the um looking at that revenue line item that'll tell you that in the actual budget because the budget was prepared between um June, July, August, and September last year. Of course, that's before we know our ADM count and before the new funding formula kicks in. So we had approximately 40 million. If you go all the way to the
026right there, you'll see um that 67% of our revenue um received. And then when you look at the blue box down below, it says that 66.58%. So that's pretty darn close. 66.58% during through the year and we're at 67.03. So we're about spot on. >> I just wanted to make sure and prove I thought that's what the case, but I just wanted to have you to your own horn. So good job. >> Thanks. And then next we'll go um through the debt service fund and you'll see no activity for the month of August. As a reminder, we received the majority of our revenue in um June and December and also pay our amortization schedules in June and December. So that's why you you do not see any activity for August for debt service fund. And
027then we'll talk a little bit about debt service fund later on in the agenda item for additional appropriation. Then next you'll see our operations fund which is our other main fund um in the district um opposite of the education fund for our overall operations. And you'll see this also um our our revenue that we've received so far um a little over $10.7 million. Our expenditures um 12.9 and just wanted to talk about those. that is by design that the board approve some additional projects to be um spent out of our operations fund for this year per our capital projects plan. So all that is by design um from last year's budget adoption and you'll see there um our total fund balance is about uh $3 million and just to show um to point out that
028negative for the incumbrances is back years of um bus replacement plan that we're still waiting on. So those will be um throughout this next year in different um spurts as we receive some of our buses. So it'll it'll cross budget years. >> So since I asked about revenue, I'm going to ask about this one too because I know our interest in miscellaneous expenses are way up. >> Are we still being conservative on that one because we don't know what's going to happen with interest rates >> exactly? So, this was done, if you think of that, this was done a year ago in planning, less than a year ago actually, in August. And then, um, interest rates changed at the beginning of 2025, definitely to our favor. So, you'll see we projected 637,000. We've already doubled
029that. So, that's a good thing. >> And some of that was also due to our uh relationship with Everwise, too, right? >> Yep. With Everwise and signing that new um I is it four or five years, I think, Mr. Trout. Five. a five-year um fixed interest rate, which is very um it's an advantage for the district to do that because if the interest rate changes at all in the future, we are set at that fixed rate. So, it was a very good thing for the district to do. And then the next one, last but not least, is our rainy day fund. So, you'll see um no activity also in the rainy day fund. this um this uh activity for 2025 was to carry forward purchase orders from last year's budget that was carried forward this
030year. And you'll see all the budget has been spent and no new budgets have been spent out of um rainy day fund for 2025. And then um that is it for the regular ones. And then we have our customary um comparison where if you scroll down, yep, right there you'll see um how we compare each of the years um per month for the education fund. And you'll see the differences between um from 2019 all the way to August of 2025. And that um like we indicated earlier when we're going through the individual financials, that 16.2 2 um million dollar cash balance which is good for our district. And then um the the next one is our other major fund that we talked about and that is our operations fund. And the difference in our operations
031fund one was by design doing a couple extra um uh capital projects in there and then also as a reminder that August was a three pay month. So, we have our operations um individuals, the employees that are paid oper out of operations. So, you'll see that balance back out in September with September going back to a two-ay month. And then also in your board packet, you'll see your um the normal um receipts and expenditures full list of all funds attached in your board docs. And that is it for the regular August for financials. I'd be happy to answer any more questions the board may have at this time. Thank you, Mrs. Smith. I'll entertain a motion reference the financial report. >> Make a motion we approve the financial report as presented for August 2025. >>
032Thank you, Mr. Wall. Is there a second? >> Thank you, Mr. Mlen. Any questions or comments for Mrs. Smith before we vote? Hearing none, we will vote on the motion. Motion passes 6. Moving on to D2 2026 budget hearings. Mrs. Smith. >> Great. Thank you very much. Um Cindy, if you can go to the next slide here. Um as a reminder, there are three major steps to the budget process. So the first step is when we hold the budget workshop and we ask for permission to advertise. We did that on September 8th. Our next step is the budget hearings that we'll have this evening. And then our third step is the adoption that we plan for the next um board meeting on October um 13th. And then um the department of local government finance is
