You'd think school is about ready to begin. Action by the Bluffton school board, meeting on July 16, involved offering contracts for several positions.
These included supplemental contracts, extended service contracts, substitute teacher contracts, substitute educational aide contracts and substitute custodial contracts. All for the 2012-13 school year, which begins nearly one month from now.
In addition, the board acted upon 2012-13 appropriations, which total $13, 234,587.
Apollo Career Center's board of education will act on legislation at its July 23 to place a tax levy on the Nov. 6 ballot. Voters in the Bluffton school district will have the levy on their ballot.
The entire July 23 board agenda is on an attachment at the bottom of this story.
A portion of the Apollo resolution follows:
RESOLUTION NO. 07-12-4
RESOLUTION DETERMINING TO PROCEED
WITH BOND ISSUES AND TAX LEVY.
Bluffton's 2013 budget of $4.3 million received council's okay on Monday. The budget is required to be passed by law in July. It is an approximate figure used in determining actual village appropriations, which must be passed by Dec. 31.
According to Nancy Kindle, village fiscal officer, the estimated 2013 budget is very close to the 2012 budget.
She told council that she does not expect much change in revenue from 2012 to 2013, nor expense changes during the period.
Bluffton's most ambitious infrastructure projects in several years will begin place soon. On Monday evening Bluffton council will act on accepting two water main replacement projects. The two projects total nearly three-quarters of a million dollars.
They involve Lawn Avenue-Jackson Street-Grove streets, and Mound-Cherry streets water main replacements.
Two teachers were offered contracts during a special meeting of the Bluffton school board on July 5.
Kevin King, Bluffton, was hired as Spanish teacher at Bluffton High School. He received a one-year contract (MA step 6), $44,383. He replaces Julie Heckman who resigned.
Ashley Steveley, Wapakoneta, was hired as BHS intervention specialist. She received a one-year contract (MA step 4), $41,302. She replaces Karen Kussmaul, who retired.
According to Greg Denecker, Bluffton superintendent, these two hiring complete the vacancies at Bluffton for 2012-13.
South Main Street and North Dixie Highway's water and sewer projects are "99 percent complete," according to Jamie Mehaffie, village administrator.
He announced that in his report to Bluffton council on June 25. He added that property owners will soon receive notice that their sanitary sewer is ready to be tapped into.
"We will work with the Allen County Health Department on coordinating inspections as properties abandon their existing septic systems and connect to the sanitary sewer's main line," he said.
