001for the pledge of allegiance. >> Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Good evening. We'll call this meeting at 5:32 p.m. >> Let the record reflect that we do have a quorum. Any late additions? >> No late additions. Would someone like to make a motion to approve? >> I'll make a motion to approve the minutes. >> Trader. Second by Schwarz. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> Oppose. Same sign. >> Motion carries. Letter A, public comments on agenda items. Um, >> this does not look like it's on the agenda, so we'll wait for your public comments at the end. >> Sounds good. >> Thank you. All right. Uh, letter B,
002routine matters, minutes of regular session of September 18th, claims 52724 through 53022, and payrolls for September 30th and October 15th. >> I'll make a motion to approve the minutes, claims, and payrolls as presented. Motion made by Punch. >> I have a second. >> Second by Schwarz. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppos. Same sign. Motion carries. Letter C. Adoption of budget capital projects plan and bus replacement plan. I can't talk plan and all resolutions as listed below. >> I'll make a motion to approve the the budget, capital plan, project plans, and bus replacement plan resolutions as listed. Motion made by Shrader. >> Second by Bunch. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. Motion carries. Letter D. One-year master contract with CTA for the
0032526 school year. Again, all this is in all this information's been in our packets. You've had time to look through it. So, >> I'll make a motion to approve the one-year master contract with CTA for the 2025 2026 school year. >> Motion made by Schwarz. >> Second by Shrader. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I >> oppose. Same sign. Motion carries. Letter E, communications. Was it presentation? >> Well, before that uh just briefly forward um small uh crowd that's here and anyone on the live stream. Just want to draw attention to our highlight of the month. Um and that is that our freshman class uh got to participate in the tour of opportunity this past week. Uh what that is for those of you that don't know is that is where all
004the ninth graders in all four of our county schools get together uh with over a hundred community and industry professionals um just basically to explore and learn about possible career opportunities which is a really neat thing um for our kids to be able to be a part of. It's a wonderful partnership between our schools and our local businesses and local leaders in our community. It's a unique thing. It's a shining example. I know I've heard at some other meetings statewide where they talk about the things that we're doing here in Duboce County um to prepare our kids for their college and career opportunities. This is another one of those things and and this idea has actually been copied in some other communities in the state. Uh very proud to to be offer that to our
005students. A very uh cool thing. Um one other thing before Allison talks to us tonight about how finances work in the district to educate the board a little bit. educate again uh those who are in attendance and also those on the live stream. There are some other items listed by building as you move on down through the agenda, things happening in all four of our buildings that they asked to recognize. We don't typically read those, but we do want to list those um and anyone that has interest online and and draw attention to those as well. And they're also available for any media members that want to look at that. So, at this time, we'll turn over tonight's presentation to our wonderful CFO who has done a one great job with our finances over the
006years. Um, Allison Pund. >> I'm Allison Pun. I'm the CFO here. Um, so I'm just going to talk a little bit about this stays on fine until R. Um, I'm going to talk a little bit just how the funding works in a basic sense and then what kind of situation we're in right now. Um >> I go back further. Sorry. >> Yeah, that's fine. Juice again. Um what kind of situations were we were in the past and how we've kind of grown and where we are right now. Um all right. So first education fund um that pays everything based on educating a student. So the salaries of teachers, the office of the principal, supplies for classrooms. Um new in this area is curriculum. um that was kind of in its own boat and we'll kind
007of cover that in another area. Operations uh fund covers maintenance, technology um as in a broad sense um furniture and equipment, transportation and the central office. So that's basically everything that expenses for the school that are does not include educating a student. Um other funds that you will see on our budget categories is the debt service fund and the capital referendum fund and those pay principal and interest of debt for these bigger capital project plans that we have. So first is the education fund. I just kind of in a broad sense of what these are. So the expenses in the education fund 62% is salaries, 22% is benefits. The other chunk of that is transfers to the operations fun. So if you can see like salary benefits are the core chunk of that fund and
008if you look on the revenue it's basically all state tuition. There's some random things in there but if state tuition is in impacted in any way it's completely throws off the education fund. So those are the main and then if we do salary increases a huge just piece of that pie. If you guys have questions too just stop and ask me anytime. Operations funds a little different. There's lots of pieces to these pies. Um salaries or the biggest one is maintenance of buildings and utilities. Second largest is salaries at 22%. Um supplies and electric is the next. Then you get to like contracted bus routes at 8%. U professional services is right there too. Um revenue for this has a lot of different pieces. So um we're going to talk a little bit about how
009property taxes are going to be impacted. That's the biggest chunk of this pie at 47%. Uh 34% is that transfer from the education fund over to the operations fund. And then the next biggest is um interest um on investments just earnings there. So this is a little historical situation of the education fund. The bars here is our fall counts for the last 12 years. which I think is this red line shows the tuition support from the state which is based on those numbers which obviously it's going to go um up with those numbers but the state also had some pretty drastic increases through here um these so something I want to point out here we obviously we had really high enrollment growth those numbers are growing right here was extra high though because they took
