Brown County School Corporation board approves donations, raises maintenance pay and outlines bond priorities

At a meeting of the Brown County School Corporation, board members approved several consent items — including a $3,500 donation to the Brown County High School class of 2025, purchases for the Brown County Band Boosters and a pay increase for part‑time maintenance worker JD Lucas — and heard a briefing on enrollment trends, weather makeup-day planning and preliminary bond-project priorities.

Administrator (S2) reviewed district enrollment data drawn from the state’s Distressed Units Appeal Board (DUAD) reports and said the district’s average daily membership "has been able to stabilize" after several years of decline. Presenter (S1) noted the DUAD website posts certified district figures (ADM, assessed value and estimated county population) as of 06/30/2024.

On routine business, Chair (S3) called for motions and the board carried the consent items on roll call. Members named during roll call in the transcript included Carol, Donna, Vicky, Amy, Doug and Janice; the votes were recorded as affirmative when called.

The board approved a recommendation to accept a $3,500 donation from "Brown County Shop with a Cop" to benefit the Brown County High School class of 2025, which administrators said will help fund the senior class trip to Kings Island. Administrator (S2) thanked volunteers and donors, saying, "I wanna thank, Steve and Sarah for all of the work that they've done this year." The board also approved a request to purchase drum cases and a garment bag for the Brown County Band Boosters.

Administrator (S2) described a separate $7,000 donation that will eliminate negative student lunch balances from the first semester and provide a small cushion for the second semester; S2 said the district typically ends the year with about $11,000–$13,000 in negative lunch balances and that donor contributions often address that shortfall.

On personnel, the board approved updating JD Lucas’s part-time maintenance compensation to $19.42 per hour. Presenter (S1) said Lucas will shift focus to athletic facilities — "everything out at Eagle Park" and athletics on the main campus — a role administrators expect to improve field and facility upkeep.

Administrators thanked transportation, maintenance and safety staff and local highway and sheriff departments for their work during a recent weather event. Presenter (S1) said the district has used three state-authorized e-learning days; Administrator (S2) listed available weather makeup days as Monday, Jan. 20; Monday, Feb. 17; Friday, April 11; and three end-of-year days, and noted leadership will consider waiver options if the district exhausts makeup days.

Looking ahead to capital planning, Administrator (S2) outlined two projects under a single bond issuance: priority HVAC and other building capital work at Van Buren (including lighting and an additional restroom near the football field) and a second set of athletic upgrades — turf and lighting for fields and potential turf for softball and baseball — that were deferred from the current scope to keep the bond within budget. Administrator (S2) said historical district tax rates have been about 57¢; after a recent referendum the rate is about 51¢ and the proposed projects would return the levy toward the historical 57¢ level, which the administrator described as restoring the prior rate rather than a new increase.

Administrators told the board a detailed update with financial numbers and resolutions will be presented on Feb. 17, and staff and consultants will attend future meetings and perform walk-throughs at Van Buren to refine budgets. "And that's all I have," Presenter (S1) concluded.

The board did not take final action on bond issuance at the meeting; the Feb. 17 session was identified as the next procedural step for resolutions and more detailed financial information.