East Holmes still discussing superintendent options, levy date not set

  • By Nick Sabo
  • May 16, 2011
  • 272
                        
The East Holmes Board of Education hopes to resolve two pressing issues involving the school district lead administrator and the time line for a new levy over the next several weeks. The board has yet to name a candidate for retiring Superintendent Joe Wengerd, and while a third levy attempt in November looks likely, the board has yet to take steps to put it on the ballot. “We really are not prepared to make a statement at this time,” Wengerd said, regarding the levy, on Monday, May 16, at the board’s monthly business meeting. “We’re hoping to come to a decision very quickly.” Board President Paul Shutt said the superintendent search is focused on two possible outcomes: Either re-posting the position, or going with an interim superintendent. “We’ll probably know which (soon),” Shutt said. “We’ll discuss both issues.” The levy attempt will be the third for the district after voters turned down a 5 year, 3.82 mil levy May 3. The superintendent search became complicated after the board could not find a suitable candidate willing to move into the East Holmes community. Tri-County Educational Service Center assisted in the superintendent search. Tri-County Superintendent Gene Linton said he advised the board on three courses of action at a May 11 meeting, including starting the application process over again and hiring an interim superintendent. He further suggested re-evaluating the applicants. “(They can) look around at the first application process and even look around the area, see who maybe should have applied but didn’t,” Linton said. Wengerd said the board will discuss levy options at a June 3 special meeting. Other special meetings may follow before the board’s regular meeting June 27, Wengerd said. In other business, the board shifted staff and positions to come up with additional savings. The library aide position at Wise Elementary was eliminated, with library aide Nancy Weaver to transfer to Charm/Flat Ridge elementary schools. The library duties at Wise will be combined with secretarial duties. A cook will leave Berlin Elementary to work in the Wise kitchen; meals were formerly prepared at Berlin and brought in to Wise. Two educators were approved for advancement on the pay scale. While their salaries will increase, they will be frozen at the base level in line with pay freezes agreed upon by faculty earlier this year, Wengerd said. Treasurer Marsha Clark reported that the fiscal health of the district is expected to continue on a path of deficit spending in 2012. Clark said the staff and faculty changes over the past year have resulted in a slightly better bottom line for 2012, with the deficit not as large as projected last year. The deficit spending is being filled with the district’s carry over.


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