033um by indic supposed to issue our final approved budget order um in December of 2025. So, like I indicated, tonight is um our second major step in the budget process where we hold three separate budget hearings for the 2026 budgets, the capital projects plan and the bus replacement plan. And then just a recap of our major sources of revenue for our education fund is our tuition support, our basic grant that comes from the funding formula based on our average daily membership, our ADM. So, so far for um 2526 our um count has remained stable as um last year and however our count date is October 1st. So, we won't know that finalized um certified amount till later in October. And then just like we indicated before uh the education fund uh is what the name
034apply implies and that is that direct instruction education related to um students. So that is all of our school buildings all the staff that are in the school buildings. You'll see there the teachers um IAS uh their benefits um special services summer school all those different types of things that are um directly aimed toward um students are in our education fund. And then our operations fund um the revenue comes from property taxes. So it has what we call a maximum levy. A levy is the same um word as property taxes. And the state does a formula for us and has a a growth quotient in there each year for cost of living. Um at this time it has that in the legislative session. As you know they tried to take that out this last time
035but it got put back in of 4%. So, our maximum levy for 2026 was a little over 12 mill billion dollars there. For the circuit breaker impact, however, we have an estimate of $3.3 million. Those final amounts um are supposedly supposed to be coming out this month of September. We were supposed to get those by um August 1st and not all districts in the state of Indiana have received that. However, when we went to um publish our form three for our advertisement, the the state had this $3.31 million as an estimate on that form, even though we have not received the the official report from that. So, this fund also has the um transfers that come from our education fund into this operations fund. And as a reminder to the board and to the public,
036in 2019 they um discontinued the general fund, the capital projects fund, the bus replacement fund, and the transportation operating fund. From the old general fund, there used to be four categories. Two of those stayed and created the education fund. Two of the other categories moved to the operations fund. When that movement happened, the revenue did not move with those expenditures. So, we still get 100% of the tuition support revenue in our education fund and then by Indiana code we're allowed to transfer up to 15% to cover those other two categories that move to the education fund. Will they ever catch up and separate that money? Have no clue. We thought it would be done by now and here we are from 2019 to 2026 budget and it still hasn't been done. So, we will see.
037Our average um amount that we transfer is between 11 and 14%. So, we're well under that 15% threshold um that they that they have set for districts. And then next you see um our capital projects plan uh for the district which is a three-year plan and it's composed of uh two different sections. One are projects that are exceed the $10,000 threshold and any kind of um equipment that is over um expenditures over 10,000. And that is a list that is gathered of all the things that we we might want to do in the district under the uh operations fund only. So this doesn't include projects that you might take from that plan and do under a general obligation bond or a lease. But however, we list all kinds of things on that plan and then
038as funding is available then we can pick things off that. So, like we indicated um before during the budget workshop that we do have a lot of things on there. We won't be able to fund all those, but it gave the um the board and the district the uh autonomy to pick and choose from them when that time comes in 2026 since this budget is from January to December. So then we would coordinate um which ones we would want to fund from that plan from the operations fund and what we might want to do with future um debt service. And then moving on, you'll see our bus replacement plan, which is for a five-year period. We um anticipate replacing approximately seven um buses in 2026. I believe we've already done the um intent to purchase,
039you know, from um that doesn't mean that we are held to that, but it lets them know that we're interested in replacing up to seven buses. Then after the board um has approved and adopted all the budgets, they've gone and got certified, then in January, we can confirm that number and do a purchase order to the U manufacturer for those buses. >> How many years are we out on buses? >> So this is um a three-year plan. >> Oh, I mean a five-year plan. >> Yeah, we have some behind behind. That's what I should say. >> I'm sorry. We were, I think, about six to seven years behind on our bus replacements in the past. So that's why over the last several years, you'll see that from um started in 2023, 2024, five, and six.
