Published: August 28, 2008 10:26 am      

North Vermillion goes smoke-free

CAYUGA, Ind. — The campuses of North Vermillion High School and North Vermillion Elementary School will be smoke free by the start of 2009-10 school year.

The school board voted 5-0, with Roger Lewis abstaining and Michael Smith absent.

Michelle Stucker of the Vermillion County Tobacco Prevention Coalition, said that most surrounding counties have smoke-free campus. She said Vermillion and Fountain counties were the exception.

Monica Hartman, elementary teacher, stressed that teachers are models for the students. She said that signage and public announcements are important to make the make the transition to a smoke and tobacco free campus.

In other business, board members:

-- Approved a two-year contract with the North Vermillion Classroom Teachers Association. The salary for a beginning teacher with no experience will go from $28,532 last year to $29,960 this year and $30,409 in 2009-10.

The contribution for insurance for individuals went from $2,400 last year to $3,000 this year and $3,300 in 2009-10 and for families from $4,800 to $5,400 this year and $5,700 in 2009-10.

-- Gave noncertified personnel raises between one and five percent.

-- Voted to advertise the 2009 budget.

-- Accepted the resignations of Cole Buschman, varsity assistant football coach, and Brenda Shannon, gifted and talented co-ordinator.

-- Hired Amanda Bailey as assistant swimming/dive coach; Bill Blair, vrsity assistant boys basketball coach; Don Corey and Kim Turner, as co-athletic directors for the elementary school; and Donna Conrad, teaching assistant at the elementary school.

-- Set a special meeting for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 in the superintendent’s office for a hearing on the general budget, the three-year capital projects pland and school bus replacement plan.

VEEDERSBURG, IND.

Council learns that

program in jeopardy

The town council learned Tuesday night that the summer park program will lose its funding for next year.

Darla Nine, program director, said this year’s program was a success and went very smoothly. Nine discussed money saving cuts she could make to the program for next year such as reducing the number of workers needed, charging a $10 registration fee and getting town sponsors for the program.

Whether the program is available next year is dependent upon the amount of local support since the Department of Children and Family Services will no longer be funding summer park programs.

In other business, the council:

-- Heard a complaint and safety concern towards the scaffolding located next to the Bus Stop restaurant. The scaffolding and a ladder have been next to the Bus Stop for at least two weeks. The council promised to contact the owner about the issue.

-- Will have town attorney Stephanie Campbell prepare an ordinance to increase the monthly garbage rate from $10 to $14 per household. The town has 850 customers for garbage collection is currently losing $2.66 per household per month.

-- Listened to councilman Steve Cates’ suggestion to plant new trees at Hub Park in the spring. Cates said that 15 trees were taken out and need to be replaced.

-- Approved an ordinance concerning property cleanup and mowing performed by town workers. Property owners will be charged by the town $15 per hour for use of a weed eater, $30 per hour for use of riding lawn mower, $60 per hour for use of a backhoe, Bobcat or dump truck in cleaning up properties that are unkempt. Previous property clean up rates were based off the hourly rate of the number of town workers involved in the clean up.

-- Designated no parking on the west side of Main Street from Jackson Street to Van Buren Street.

-- Accepted the fire contract with no revisions from last year. The fire contract is a joint contract between the town and Van Buren Township.

-- Accepted Richard Burton’s offer to close and winterize the town pool for $350.



WHAT’S NEXT

The North Vermillion School Board will meet at 7:30 p.m. EDT Sept. 15 at the superintendent’s office.