TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The Vigo County Council has made a decision that will affect its ability to be involved in school corporation spending.
Tuesday night, the Vigo County Council voted in favor of an ordinance that prevents the county from creating an oversight board. The ordinance would also prevent the council from giving any money to the school corporation without a voter referendum.
Council member Vicki Weger said the oversight board was set to cost the county $100,000. Weger believes the school board should be responsible for its fiscal needs.
“The county school corporation has $13 million. They could fund that or find a different enterprise that could fund it. We don’t really have that kind of money in the county,” said Weger.
The ordinance was proposed by council member Steve Ellis. He said he agrees with Weger and believes the school corporation is to blame for its current facilities.
“When I hear kids come to me and say their bathrooms don’t work, they’re dirty, or there is this issue or that issue, my question is, if the school corporation has funds, why are they not fixing this stuff to begin with, said Ellis. “Why do our kids have these deplorable facilities that they’re going to school in every day?”
Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun and the Vigo County Commissioners have been working for years to pass legislation that would allow county involvement in the Vigo County School Corporation.
Commissioner Chris Switzer said the recent administration deserves a chance to make a positive change.
“If you’re not even willing to have that discussion, that’s incredibly disheartening, said Switzer. “We have, for years, been battling the school corporation mistrust, but we now have a new superintendent, a new school board. All of these people are new to the situation, so when is this community going to give that group of people a chance to do something better?”
Senator Greg Goode, who authored an amendment that would allow Vigo County to transfer funding to the Vigo County School Corporation to help meet the district’s needs, also provided a statement.
“Our bipartisan state legislative work to create a formal mechanism for county, city and school corporation collaboration in Vigo County was ultimately about transparency and accountability. My legislation was intentionally drafted to provide another option to our local elected officials,” said Goode. “There is no expiration in this legislation, which is now state law, and this option will continue to be available to our current and future elected county officials. I trust the judgment of our county, community and school leaders, and I believe that our children deserve the very best educational experiences. I will keep working in support of children, families and educators in the Wabash Valley.”
During the meeting, no public comment was allowed before the vote.
In a statement sent to WTWO/WAWV, the Vigo County School Corporation Board of Trustees said the vote was a “disappointing display by the Vigo County Council” and was an “uneducated and irresponsible decision.”
The board added that the vote was part of a history of “backdoor meetings and closed-door discussions.
WTWO/WAWV has reached out to Vigo County School Corporation Leaders for comments. Those leaders were unavailable for comment.
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