The Hamilton Southeastern School Board will be asked to approve a $15 million bond, funding 12 new classrooms at Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate and Junior High School (also known at the HIJH), along with additional cafeteria space.  The debt should come from other bonds being paid-off, keeping the school District’s tax rate stable.  School board member Ben Orr emphasized that the funds for this project come from a  pool of money apart from most staff salaries.  This HIJH project is not part of the 10-year plan in place to maintain district buildings, but Superintendent Patrick Mapes told the Finance Committee he and his staff are working on an updated 10-year plan, which will be presented to the board at a future date.

Chief Financial Officer Tim Brown told the committee his office is looking into “creative ways” to hold down the spiraling cost of health insurance.  Insurance premiums are set to increase $2 million for the district in 2025, but increased use of high-deductible plans could bring that increase down to about $500,000.  Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can be used to handle costs not covered by a high-deductible health plan.  HSAs have tax incentives for employees.  More details on that should be known once bargaining is completed between the school administration and the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA).  Mr. Mapes told the committee bargaining sessions with HSEA are scheduled for Monday and Friday next week.  If no agreement is reached by November 15, the state process begins with mediation and possibly fact-finding, where a contract could be imposed on both parties.

Superintendent Mapes told the committee the district is working on adding scoreboards and video boards to each high school gymnasium.  He expects most or all of the expense would be covered by commercial sponsors over time.  This could be installed over the winter school break.  Also, a phone app is in the works that would not provide a video feed of sports contests, but would update scores and time left, with commercial sponsorship on the screen.