040Now we are making up for that. And I believe we have about three more years to catch up from those other years. So we've made significant strides in getting back to um to our regular replacement plan. Now, we've been very strategic with um um transportation in looking at uh those replacements of buses because they're supposed to be 12 years old. We have some that are older than that, of course. But when we do the bus replacement plan, we are looking at everything from mileage to to see which ones would go before another, you know, if they have high mileage or repair costs. So, we look at all things. We look at the years that's old, the mileage, and the um repair cost to put those in priority order. >> And so the next question, we
041order these in January supposedly. How long will it take for them to get in? >> It depends on which manufacturers we're doing. There's two main manufacturers in the state of Indiana. One is almost two years behind. So that's why that's why you see that negative. >> That's what I was asking about that negative, too. >> Yeah. So we're a year and a half still behind on that number and then this. So there are um talks with different manufacturers um other than what we use right now that we might use in the future that would have them within a year. So we're still looking at that. I think a lot of districts have gone to different manufacturers, but there's pros and cons to that because it's different types of bus, all those different things um for
042the mechanics to work on. So we'll still look at that in the future. U Mr. Bin Mary will be working with transportation on that to see um if we can shore those up, but we do have the funds set aside for that. So um we have no problems with the funding part and um making sure that when they come in that we're able to get them right away and get them on the road. And then the debt service fund um is like we indicated is our regular um debt service fund that we do bonds and leases. And instead of um like some districts have of course this debt service fund, all districts in Indiana have a debt service fund that they use for um major repair and replacement type things. So that could be roofing,
043it could be paving, it could be lighting, it could be painting, all those types of things that that our operations fund doesn't have enough in because of that maximum levy availability um to spend in there from that maximum levy. So we only get so much money in that operations fund and then our debt service fund helps us with all of our um long-term um planning and regular upkeep of our buildings. And then we of course we have um our debt service fund where we can do either long um bonds or leases through the debt service fund and then we pay those back over so many years. Then next you'll see um our uh advertisements. So, our advertisements that we're required to do from our last board meeting, you'll see those um on the um Huntington
044website and then it's also published in on the gateway website, which is the state website where um all the public can go to and see everything that's posted for the school district. So, under our website, you'll see the the path there to the 2026 budget, which has our whole um entire budget workshop presentation in there. our form three, which is the notice to taxpayers, letting them know that we were having this um public hearing this evening, and also the adoption at the the next board meeting. And then it also has our um capital projects plan, our three-year plan, and then our five-year bus replacement plan. And just a reminder, even though those plans, the capital projects plan and the bus replacement plan are multiple years, you're only held actually to the first year. And then
045if if the board so chooses to change any of that, they can do that each one of the regular budget years if they so choose. So next you'll see um the notice to taxpayers. This is just um a picture of that information um between the two um of what it looks like on the websites. And same thing with the capital projects plan notice to taxpayers along with the two sections that have for the projects on the next page. And then the equipment also on the following page. And then next you'll see our bus replacement plan and it's also divided um from our notice to taxpayers. And then on the next page, you'll see um the first three years of the plan. And then on the next pa page, you'll see the last two years and
046then the totals on the bottom. And then last but not least, um holding our budget adoption on October 13th of 2025. So that is what I have um this evening to recap the 2026 budgets. And then next I would ask um if you have any questions before we open um three separate public hearings uh for the budget. Does the board have any questions that I could help answer before we open it for public hearings? >> I just want to say thank you Becky. Um you've put a enormous amount of time, energy, and effort into this. It's thorough. It's spoton. It's to the penny. Um, I'm incredibly proud of you and your work and and for everything that you've provided for us. So, thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Any questions for Mrs. Smith? >> And
047if not, I'd ask one more page then. You'll see um I believe it's on the back page of that Cindy. I think it was one more page, but >> next page. >> Yep. And this is where I would ask the board president to um open and close the three public hearings, one for the 2026 budgets, an additional one for the capital projects plan, and last but not least, the third one for the bus replacement plan. >> Thank you, Mrs. Smith. We will now open the public hearing. Remember, if you'd like to speak, please sign in on the sign-in sheet, which is located at the podium. As mentioned earlier, we ask you to state your name and address, limit your comments to the proposed project and finance, keep any comments to three minutes, and avoid being
