School board approves revenue spending plan and resolution to seek operating referendum for November ballot

The Northwest Allen County Schools Board of School Trustees voted June 23 to approve a revenue‑spending plan and to authorize a referendum tax levy resolution that would place an operating referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot if the board proceeds to levy that question.

Superintendent Todd Barker and business staff presented a one‑page revenue‑spending plan that breaks proposed uses into five buckets: recruitment and retention (teacher and classified compensation and retirement match), instructional supports (additional related‑arts and literacy staff), career‑technical educational staffing (teachers, counselors and custodial staff if the CTE facility is built), safety and mental‑health staffing (school resource officers, social workers, nurses and assistant principals) and district staffing (grants coordinator, facilities director and maintenance crew). The document in board materials put the teacher/staff compensation bucket as the largest single allocation.

Mr. Basham explained that state legislative changes (Senate Enrolled Act 1) altered referendum language and homestead‑credit calculations, requiring the district to present a maximum dollar amount for an eight‑year authorization. The district's counsel and finance partners recommended presenting a conservative eight‑year maximum and the form required by the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF). Mr. Basham said the DLGF had indicated it would accept either the old or new language, but the auditor would certify levy numbers after July 1 under the new law.

The district told the board the Allen County elections board estimated the election cost at $64,000; the district would pay that amount if it places the question on the November ballot. The board also circulated a one‑page summary with a QR code that allows residents to enter an address and see the estimated tax impact for that property.

Impact on CTE project

Administrators told the board that, without the operating‑revenue increase, the district could not add operating costs estimated at about $2.2 million annually for a new CTE building. Mr. Basham and Dr. Bidding said the CTE and transportation projects could proceed to bid, but the district would need the operating revenue to staff and run a new CTE center; absent voter approval the district said the CTE facility would have to be cut from the plan.

Board votes and next steps

The board approved the revenue‑spending plan (motion by Mitch Schlatter; second by Mr. Vogt) and later approved the referendum tax revenue resolution to place the question on the November ballot (motion by Darren Vogt; second by Miss Jamieson). Board members did not record dissent on the motions as presented. Administrators said the auditor must certify levy numbers after July 1 and the district will continue public outreach and provide the July 21 second hearing on capital projects.

Public comments

Speakers at public comment addressed both the projects and the referendum. Residents Mike Gross and Kent Summers urged caution about tax increases and suggested further spending cuts or alternative revenue sources; Gross told the board, “it's really easy to be generous when you're spending other people's money.” Fire Chief Robert Born urged investment in career training to address local recruitment shortages for emergency services.

The district said the referendum, if approved by voters, would provide funds over eight years for the listed purposes; the final levy amount will be certified by the county auditor under the new state language after July 1.