010a grant that used to be outside of the fund and out outside of tuition support, put it inside tuition support. So, it jumped it like not not really, but it's there, right? Same thing happened here. Our enrollment dropped and it shows we have an increase here, but we really don't because they took curricular material that's now in the education fund and was a separate distribution, put it in there. So, it looked like we had an increase, but really we are flat right now. Well, those are two examples where money was going into a different kind of fund >> and they said, "Hey, let's put this in the education fund to make it look like we're giving more money to education so we can send postcards out to community members and say, look how we're funding
011schools even more than we used to." >> Basically, >> not true, but >> So, we look like we have really don't. Um, thankfully, we have made really smart decisions in the past with pay increases. So, we were able to give a pay increase to our teachers this year. um based on just what we've done in the past and what where we where we landed in those funds. This I just wanted to show you this as our as our enrollment increase. This is what our teacher count has done. Also, um I will say that the um the um projection of enrollment that we had done back when we started the Honeyburg project, it did say we would plateau here like it did. this is expected. So, we we kind of knew we weren't going to grow
012anymore after this year, but so just as enrollment is going to plateau here, I mean, this isn't we're going to keep steady here. Um, also, uh, so here's some changes for the um operations fund and debt service fund. Uh, this last legislative s session, they gave homeowners new credits. Um, these new credits are going to cost us 1.2 2 million over the next four years. Um thankfully we're in a situation where we have the cash balance. We should be able to sustain this. Okay. Like we'll be fine. Um but these are losses that no matter what we do with the tax rate, we can't avoid them. They're um they are what they are. The other thing that's going to happen is um the assessed value deductions are increasing. So our AV is going to drop.
013Um, this is not this is a little different situation. We can increase the tax rate and I'll do that on the slide next time to kind of take care of that situation. The other situation we can't do anything about. So right here, this is where our AV is right now. This is where it's go. This is what's happening. Like so what what happened this last legisl legislative session is the red line. So these are projections that we got from Stifl and it's best guess um kind of as we are right now. So if you go over here >> so what you're saying is the because of the session the average value of local real estate farmland everything will will fall. >> Um not the actual value just the a their net AV so their gross
014AV will stay the same but their net AV will drop because of the deductions that they were given um in this session. So here here's our tax rate in 2025. Um and here is our levy. Okay. So this is the money we're taking into the school. If we try to keep that 125 tax rate, which is that red bar across here, this is what's going to happen to our levy um coming to the school. So looking at the tax rate and levy now is going to be totally different. Um what we'll have to do to maintain the same levy we're getting right now is to increase our tax rate through the years. So people won't really be paying more. The tax rate will just be higher if that makes sense. >> It doesn't make sense
015but that's because the state has changed the structure for how taxes will look. So we quote the$125 tax rate right now but what we told us it'll probably be a$1.51 I think. But the dollar amount coming out of each family's pocket, whether it be the Bartell family who's here or my family or anyone anyone else, anyone here. Yeah, >> it looks the same. >> You'll pay the same amount out of your pocket. It'll just be a different number that's quoted on your on your on your um >> basically the days of staying tax rate neutral is over. It's we just can't do that anymore. So, it'll just look different going forward. be a it'll be a difficult education process for the community to explain. >> Yes. And one thing I will say like the 2026
016budget looks really similar to past years. We won't see these changes until 27 and beyond. Um so just going next, these are just some projects we're like kind of paying on in the debt service fund. Um the high school's still in there. the corporation office in rack um which were done just about four years ago is in there. Um you'll see the bonds issued under the Honeyburg Elementary expansion project. That last one will be um issued right after we have bids in the next couple weeks. Um and then it just kind of some things that will be coming up in the near future. Um some other really neat funding things that we have had. Melissa does a great job of writing grants and searching for funding. um out there some of the so the STEM
017grant in 2024 paid for Snap-on tools um which is industry rec recognized credentials and it also paid for drones so our A program can do a precision a program um the Indiana Learns grant was $193,000 that went straight to teachers pockets to provide tutoring for kids that are free and reduced and have not passed the I learn test that was huge for our teachers on um earning a little extra income. The education readiness grant um which is on there was $115,000 to support the 4T and OFS um rooms with equipment. And then we just got a donation grant from Toyota for 44,000 and that's supporting K8 STEM instruction. So, those are just some and then you got the big wreckage been huge for us um in the high school and just some other littleer ones
018that have been through there. These are just the uh competitive grants that we've got. There's always um the title grants through the state, too. But all right, any questions? All right. Thank you. >> Clear as mud. >> I hope so. [Music] Okay. Do you want to go through any of the recognitions, Chip, or >> Yeah, I think we can move on to I think I think >> Yep. All right. Letter F. New business field trip request as listed below. Make a motion to approve the three field trip request as listed. >> Motion made by Strader. >> I will second. >> Seconded by Schwarz. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Same sign. Motion carries. Number two, personnel listed below and continue not continuing on to the next page. >> Usually it does.