048repetitive if possible. Anyone has signed up for the signup sheet? Would anyone like to come up and speak? Okay, you're hearing no one come to the to the podium. Thank everyone who's participated in the hearing. We appreciate the time and interest in the projects and future of our community. Please note that this is the first step in the legal process. The board will continue to work with the administration and its professionals to look for efficiencies to conserve tax dollars while meeting our educational needs. Moving on to the capital projects hearing. We will now open that public hearing. This may sound similar to what I just said because it's verbatim the same. Remember, if you'd like to speak, please sign in on the sign signin sheet which is located at the podium. As I mentioned earlier,
049we ask you to state your name and address. Limit your comments to the proposed project and financing. Keep any comments to three minutes. and avoid being repetitive if possible. Does anybody wish to come up and speak to the board? No one having come forward like to thank everyone who participated in the hearing. We appreciate your time and interest in the projects and the future of our community. Hey, I'm reading this whether you guys like it or not. Please note that this is the first step in the legal process. The board will continue to work with the administration and its professionals to look for efficiencies and to conserve tax dollars while meeting our educational needs. We will move on to the bus replacement plan. You may recognize it from the previous two. We will now open
050the public hearing. Remember, if you'd like to speak, please sign in on the sign-in sheet which is located at the podium. As mentioned earlier, we ask that you state your name and address, limit your comments to the proposed project and financing, keep any comments to three minutes, and avoid being repetitive if possible. We have movement. Is anyone interested in speaking? No one having come forward, I'd like to thank everyone who participated in the hearing. We appreciate your time and interest in the projects and the future of our community. Please note that this is the first step in the legal process. The board will continue to work with the administration, its professionals to look for efficiencies and to conserve tax dollars while meeting our educational needs. We will now move on to D3, additional appropriation for
051debt service 2025. >> Hello, me again. Imagine that. Um, next you'll see um on the screen when Cindy has a chance to bring it up. If you recall last year, we did a general obligation bond in the fall for um the 2024 um general obligation bond. When we did that, we already had the um budget already completed at that time and um this additional appropriation was not built in. So as we did the actual final budgets through the certification at the end of the year through the department of local go finance they were able to um include that in there but not on the budget side where you have the approval to spend the money. So this um by approving and um asking if any public needed to um wanted to speak this evening it
052does not raise the tax rate. It doesn't do anything like that. and it just gives us the approval to spend to pay that payment from last year's general obligation bond moving forward. So in the future now um because of the unknown during the budget process, we have built in future anticipated debt. So then we automatically have the appropriation and then they would reduce that appropriation to whatever the actual is in the December certification. So we have prepared for that in the future. So we should not have to do an additional appropriation in the future under debt service because we've built it in um automatically now. >> Thank you, Mrs. Smith. >> So we would be asking if any public wanted to talk about this. If not, then we would be asking for the board to
053approve this resolution um as presented. >> Would anyone like to come forward and speak to the board? Hearing none, I'll entertain a motion references item. >> Recommend approval of the additional appropriation for the dead service 2025 as presented. >> Thank you, Mr. Wall. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Mrs. Heine. Any questions or comments for Mrs. Smith before we move? >> Just to clarify, I think you said this, but I want to make it in my own language. >> Sure. >> This is for the 2024 geo bond. Yes. Not anything that we may approve later this evening. >> Got it. appropriation to be able to pay the payment from the 2024 general obligation bond from last year to make that payment for this year for the approval to spend that money out
054of the debt service. >> Thank you, Mrs. Smith. Any other questions? hearing. None. We'll vote on the motion. Motion passes 6. Thank you, Gary. We'll move on to D4, 2025 geo bond project hearing. This item on the agenda is for the board to hold a project hearing on the proposed geo bond projects. If you are interested in speaking at the hearing, please make sure you have signed the sign-in sheet, which should include your name and address. After a presentation by the administration and its adviserss, there will be an opportunity for the public to make comments about the project. At this specific hearing, we will ask that each person limit their comments to three minutes and that the topic be limited to the proposed projects under consideration. The notice of this hearing was published and as
