Oeth re-elected MSD board president

By Lois Mittino Gray

Routine ‘first meeting of the year’ business was the order of the day at the Monday, January 5, meeting of the Mount Vernon School Board. The Board of School Trustees elected officers for 2026 by unanimous acclamation. Greg Oeth was elected to his second term of office as President. He deftly took up the gavel and conducted the remainder of the meeting which was markedly more polished than when he first was elected back in 2022, calling himself “The Rookie.”

Mark Isaac was voted Vice-President for the fourth time and Brian Williams was chosen to serve as Secretary for his first time stint at the job. Board members re-appointed Kathleen Bouch as Treasurer and Bo Harris as Deputy Treasurer for the third year in a row.

Regular meeting dates will continue to be the first and third Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. unless the Monday falls on a federal holiday and then it will be on the following Tuesday. Board members did not give themselves a raise this year and salaries will remain at $2,000 annually, with $150 for the second regular meeting of each month, and $75 for any special meetings. The last time the trustees gave themselves a raise was in 2024 to the present rate and that was the first one in over twenty years.

Business mileage reimbursement also remains the same at 49 cents per mile when a personal vehicle is driven on school business. Even though the Internal Revenue Service allowance is set at 68 cents, the board felt it was best to continue at the lower rate.

The board reappointed the law firm of VanHaaften and Farrar to serve as legal counsel for the school corporation for 2026. The hourly rate will remain at $195 per hour. Billing will be done monthly with all charges to be paid off in thirty days.

The board adopted a resolution allowing the district treasurer and deputy treasurer to use signature stamps and signature images on checks when conducting board business and paying bills and payrolls. Board members approved use of their own signature stamps for signing employee contracts, claims and vouchers. All stamps will remain secure in the Office of the School Superintendent Stephanie Stewart.

To take advantage of discounts and to make advance payments for current vouchers, the board granted permission to write checks in advance of meetings, when necessary to serve the best interests of the school district, stating it is just good business procedure.

Another resolution identified the persons who would be responsible for managing eight separate accounts at different district sites. Two signatures are required on checks at all times. A corporate resolution was adopted authorizing the following persons to manage these accounts:

-School District Fund: Kathleen A. Bouch, Treasurer and Bo Harris, Deputy Treasurer

-Farmersville Elementary School Extracurricular Account: Kristen Dutkiewicz, Principal and countersigned by Cinda Denning, Treasurer

-Marrs Elementary School Extracurricular Account: Katie Bushard, Principal and countersigned by Tara Neaveill, Treasurer

-West Elementary School Extracurricular Account: Amanda Wilson, Principal and countersigned by Heather Ball, Treasurer

-Mount Vernon Junior High School Extracurricular Account: Marc Hostetter, Principal or Staci Reese, Assistant Principal, and countersigned by Lindsay Schmit, Treasurer

-Mount Vernon Senior High School Extracurricular Account: Scott Strieter, Principal or Cody Ungetheim, Assistant Principal and countersigned by Rebecca Massie, Treasurer or Angel Tucker.

-Mount Vernon Senior High School Athletic Account and the MSD of Mount Vernon Charity Gaming Account: Leigh Ann Latshaw, Athletic Director or Scott Strieter, Principal and countersigned by Rebecca Massie, Treasurer or Angel Tucker.

Finally, as the last item of the annual reorganization meeting, board members adopted a resolution authorizing the school district treasurer to invest surplus funds and to establish investment income accounts for the receipts of said interest income for calendar year 2026.

After approving the minutes of the last meeting for 2025 and paying claims, attention was turned to personnel matters. Resignations were accepted from Lisa Meek as a junior high science teacher, effective January 30, 2026; and Amber Nation as a building secretary in Information Systems. Meek also resigned as the assistant coach of junior high girls’ track, Justin Fischer resigned as the head coach for high school football, and Timothy Santoro as an assistant coach for boys’ high school soccer.

Ryan Reyes’ employment as systems administrator, district-wide, was confirmed to replace Shad Schneider. This was a promotion from Information Systems Specialist at the junior high level since 2019. Bethany Craig will replace Kevin Roach as Drama Coach on half stipend. She has participated and coached numerous plays and musicals.

In coaching hires, Maggie Taylor will lead the high school girls’ tennis team, replacing Caleb Weaver. Taylor recently relocated in the Evansville area from Bluffton, SC. She played tennis growing up and competed in high school and has assisted with tennis summer camps. Brent Renshaw was named head coach high school boys’ track, replacing Riley Snodgrass. Adam Boyd will be an assistant coach high school boys’ track and share the stipend with Peyton Taylor. Both replace Brandon Merrick and are experienced coaches. Bryan Greenwell will be the assistant coach of junior high boys’ track.

The Board accepted the intent to retire from Sandra Hobbs as the high school building secretary and Senior Class Sponsor, effective at the end of this school year. President Oeth remarked, “We are sorry to see her go after 28 years of service and sadly accept her retirement. We offer her our congratulations and know she is excited to spend time with her grandkids.”

Alicia Schmidt was approved for two trips with students. They will attend Advocacy Day in Indianapolis on January 21, 2026 and the State FFA Horse Judging Contest at the Indiana State Fair Grounds on August 6, 2026. FFA will pay expenses for both events. Audrey McGahey was granted permission to attend with students the BPA State Conference in Indianapolis on March 8-10, 2026 with BPA footing the expenses. Since March 8 is a Sunday, they had to get Board permission to leave on that day.

Stewart spoke for approval of hiring VPS Architecture as the architect for an upcoming proposed bond project. They were unanimously hired by the Board. “We’ve been working for some time now to do renovation and addition plans in our district. Our two main areas will be renovations at Hedges Central and improvements to the boys and girls wrestling programs which are growing like crazy,” she explained. Harris said in 2027, bond payments drop off and they will work to do projects to keep bond rates the same with neutral effect on taxes.

Information to the Board included January menus and donation of funds to the school lunch account. The Bethany-Old Beech Cemetery Fund gave the district a very sizeable donation to pay off school lunch debts. Oeth expressed appreciation for the generous gesture.

When asked how the Building Trades Class house was coming along, Stewart said it is already framed and the roof is on. Lois Gray, a resident in the Lakeland Ridge subdivision where the new structure is located, inquired if the house was to have a second floor adding to its total square footage. Stewart said no and Gray noted that residents expressed some concerns that the total square footage of only that one lower floor would not meet the 1,500 square foot criteria set as a requirement in the subdivision. The Superintendent said that the house’s square footage is smaller than that number and they had to meet with the developer, Alan Schelhorn, who gave them permission to build it smaller. Building Trades Class Instructor Bill Riecken said the house plan is 1,380 square feet, but he has built a big front porch on it to compensate. He used a floor plan he had from the one they built earlier in the Lawrence Addition.