CACS monitoring ‘detrimental’ legislation

Centerville-Abington Community Schools officials are closely monitoring several state lawmakers’ bills that Superintendent Mike McCoy calls “detrimental” for public schools.

One plan to reduce property taxes could reduce CACS’ operations fund by $1.3 million over the next three years. However, McCoy said at the Feb. 12 board meeting that that bill had been gutted in recent days and the latest version’s impact might not be so damaging to the district’s finances.

McCoy said he’s writing more letters this year to lawmakers and talking with as many people as he can to advocate for public education, and encourages others to do the same. He’s hoping his and other groups’ efforts will make an impact, although he believes attacks on public schools are going to continue.

Board members receive legislative updates from Indiana School Boards Association and McCoy urged them to monitor those emails.

Brad Lambright will attend ISBA’s Statehouse Day and update fellow board members at their 7 p.m. Feb. 26 meeting in the administration building, 115 W. South St.

In addition to watching school funding legislation, board member Todd Dooley is monitoring Senate Bill 287 that would require current or prospective members to declare their political party for elections. He said those desiring to run as independents would have to go through a lot of steps, in essence restricting candidacy to the two major parties.

Annex demolition

Asbestos removal is complete at the annex, which most recently held upper elementary grades, and the former administration building, all on West South Street.

Fences are being installed this week and demolition could start as soon as Feb. 21.

Grass will be added where the annex stood, and the parking lot will remain. New structures could be built there if the district ever chooses to do so. After a crawl space is filled in, the former administration ground will be leveled and seeded.

In other business

• Services/purchases: The board approved Four Star Floor Care’s $45,278 quote to sand and refinish the high school auxiliary gym floor, which hasn’t been sanded since installation in around 2004. It has some bare spots. Assistant Superintendent Sean Stevenson said that work is recommended every 10-15 years.
• CACS is buying three new Z930M Ztrack John Deere mowers from Koenig Equipment totaling $34,659.24. Three of CACS’ four current mowers are in very bad shape and are six years old, Stevenson said.
• Repairs: A heating pipe burst at CSHS on Feb. 11. Custodial staff cleaned up water and fixed the issue in about six hours so CSHS had heat the next day. McCoy said the pipe was old and worn. Water leaked for about 45 minutes until it could be shut off.
• Donations: High school: Bradlee Miller, $1,000, equipment/supplies for physical education classes. CSHS athletics: Dot Foods $5,000; Just Smokin’ LLC, $724; Philip Stevenson, $1,014.90. Anonymous: $200 for students’ negative lunch accounts.

Personnel updates

• Departures: Shelley Erbse, Rose Hamilton secretary (effective June 6); Chloe Brown, junior high cheer coach
• New hire: Eli McCoy, junior high play director
• Transfer: Jayne Blunk from part-time cafeteria to sub at Rose Hamilton
• Rehire: Victoria Jones, Centerville-Abington elementary special education aide. Head coaches: Corey VanSkyock, baseball; Brad Hobson, softball; Randy Ecker, girls tennis; Cecil Franke, boys and girls track; Damon Anderson, boys golf****