055legally required. At this time, I will ask Superintendent Trout to explain the purpose of this hearing. Uh, thank you, Mr. Allen. Pursuant to Indiana Code 20-26-7-37, before a school corporation may spend more than a million dollars to build, repair, or alter a school building that will be financed by a lease or bonds, it must hold a public hearing at which explanations of the potential value of the project to the school corporation and community are given. Uh, this public hearing and consideration resolution represents the beginning of the legal process. The resolutions presented at this meeting establish the financial terms for the proposed project. >> We will now hear from Mr. Trout about the process of determining and communicating the projects to the community and the need for the projects. At the August 21st, 2025 work session,
056we reviewed um the next potential projects and held discussions on the importance of facility projects that need to be addressed in the future. Based upon uh these discussions, we bring to you this evening the details and resolutions to address our upcoming facility needs. >> Thank you, Mr. Trout. We will now hear from Mr. Thornsbury about how the proposed projects meet the needs as just described. >> Okay. >> Project one, secure entry vestibules, new secure entry vestibules at the Andrews Elementary, Flint Springs Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, and add security, add access controls to door one at ceremony. Uh a needs addressed would be make building safer and more secure, timing construction during the summer of 2026. Uh project two, high school window replacement. Replace a large portion of existing exterior single pane window systems with insulated glass
057and add ballistic film. Address needs make building safer and more secure as well as increase the insulation value of the windows for improved building efficiency timing construction during the summer of summer and fall of 2026. Project three, exterior building maintenance. Exterior building and masonry maintenance at Andrews Elementary, Flint Springs Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Crestview, and Riverview. Address needs, maintain building exteriors in order to minimize future issues, and maintain life cycle of buildings. Timing construction during the summer and fall of 2026. Project four, high school arena ceiling repaint. Remove existing layers of paint from arena ceiling system and repaint. address needs. Remove loose paint and replace with new paint to improve over overall appearance of arena. Timing con construction during the summer of 2026. Horseman HVAC replacement. Replace VAV variable air volume air handler and VAV units
058throughout building. Address needs. Replace updated HVAC equipment and replace with new, more efficient equipment. Timing construction during the summer of 2026 or 2027. Project six. Salomony natiatorum and locker room demo. Remove existing niatorum, natitorium locker rooms and associated HVAC equipment from building. Renovate or add new restrooms to accommodate gymnasium. Address needs. Remove unused or unutilized underutilized portions of the building in order to decrease maintenance and energy cost. Timing construction during the summer or fall of 2026. >> Thank you, Mr. Thornsberry. We will now hear from Becky Smith about how the proposed projects will be financed as well as information about the effect on the typical property taxpayer. >> Great. Thank you. Um Cindy will go through um the slides for me and this was prepared um from our um financial advisor Baker Tilly and this
059was presented also um previously at uh the work session. So, as we go next, we will see the existing uh debt for uh our projects. I don't see the little lines there. It's not showing up very well, but um let's go and go to the next one. So, not There we go. So, there is the dollar amounts for our existing debt service. So, that is kind of u mimics what I went through with the financials of what you're accustomed to seeing um for payments for each of the years. and I go through each month uh for that. And then in the next slide, you'll see um our bonding capacity. So, we have a certain formula that the state does for our bonding capacity. And this lets us know that our estimated general obligation bond capacity
060is up to 12.5 million um that we're available to um be able to do till we hit our max for our um general obligation bonds. So then moving on, you'll see um this is just the the financing information of our uh options that we have in um two years in one month or five years in one month. You'll see that there and the differences uh that that that provides. And then moving on is uh the existing debt just in a in a graph form to see uh what that presently presently looks like. and then moving on um for the difference of it paid within uh the five years or one year and and that is it actually. Uh so that was quick. It's a quick um refresher from what we've had in the past and
061as a reminder that that this does not raise uh the tax uh rate. So we would do this within um the the guides of staying under the 40 uh cent threshold. We usually stay between 3 point um 39.5 to 39.9 um for our tax rate. So this will put us right in line with our um existing tax rate and um puts us under the threshold for our uh tax rate for our debt service fund. I'd be happy to answer any questions on financing the board may have um at this time. And if not, then we would go um to hold the the project hearing which um Mr. Trouty talked about um with financing over a million dollars uh that this is required and is o hear the hearing's open to the public. >> Thank you,
062Mrs. Smith. Are there any questions from Mrs. Smith before she steps away? All right, hearing none, we will now open the public hearing. Remember, if you'd like to speak, please sign in on the sheet which is located at the podium. As mentioned earlier, we ask that you state your name and address. Limit your comments to the proposed project and financing. Keep any comments to three minutes. Avoid being repetitive if possible. May I have the signin sheet? Do we have a speaker? >> Becky, if you'll just flip that sheet over for me, please. >> No one come forward. We appreciate everyone that's participated in our hearing. We appreciate your time and interest in the projects and the future of our community. Please note that this is the first step in the legal process. The board will
