Franklin School Board members will vote next week on a tentative budget for the 2022-23 school year that doesn’t include a tax increase.
The proposed budget was submitted to the board at its work session Monday, and the vote will come at this Monday’s business session.
The budget includes anticipated revenues of $37,819,921 and expenditures of $39,035,587, resulting in a drawdown of $1,215,666, The real estate millage would remain at 17.9469.
The visitors talked about the importance and value of the music program to students and the community.
Thomas Holoman, who was appointed as the district’s acting superintendent Monday, told the newspaper “there were concerns that came out this past week about not filling the Victory music position after Robyn Lohr passed away earlier this year.”
The position was posted shortly after Lohr’s passing, but it was for a long-term substitute position to fill the rest of the school year.
Holoman said no one submitted an application for the position and that it has been filled by a day to day substitute.
Holoman said administrators are discussing the position, and he added “we appreciated all the support from families and community supporters at the board meeting. As the community and our board stated, we have the best music program and it is a testament to our students and staff that put in the time and dedication to make the program successful.”
In another matter, an agreement between Strongland Roofing Systems and the district to repair the roof over the kindergarten wing at Sandycreek Elementary was approved. The contract with Strongland is for $206,972.
Numerous recommendations for approval were submitted for consideration by the board. The items included summer school staffing and supplemental contracts for the 2022-2023 school year for various positions at the elementary and high schools.
The board will vote this Monday on those matters.
The Franklin High School Stage Band, under the direction of Steve Johnston, performed hits from the Swing Era at the meeting. Johnston thanked the board for the opportunity to perform and extended an invitation to anyone to come out and support band members at their upcoming concerts and appearances.
And Anna Emrick and her eighth-grade reading class students talked to the board about their trip to Key West, Florida, and how a tour of Ernest Hemingway’s home/museum brought great depth and insight into their reading of Hemingway’s “Old Man and the Sea.”
The group expressed its appreciation to board members and thanked them for their support and sponsorship.
