Money, Budget Cuts On The Agenda For Vigo School Board Tonight

VIGO COUNTY, Ind – The Vigo County School board meets tonight at 6:00 at the administration building downtown at 7th and Wabash.

On the agenda are big decisions concerning money.

The Vigo County School Board is expected to consider $5.5 million in spending cuts and revenue enhancements.

Those cuts include the closing of three elementary schools, pay cuts for some administrators, selling the downtown administration building and a re-alignment of some alternative education programs among other proposals. The changes are expected to be implemented in three phases.

The board was expected to vote on the budget proposals at its January 6th meeting but officials found out that they had over $3 million more in the bank than they thought. Since then Bruce Perry the corporations Chief Financial Officer has left. Its not clear if the quit or was fired because the corporation is not releasing any details about his departure.

The board is also expected to approve a new contract with the Vigo County Teachers Association. Since the cash balance is larger than expected, the proposal calls for teachers to receive over $1.1 million in back pay. The new contract also calls for a minimum beginning teacher salary of $38,500, which is $500 more than previously agreed to.

It was also found that there were $710,000 in unpaid bills from 2019. The board is also expected to pay those with the larger than expected cash balance.

School officials insist that the recently passed referendum was still necessary as the newfound money isn’t enough to address budget short falls which is largely being blamed on declining enrollment.