063continue to work with the administration and its professionals to look for efficiencies to conserve tax dollars while meeting our educational needs. We will now move on to agenda item D5, adoption of 2025 project resolution. Thank you, Mr. Allen. The proposed renovation and of and improvements to school facilities including building and safety, security, window replacement, exterior building maintenance, interior build painting, HVAC improvements, and the Ceremony Nuditorium and locker room demo and restroom renovation. other deferred maintenance improvements and the purchase of equipment and technology is collectively what we call this project. Uh a reminder to you, the project resolution is required when the school is planning to spend more than a million dollars on given facility or type of work. It contains the estimated hard and soft construction cost and the cost of an issuance and establishes
064the total project cost. It also contains the estimated tax impact. >> Thank you, Mr. Trout. I'll entertain a motion reference adopting the project resolution. >> I'll make a motion to adopt the project res project resolution as presented. >> Thank you, Mr. Melture. Is there a second? >> Thank you, Mr. Mlullen. Any discussion? We will now vote on the motion. Motion passes 6. We will now move on to agenda item D6, adoption of 2025 preliminary bond resolution. Mr. Trout. >> Thank you, Mr. Allen. The board finds that the school corporation's debt service fund tax rate as of this date hereof is 3950. And the board finds that there are not sufficient funds available or provided for in existing tax levies which to pay the cost of the renovation and improvements to the school facilities including building
065and safety and security, window replacement, exterior building maintenance, interior painting, HVAC improvements and ceremony nuditorium and locker room demo and restroom renovation. other deferred maintenance improvements and the purchase of equipment and technology is what we consider to be in this project. And that the school corporation shall issue bonds in the amount not to exceed $6,600,000 for the purpose of providing funds to be applied on the project and that the bonds and such matchment amounts should now be authorized. The preliminary bond resolution contains the project cost for the project maximum interest rate and other financial terms such as the first interest payment date and maturity bonds dates of the bonds all with respect to the issuance of general obligation bonds. >> Thank you, Mr. Trout. I'll entertain a motion to adopt the preliminary bond resolution. Motion
066to approve the 2025 pre preliminary bond resolution. >> Thank you, Mr. Meltchure. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Hall. Any discussion? >> We will now vote on the motion. Motion passes 6. We'll now move to agenda item D7, adoption of 2025, reimbursement resolution. Mrs. Smith. >> Sure. Thank you. Um as indicated with the the previous two um action items, the reimbursement resolution is um in case we pay any preliminary cost related to the project in advance of receiving receiving the bond proceeds. So there's a um bond timeline uh that we go through where we have all these legal steps and within that timeline uh before the bonds are actually sold and we receive the funds at the school district. There's usually about 45 days in between that. Upon that time, we
067may have um different fees that come in per um any kind of legal fees that we may have, bond council fees, um financial advisor fees or anything like that. This resolution allows the district to um pay those fees and then get reimbursed with the pro bond proceeds once we receive those funds. So what we do in the financial system, we open up a new fund and then we pay those um those fees or anything that might come in before those bond proceeds due and then reimburse that fund once we do get it um all the the $6.6 million from the proceeds. So, we would ask for the board to approve this um reim um intent to reimburse expenditures exhibit C as presented. >> Thank you, Mrs. Smith. I'll entertain a motion to adopt the re
068reimbursement resolution. >> I make a motion we uh adopt the 2025 reimbursement resolution as presented. >> Thank you, Mr. Wall. And a second. >> Second. Thank you, Mr. Melture. Any discussion? We will now vote on the motion. Motion passes 6. >> Thank you. >> Moving on to D8, Horseman Retirement Advantage and HCCSC agreement. Mr. Trout. >> Thank you, Mr. Allen. These are the official documents uh for us as a district uh to begin our professional relationship with horseman retirement advantage. Um, we have been as a district with Valet Corebridge and and with the support of our Huntington County Teachers Association and prior to Mr. Mclofflin's resignation um he led this initiative uh to move our organization to horseman um to the to the horseman retirement advantage and so I am seeking your uh approval of
069the documents that are enclosed. >> Thank you, Mr. Trout. I'll entertain a motion. I reference the approval of this item. >> Motion to approve the horseman retirement advantage and HCCSC agreements as presented. >> Thank you, Mr. Meltchure. Is there a second? >> Thank you, Mr. Mlen. Any discussion or questions before we vote? >> I'm happy we don't have to do those individually. >> I'm happy we don't have to do those individually because there's a lot of them. Thank you, Mr. Wall. We'll go ahead and vote on the motion. Motion passes 6. Moving on to D9. Omni compliance services and HCCSC agreement. >> Yes. uh the need to approve this uh agreement this evening with OMNI TSA uh CG compliance services um and the Huntington County Community School Corporation agreement really is for the following reasons.
