CENTERBURG — The Centerburg Wellness Center may be closed to the public if the Centerburg school district cannot find an entity to take over the center while it operates in the negative.
Mohican Sports Rehabilitation manages the facility and will be talking with the school administration about the situation on Wednesday.
The board said it appreciates the community donations and support of the Wellness Center and is reluctant to close it to community use, but asked, “How much taxpayer dollars do we put in to run a [community] wellness center that isn’t used?” Superintendent Dorothy Holden recapped the operation of the center to date. She said the hours for community participation have been reduced to help lower operating costs. Only 40 to 50 community members take advantage of the facility. Holden said she has not been able to find an organization that is willing to “run it in the red.”
Treasurer Ellen Scott said the board needs to look at all expenditures, since overall revenues are down. She reported revenues from the property tax have remained stable while the school income tax collections are slightly down. State payments have decreased by $400,000 and Scott has been told to expect a further 10 percent decrease when the new fiscal year begins July 1, 2011.
Scott said the district’s expenditures, in spite of higher utility and other costs, have increased only an average of 2.5 percent. “I think we’re doing well, expenditure-wise,” Scott said. “We will keep trying to do better.”
One expenditure the board voted not to make concerns a body mass index screening program which was a directive included in Senate Bill 210. One of the requirements is that each student enrolled in kindergarten, third grade, fifth grade and/or ninth grade be screened for body mass index and weight status prior to the first day of May of the school year.
The board talked about the feasibility, cost and rationale of such a screening program and unanimously voted to request a waiver from compliance with, as board member Leroy Bumpus said, “another unfunded mandate.”
During the public participation portion of the meeting, Terrie Lewis revisited her request that the board implement a policy regarding the documentation of parent concerns and complaints as well as praises. She feels more data should be kept in teachers’ employee files, and said a policy to that effect would be “proactive.”
Board president Roger Clark said the board will review its current policies and consider making the necessary revisions.
Lewis also raised concerns about the district’s website. She would like it to be more current and more complete with more links. Clark said that has been discussed, and reminded Lewis that money and time are required to maintain a more elaborate webpage.
In addition to approving routine fiscal actions, the board accepted the following donations for the Frisbee golf course: $200 each from the Heart of Ohio Women’s Club, Air Plus Inc., Dorothy Holden, Amanda and Tyler Griffith, Pediatrics Specialists and Ross Premier Motors; and $500 from Ramser Arboretum. The board also acknowledged the Centerburg Music Boosters for paying half the cost of a new snare drum, and accepted a $25 donation to the Trojan Crier fund from Karen Vargo and $493.32 from Target’s Take Charge of Education program to the high school for student support.
Regarding personnel, the board accepted the resignation of assistant cross country coach Belinda Pinkerton, and subsequently employed her as head cross country coach, retroactive to Aug. 30. Pat White was hired as a grades seven through 12 history teacher, effective Oct. 4, and several individuals were approved as Saturday School monitors. The board added to the substitute aide list, approved a list of volunteers and issued supplemental contracts to assistant cross country coach Angie Myers, middle school basketball coaches Will Ellis, Rusty Griffith, Megan Kyle and Emma Hord (shared duties), and high school JV girls basketball coach Heather Nauman.
Other items approved at Monday’s meeting: Transportation of the Centerburg Ski Club to Snow Trails in January and February; revisions to the policy manual in order to comply with changes in state and federal regulations; eighth-grade history field trip to Gettysburg, tentatively set for May; the tuition rate for the 2010-11 school year; and an after-school math help program for the middle/high school.
Prior to adjournment, the board went into executive session to discuss personnel. No further action was taken.
