With the addition of a quarter-million dollars, Western Wayne School Corp. will have more money to meet unexpected expenses than it has for many years.
The school board agreed to add $250,000 to the rainy day fund, as recommended by Superintendent Andy Stover during its Dec. 13 meeting. After that, the rainy day fund will have more than $1.6 million.
The money comes from the education fund, Stover said. It pays most expenses of the schools but if there is unspent money at the end of the year, then it can be added to the rainy day fund. “That way, we’ll have cash on hand if a boiler goes out or the roof starts leaking,” Stover said.
In December 2022, the schools added $300,000 to the rainy day fund, bringing it to $1.1 million.
The board also agreed to give the Town of Pershing an easement on land just east of the former Pershing school building. The town hopes to make the 0.165-acre site into a public park by refurbishing an existing outdoor basketball goal and adding playground equipment. The total project will cost about $120,000 and the town is trying to get a $50,000 grant for it through Indiana’s Patronicity program.
The board also swapped a small parcel of land at Western Wayne Elementary School with Gerald Gerard. In return for 0.168 acres of unused property, Gerard gave the schools 0.121 acres nearby, Stover said.
Stover told Western Wayne News that a search has begun for a new football coach. The open position has been posted and Stover hopes to start an interview process within the next few weeks.
The board appointed Lisa Phillips to the Dublin Library Board.
The board also approved the following personnel actions reported by Stover.
Certified personnel employment: Misty Ingalls, Lincoln High School and elementary school robotics sponsor; Ron Puckett, BPA sponsor.
Non-certified personnel: Jordan Scruggs, IT operations specialist; Sophia Baker and Camille Baker, special education aides.
Departures: Dan Capps, LHS teacher; John Salmon, IT system administrator; Danielle Short, part-time nurse.
The board’s next regular meeting will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in LMHS room 80, 215 E. Parkway Drive, Cambridge City. The public may attend.
A version of this article appeared in the December 20 2023 print edition of the Western Wayne News.