070Um this uh organization is a third party administrator for Horseman Retirement Advantage. And so by signing these documents or approving these documents this evening, this allows this organization to process all financial related items for our employees. They this organization works directly with horseman horseman retirement advantage group and has the ability to sign all necessary documentation and there is no cost uh to us or our employees for the use of these services. >> Thank you, Mr. Trout. I'll entertain a motion reference this item. >> Motion to approve the authorization of agency agreement 401A adoption agreement and 403B adoption agreement between HCCSC and Omni and TSA CG compliance services as presented. >> Well done. Is there a second? >> Second. Thank you, Mrs. Thank you, Mr. Meltchure. Whoa. Um, is there any quick questions or comments before
071we vote? Hearing none, let's vote on the motion that Mr. Melture so elegantly put for us. Motion passes 6. Moving on to the to E1 to six. I check. I guess the items 1 to six consent agenda. Mr. Trouts. >> I'm going to focus this evening on the uh personnel uh report as I mentioned to you earlier and I appreciate your approval of the resignation of uh Mr. Michael Sumpter as the director of technology uh board. I will be going out if if you approve this evening to meet with the technology team on Wednesday morning uh to design a process for replacement. Um we will be first initially looking at an interim uh director's position and I'll be working directly with the team on that and then eventually uh applying you know making uh a
072posting for a director of technology here uh sometime later part of October. Also I want to draw your attention to uh we are recommending a new payroll specialist and that is Kaylee Nelson. Uh Kaylee, as you'll notice, is also resigning from her HR payroll assistant position. I am really excited to have Kaylee come on board. Um I think she's also equally excited. We're we're looking forward to having her uh bring her talents and skills uh to this department um along the way. Uh continue to be uh amazed with those in our community who continue to donate to our school district. So, I am asking for your approval of the all the consent agenda items E 1- 6. >> Thank you, Mr. Trout. I'll entertain a motion reference to consent agenda. >> Make a motion to
073approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Thank you, Mr. Wall. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Meltchure. Any questions or discussion before we vote? Hearing none, we'll vote on this motion. Motion passes 6. Moving on to item F1, administrative guideline 6550, travel payment and reimbursement policy. >> Yes, board. This is our second reading this evening. Um what I am seeking your approval on the only change to this uh document as we mentioned last time is specifying under B for transportation that the gratuitity cannot exceed uh 20% all other uh items in this uh agenda guideline has not changed. So I'm seeking your approval this evening. >> Thank you Mr. Trout. I'll take a motion reference this uh item. >> Recommend we approve the administrative guidelines 6550 travel policy and reimbursement as
074presented. >> Thank you, Mr. Wall. Is there a second? >> Thank you, Mr. Mlullen. Any comments or discussion before we vote? Hearing none, we'll vote on the motion. motion passes 51. Moving on to item F2, volume 37, number two, policies and administrative guideline updates. uh board, you will notice that there is an extensive volume of the schoolboard policies, administrative guidelines um that I'm bringing before you um this evening. This is only the first reading. If once you read through these, you have any comments, questions, concerns, whatever they may be, please notify me. Uh we'll sit down, we'll look at these. Um, I do want you to know that um, a special thank you to Mrs. Gray who has been an instrumental part of this, but these are the end. These are the last set of
075schoolboard policies for us to be uh, uh, fully on board and up to date on all our policies and administrative guidelines. So, over the next two weeks, >> it's that easy. >> Yes, just as I wish. Uh but if seriously if if the next two weeks if you have any comments, questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to me. >> Thank you, Mr. Trout. Any questions before we move on? >> On the list here, uh it looks like there's 68 items on the list and >> maybe 64 listed below. >> There's there's there's four of them missing. >> Four of them missing that are on the list. >> Like four links missing. 2131 V1 and then PO 5517 and AG5517, but I haven't found which is the fourth one. >> Okay, we'll we'll look
