By Steven Stilt
The Centralia High School Board of Education on Monday night approved a 2024-2025 budget that projects to end up with a slight surplus. Superintendent Chuck Lane says revenues are expected to outpace expenditures by approximately $100,000. While that is a smaller surplus than the school has seen in recent years, due in part to the expiration of federal COVID funding, Lane says district officials are happy to still see a budget that is in the black.
The board held a budget hearing prior to the regular meeting. No one from the community offered any comment at the hearing.
Lane reported to the board on Monday that a project to install a solar array at the high school is moving forward. Keystone Power Holdings has received authorization from Ameren to start construction and plans to do so next month, with the project slated to wrap up in the spring of 2025. Keystone took over construction of the solar array after the original solar company, NelNet, backed out of its agreement with the high school.
Lane also told the board that a bid opening took place recently on an approximately 2,000 square foot pole barn addition that will house a staff workout and wellness area. Johannes Construction submitted the lower of two bids on the project, at $538,000. Work is expected to begin in October and to be completed in late February or March of next year.
Principal Reid Shipley reported that a Homecoming parade will be held this Friday, starting at 4 p.m. The parade will begin at the Old Evers Field site and make its way east on Calumet Street to the high school.
Several personnel-related items were approved by the board, including the employment of Liz Taylor as a full-time aide, Reed Mays as a marching band assistant, and Kaytlan Branch as girls’ bowling coach. The board also accepted letters of intent to retire from special education teachers Kerry Huge and Kathaleen See, both effective at the end of the 2027-2028 school year, and accepted the resignation of assistant cheerleading coach Hannah Reed.
