During their Monday, November 19th meeting, Hilltop’s school board voted unanimously to begin the process of placing a renewal levy on the May ballot. The levy being replaced expires in Tax Year 2013 so it will continue to be collected through 2014. “To get it so there’s no lapse in collecting the funds we need to pass the levy in the next year,” said Treasurer Traci Thompson. “We really want to stress that this is not new money. It’s a renewal of a levy we already have in place.”
In other action, following an executive session to discuss personnel the board moved to advertise for candidates for the High School Principal position. Current principal Mark Elliott has been out since nearly the beginning of the school year on FMLA leave and the board sees the necessity of having a person physically present in the building to administer the duties of the high school principal.
The board gave approval to a number of items through their consent agenda. These include:
•Establishing a Softball Fund;
•Paying the Auditor of State for the cost of the FY12 Audit in the amount of $19,000;
•Accepting the resignation of Lori Poynter from a regular bus route;
•Hiring the following: Cheryl Burkhart, Emma Evans, Michelle Hoffman, Jenni Hooser, Charlotte Loetz and Sharon Taylor as substitute teachers; Kimberly Goosman as substitute secretarial; Troy Grime as elementary boys basketball coach; Kenneth R. Brown as elementary girls basketball coach;
•Moving Sarah Rupp to one year experience on the Bachelor’s Salary Schedule and moving Debbie Nixon, Janie Rivera and Thomas Schaper to continuing contract status.
Superintendent Dr. Bob Smith reported that the school had added two stops to the bus routes in order to cut down on some of the traffic issues that had been causing problems. He also asked the board to begin consideration of replacing the bleachers at the football field. A book donation from Abbie Smith was accepted and Dr. Smith also invited the board to attend the school’s OSU/Michigan tailgate party on Tuesday, November 20, the day after the meeting.
Following the executive session, the November board meeting adjourned. The next meeting of the Millcreek-West Unity Board of Education is December 17 at 6 PM in the high school band room.