COVINGTON, Ind. — Budget planning is difficult again for the Covington School District this year since it is hard to predict what in the way of funding will be sent from the state.

Superintendent Nate Evans received approval from the school board Monday night to advertise the 2009 budget, capital projects fund plan and the bus replacement fund.

Evans said in the educational funding from the state there are still a lot of unknowns and that the state government is essentially “making it up as they go.”

“The budget process has been interesting, confusing, and very challenging,” Evans said. “I’ve tried to anticipate the possible directions that the state may take, but at this point it is really a guess at what we will be receiving in funding from the state.”

A budget hearing will be a part of the Aug. 11 meeting, and the board will vote on budget adoption at the September meeting.

In other business, school board members:

-- Approved the Tax Anticipation Resolution warrant. Fountain County property tax bills have not been sent out yet, so the school needs to borrow money for cash flow purposes.

The school will receive bids on interest rates until the end of the month for the warrant amount of $539,000.

-- Approved the government obligation bond resolution for the kitchen/heating-ventilation-air-conditioning renovation.

The district will issue $900,000 in GO bonds for the remaining money needed for the project. The bonds will be paid back within nine years and will receive a better interest rate than compared to interest rates that would accompany longer term loans.

The school already received $1,075,000 from the Common School Fund Loan program toward the project.

-- Learned from Evans that the state is looking to change all schools to a fiscal budget year that is starting every year on July 1 and ending every year on June 30.

School corporations currently have calendar year budgets. The state wants schools to begin fiscal year budgets beginning 2010, but the planning or transition period has just begun, Evans said.

-- Learned that although there is no certain date when Fountain County property tax bills will be sent out, Warren County property taxes are due by the end of August so the school should receive some tax money in September.

-- Learned the district spent 65.8 percent of the school’s general fund on classroom instruction for the 2007-08 school year.

Evans said since the district met the state’s goal to spend at least 65 percent of the general fund on classroom instruction, the district will be recognized by the state department of education for the achievement.

-- Reorganized and elected Roger Coffing, president; Jeff Dennis, vice president; and Nina Wright, secretary.

-- Welcomed Randy Randles to the board, replacing Vince Grogg. Randles graduated from Covington High school and at-tended Danville Area Community College.

He is employed at Subaru in Lafayette. He is a member of the Covington Planning Commission and is president of the Covington Youth Soccer League.

“I hope to become a valuable member of the board and gain a good understanding of how it works,” Randles said.

-- Accepted the resignation of Alison Boyle as a high school math teacher. Boyle lives in Brownsburg and found employment closer to her home.

-- Awarded the milk and dairy bid to Prairie Farms, the school’s only bidder.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Covington School Board will meet at 6:30 p.m. EDT Aug. 11 at the superintendent’s office.