Whitko board approves $2.5 million bond to finish junior-high renovations after debate over overages

The Whitko Community School Corp board voted on July 15 to approve an additional-appropriation resolution and a final bond resolution authorizing up to $2,500,000 in general-obligation bonds to finish renovations tied to the district’s junior-high project.

Superintendent Dr. Eddington presented the scope and financing, saying the district will renovate the high-school D wing to house sixth- and seventh-grade classrooms, add a new wing for eighth grade, and have the work ready for the 2024–25 school year. “The initial estimated cost is $7,095,798,” Dr. Eddington said, and he told the board that a 2023 lease-financing package previously covered about $6,100,000 of the work. The proposed 2024 G.O. bond of $2,500,000, he said, would cover the remaining costs and be applied to other capital improvements in the district’s five-year strategic plan.

A Committee member pressing for more detail said the board had not received an itemized list of change-order overages or furniture costs and urged caution about asking taxpayers for additional funds before those amounts were provided. “We are over on the cost of the bathroom, correct? … I still haven’t seen any of that information. I was ignored,” the Committee member said, arguing the board should know the specifics before approving new borrowing.

Chair responded that inflation and change orders have driven costs higher since the initial feasibility work and that delaying would risk higher future expenses. The chair noted some urgent facility needs — including a chiller replacement estimated at roughly $100,000 — and emphasized that proceeding now would finish the high-school portion of the project and allow any leftover funds to be applied to other prioritized work.

Dr. Eddington said staff had scheduled a meeting to begin selecting furnishings and finalize any outstanding orders. He explained that the district had not yet taken delivery of furniture because of storage and timing concerns, but that plans to order and stage deliveries are underway.

After discussion, the board conducted a voice vote and approved the additional-appropriation resolution of 07/15/2024 and then approved the final bond resolution addressing project cost and bond terms. The agenda packet and discussion referenced the Indiana Code requirement to hold a public hearing before appropriating bond proceeds; no members of the public signed up to speak during the hearing.

The board’s approval allows the district to issue the bonds and appropriate proceeds in the same year of issuance. The board did not record a roll-call tally in the meeting minutes; passage was recorded as a voice vote."