076at those and we'll get them to you. Okay, thank you. >> Anything further? >> Move on to item G1, items of discussion by board members. Anything they'd like to say? We the car show last Saturday. We made just size $1,700. Mrs. McCoy will to blessings in a backpack and she will be bringing that check to you at some point to a board meeting. >> Great. Great. That's great news. Carrie, anything else? >> I don't know if you want to mention it, but the full conference was last week. Uh I was not able to be there for the entire time, but the what I was there was great. Uh what was more important to me was the conversations that were had not only with my fellow board members that were there but also other board members
077from around the state um uh from an ISBA perspective. It was the largest convers uh convention that we'd had. We'd had over a thousand visitors and every single um thousand attendees and the um exhibitor hall was sold out with a waiting list. So it was a good showing and a great opportunity for everyone to do that. and here's the hope that maybe at some point we can get more board members down there. So, >> thank you, Mr. Wall. I I was fortunate enough to attend. Um, Mr. Walls are correct. Uh, it's always great to speak with board members from around the state. U, interestingly, it doesn't matter the size of the corporation, they all have exactly the same problems that we do. Um, how do you afford everything you need to do? and uh how
078do you take care of your teachers and your staffs? It is a it's a great conference. Uh I will echo that. Uh it's my first time to attend. Um it did seem pretty crowded um and which was great. Uh I attended the president's uh breakfast uh the last day and um the other presidents uh from around the state are are you know unfortunately just like me. They are trying to find some um unonymity and a little bit of u a little bit of love from their community and some understanding. Uh but as Mr. Well said. Uh if if we can find a way to make some time and get some more board members down there. Um I don't know of anybody that had everyone down there, but I know there were several that had three,
079four or five um board members and and most of them had been there before and I think so if you can ever make the time to go, you'll probably go back and I'm looking forward to next year's. >> Mr. Allen, uh want to congratulate Huntington North Ban, Mr. Pedic, our kids and his team. They performed be very well uh this past weekend got fourth place in a tournament. Uh the three ahead of us uh between one and four were only 4/10en of a point and all three of those are previous state finalists. Uh uh Mr. Trout might recognize a few of those uh bands that were in that particular one. And I would also tell uh that we've been invited uh communitywise and otherwise there'll be a lot of bands here this weekend on Saturday.
080Uh Huntington North hosting uh their first competition. So, a lot of works went into that. Uh, Michael Pedock, his kids, his parents, and that community should be congratulated. They will do Huntington North proud. Thank you, Mr. Brimberry, and I appreciate you bringing that up. Um, I know that when the board um considered a new stadium, we were very vocal about making sure that it was an all-purpose stadium, that it was something that could be used for something other than football. Um, we had some intentionality on the size of the stadium, size of the bleachers we built because they had to be a certain had to hold a certain number of people to be able to host one of these um, bandoras or what they're called. And so it will be exciting for these kids. If
081you have a chance, I'm sure it'll be very entertaining as well. So, thank you for bringing that up. >> I was going to say, Mr. Pedock sent out the uh schedule. They're going to have a strong day because it starts at 3:00 p.m. and goes all the way till 9:45 at night. Yeah. Uh there is a minor dinner break in there, but that's a lot of bands coming in and out of our facility. Um so I look forward I probably will swing up there. Uh probably not that late, but I will swing up there just to see how things are going. >> Yeah, you're right. It will probably be if it says 9:30, 9:45, it's 11 o'clock. So um but that's great. I mean, it's going to be a party. Mr. Mr. Carl says everybody
082can stop at his place. Anything else for the board? I'll take a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Thank you, Mr. Wall. Is there a second? >> Thank you, Mrs. Heim. All those in favor signify by saying I. I