Vigo County oversight board outlines review of school facilities, asks council for input
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Summary
The Vigo County School Facilities Oversight Board updated the County Council on a review of school facilities and financing, saying it has engaged financial and legal advisors and will continue analysis before making recommendations; the board asked council members to engage and attend upcoming briefings.
A newly formed Vigo County School Facilities Oversight Board presented a progress update to the Vigo County Council on Tuesday, saying it is reviewing options for the school corporation’s facilities and assessing whether the county could assist.
Commissioner Mark Clinkenbeard introduced the board and its selection process. Board member Mark Matheny told council members the panel has reviewed a demographic and facilities assessment from Gibraltar, toured high schools and engaged outside advisors — municipal finance firm Stifel and attorneys Tim Berry and Jacob German — with $100,000 appropriated for financial and legal guidance. “Our focus is on finding the absolute best solution for the taxpayer and for the students,” Matheny said.
Matheny said the board was formed on Dec. 15, 2025, and has been evaluating six facility plans prepared by the school corporation, weighing pros and cons and other creative alternatives. He urged council members to participate in the board’s work: the oversight board plans another public briefing this Thursday at 10:30 a.m. in the council chambers where Dr. John Newport and Gibraltar will present estimated hard and soft costs for a potential new high school.
The board also described its open application process for members, noting a broadly representative slate of finalists and that conflicts-of-interest were reviewed before appointments. Matheny said the group has not ruled out any options and will pursue further analysis before making recommendations: “Everything is on the table,” he said.
Councilmembers asked that future board visits include a clear accounting of how the board uses its $100,000 allocation for consulting and legal services. Councilman Steve Ellis asked the board to report each time on contracts entered, amounts spent and remaining balance so taxpayers can track expenditures.
The board’s next steps include additional cost presentations, continued fiscal modeling with Tim Berry, and producing a recommendation for the council after completing due diligence.
