Taxes held at Southeastern Greene
MAPLETOWN – Southeastern Greene School Board held the line on taxes keeping the real estate tax rate of 23 mills. It was noted that the millage has not increased in at least five of the last school years, possibly longer.
The discount rate was approved by the board and taxpayers who pay their property taxes for the 2013 school year by Sept. 30 will receive a discount of 7.5 percent. Taxes paid between Oct. 1 and Oct. 30 will be charged at face value. A penalty rate of 10 percent will be applied to real estate taxes paid between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31. Real estate taxes paid after Jan. 1, 2014, will be considered delinquent and turned over to the county for collection.
The board also approved the 2013 homestead and farmstead exclusion for approved real estate within the school district. The maximum real estate assessed value reduction to be reflected on tax notices for homesteads and farmsteads is $12,804. The real estate tax reduction amount applicable to each approved homestead and farmstead is $294.50.
The general fund balance for the 2013-14 fiscal year for the district was approved in the amount of $10,391,650. The board gave approval for the district business manager to transfer $750,000 from the capital reserve fund to the general fund to repay the general fund for construction costs incurred during the 2012-13 fiscal year. It also authorized the business manager to transfer $750,000 from the general fund to the capital reserve fund to invest the projected surplus from the 2012-13 fiscal year for future projects.
The district entered into a shared services agreement with Jefferson-Morgan School District to allow Sherry Kottke to serve as the food service director in both districts for the 2013-14 school year.
Under extracurricular and athletics, the board approved the purchase of a Shoot-A-Way basketball trainer at a cost not to exceed $4,700. It accepted the resignation of Marsha Cree, junior high cheerleading sponsor and hired Eric Smith as the junior high girls basketball coach for the 2013-14 school year. A motion to increase the salaries of the girls varsity volleyball head coach and assistant coach by $2,000 each passed by a vote of 6 to 3. Board members, Joe Spiker, Ginny Eberhart and Tom Howard cast the dissenting votes.
Regarding personnel, the board agreed to hire professional substitutes Jamie K. Snyder, Sarah Kasanicky and Brooke Higinbotham for the 2013-14 school year. It approved a motion to potentially furlough professional and temporary employees hired after July 1, 2009. The superintendent was directed to send a notice if they are to be furloughed.
The board hired the following full-time teachers for the 2013-14 school year; junior/senior high school teachers Anthony Battaglini, social studies, and Jerry Mellinger, physics. Elementary teachers that were hired are; Matthew Wolfe, Jennifer Tressler and Ashley Yelenik. Brandon Robinson was approved as a district custodian.
In other personnel matters, the board recognized retiring employees Christopher Bates, Marian Franks, Stephanie Mallory, Rosemary Sarapa, Christine Spiker and Patricia Williamson. Bates, Franks, Spiker and Williamson have combined teaching experience in the district of 116 years. It was noted that elementary teachers Franks, Spiker and Williamson are all graduates of Mapletown High School.
In another matter, a motion to approve a contract with Geokinetics USA Inc. to lease land at the junior/senior high school to conduct seismic surveys and drill holes for detonating explosives across the entire campus for three to four months for a one-time payment of $109.65 failed to receive a second.
Requests by the Alumni Football Association USA and the Bulldog Youth Football Association for the use of the junior/senior high school football stadium were approved.
Another building and grounds committee recommendation to purchase a new John Deere X758 tractor for a cost not to exceed $16,000 was approved. The current 15-year-old tractor with attachments will be sold at auction in 2014. The new tractor will include a mower deck, snow plow and rotary broom attachments for year-round usage.
The next board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. July 22 in the high school cafeteria.