Finance committee approves routine financial resolutions, hears investment report and enrollment slide

The Centerville-Abington Community Schools board finance committee on Tuesday unanimously approved a package of routine fiscal resolutions and accepted the low bid for an elementary roofing project, then received an investment and fiscal-indicator report noting rising interest earnings and a decline in student enrollment.

The committee voted 5-0 to reappoint the school board’s officers to the finance committee, approve meeting minutes, adopt the district’s investing resolution for 2026, cancel outstanding checks older than two years, authorize electronic payments, maintain credit card accounts, permit loan funds for year-end activities, allow rainy-day fund expenditures, authorize transfers from the education operations fund and permit applications for federal, state and local grants. Most motions were presented as “same as last year” and carried without extended discussion.

Michelle, who presented the investment report, told the committee that interest income was “really close to $300,000 last year” and that the district’s accounts are earning interest in money‑market and checking arrangements. She said the district’s current bank rate is tied to the Federal Reserve and reported an operating rate figure of 3.34 percent while noting a projected half‑percentage drop used in planning. Michelle also described an alternate investment vehicle, Trust Indiana, as paying roughly 0.25 percentage points more but not federally insured.

On enrollment and fiscal indicators, Michelle said the district has seen a notable decline: “last year we were at 14.02%. This year we’re at 11.91,” and she reported the district was “losing 120 students.” She said the administration has factored that decline into projections and had transferred the full 15 percent from the education operations fund — an amount described in the meeting as just over $2 million and identified as the maximum allowable by law — to support operations.

The committee also reviewed capital bids for an elementary roofing project. Officials said the lowest base bid was $341,525 with an alternate deduction of $2,500, bringing the reported total to $339,025, and accepted the low bidder recommended in packet materials. Committee members noted the contractor performs similar local work and said the project is expected to be completed this summer.

Routine administrative items were approved as presented, including the district’s Form 9 submission process to the state and two transfer students who were accepted into the district. Members additionally approved a fundraising requisition and a professional development request submitted that afternoon.

The board moved a scheduled April meeting date to April 16 to avoid a conflict with regional school tours. The meeting adjourned shortly after 7:11 p.m.