019>> Yeah, it does. I'll make a motion to approve personnel as listed. >> Motion made by Bunch. >> I'll second. >> Second by Schwarz. Those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppos. Same sign. Motion carries. Number three, approve the update to P to PO6610 that's on file. The first reading. >> I'll make a motion to approve the update to PO6610. >> Motion made by Shredder. >> I'll second. >> Second by Schwarz. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. The same sign. Motion carries. Approve purchase of 54 passenger lift bus. >> I will make a motion to approve the purchase of the 54 passenger lift bus. >> Motion made by Schwarz. >> Second by bunch. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. Motion
020carries. >> Approve. Number five. Approve the reimbursement resolution was also all again. >> I'll make a motion to approve the reimbursement resolution that was on file. Motion made by Strader. >> I'll second. >> Second by Bunch. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> Oppos. Same sign. Motion carries. Number six. Declare the following items as surplus property and no longer needed for the purpose intended in order to recycle or sell them. I will not read those individually to you, but they are all listed. >> I just want to for the record say I have my eye on those overhead projectors. >> I still have some. >> Two. You get one. I get one. >> Fair enough. I will make a motion to declare the following items as surplus property and no longer needed for
021the purpose intended in order to recycle or sell them. >> Thank you for the motion, Schwarz. >> I will second. >> Seconded by Shrader. For all those in favor signifies signify by saying I oppose. Same sign. >> Motion carries. Okay. Now would be a time for administrators, board, superintendent, and other comments. And I believe both of you have something to say. I just have to go through a couple things here real quick just to give you an outline of what's expected. So, um, as a board, we welcome input from our stakeholders, but there are limitations to what is permitted. I want to remind all potential speakers that all comments are to be directed at me, the board president. The board also expects all comments to be civil and respectful. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Oh,
022yeah. And then it is limited to three minutes. Sorry. >> Sounds fair. Okay. Uh, my name is Rita Bartell. My husband Ry's passing out information packets. It's one is a letter provided to this office. Information on battery storage facilities. A letter sent from AES in Indiana. A map of the planned battery energy storage system provided by AES on October 15, 2025 next to the substation currently under construction on Holland Road. Today, we would like to read you the letter we provided and ask for the Southwest New Boys County School Board to make a resol resolution stating the disagreement and disapproval of the AES battery energy storage system and solar project planned to be constructed between the Holland Elementary School and the Huntingburg Southridge schools. As parents, grandparents, property owners, business owners, and taxpayers of Duboce
023County, we ask that you do not approve and help us stop the AES battery energy storage system and solar project. While solar energy is often promoted as clean and renewable, battery energy storage systems associated with solar farms present significant environmental, economic, and most importantly, safety drawbacks that warrant concern. First, and most importantly, safety. These battery systems are prone to thermal runaway, a condition where overheating causes chemical fires that are extremely difficult to extinguish. Contributing factors to thermal runaway include, but are not limited, to mechanical damage, poor air conditioning, electrical issues like overcharging, and other operation failures. As stated in the state of Indiana utility scale battery battery energy storage study section 532 when batteries undergo thermal runaway or are otherwise damaged abused and are misuse they can release flammable and toxic gases. This release of
024gases is called off gasing and it can pose several safety hazards including the risk of fire, toxic exposure to first responders or facility personnel and the potential for explosion if flammable gases accumulate any night. several res recent documented incidents in Arizona, New York, July of 2023, where one overwhelmed fire departments who lacked proper training and equipment to respond to lithium ion battery fires and the world's largest in Moss Landing, California, January of 2025, where residents reported health concerns and resulted in soil contamination. Currently, Duboce County does not have a plan in place to respond to a chemical fire. The emergency services of Duboce County are not currently trained, nor do they have the manpower, equipment, or materials to respond or contain a chemical fire, noting the extreme difficulties of extinguishing a chemical fire. Is the
025Southwest Duboce County School Corporation prepared to take on the risk mitigation and planning associated with the fire at the battery storage facilities? Are there steps in place to ensure safe evacuations of the Southridge schools, Henryburg School, and Holland School as all are well within a two-mile evacuation radius of >> Sorry, sorry to interrupt you, but we do have to be consistent meeting to meeting and when three minutes is up, we do have to stop. >> Okay, that's fine. >> Apologize for that. That's >> fine. disabled. >> That's good. >> So, we're mainly concerned about the safety. >> Obviously, yeah, >> that's our obvious concern more than anything. So, thank you for allowing >> I have one other quick comment. >> These are >> Can I just say can I just say that we have to
026follow a procedure here? >> You had your three minutes, but when the meeting is over when when the meeting's over would like to talk further, that would would be very appropriate on an individual basis with board members. Okay. not in the meeting. >> Appreciate your comments and and consider them. Thank you. Anyone else? Um, chair. If not, um, we will take a motion to adjurnn. >> I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Motion >> made by Bunch. >> I'll second. >> Second by Schwarz. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Oppos. Same sign. Motion carries. Good evening.