By CECILIA FOX
Record Herald Writer

TIPP CITY - Members of the Tipp City Council, school board and township trustees met Monday night to discuss current plans and projects, including the upcoming school levy, road construction and the search for a new high school principal.

“One of the biggest things going on in our district, or any district (is) when you are hiring a new high school principal,” said Superintendent John Kronour, noting that Tippecanoe High School Principal Chuck Wray will be retiring at the end of October.

According to Kronour, the district received more than 50 applications for the position. Of those applicants, 13 were selected for an interview process that got under way Monday. The field will be further narrowed down to a group of four or five before those candidates will meet with teachers and parents.

“We’ll have staff committees as well as a parent group meet with them, give input to me, and I will make a recommendation to the board, and we’ll have that person ready to go by the beginning of next school year,” Kronour said.

Kronour also discussed the upcoming five-year, 7.95-mill levy that will be on the ballot in August. The district suffered a $1.3 million cut from the state this year and faces another $588,000 in cuts next year. The new levy, if it passes, will generate a little more than $3 million per year.

The district has made cuts in staff, drawn up a redistricting plan, increased the pay-to-participate rates, and taken other steps to reduce spending.

“It’s a difficult story to tell,” said Kronour.

On a lighter note, the baseball dugouts have been completed and construction on the new tennis courts is scheduled to begin later this month. And the district raised approximately $110,000 in pay-to-participate fees, more than meeting its goal of $100,000 without having to turn students away, said Kronour.

Assistant City Manager Brad Vath presented an update on upcoming road construction in the city, including the I-75 exit 69 reconstruction project.

“It’s about a $3- to $4-million project, but the city’s cost of it is less than $80,000,” Vath said.

Most of the project will be funded by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

New diamond style ramps will replace the old cloverleaf style ramps. A new traffic light will also be added. The southbound entrance will be constructed first and the existing ramps will remain open for the duration of construction.

Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in early June and one ramp is expected to be complete by November.

“Hopefully by the end of 2013 everything will be done,” Vath said.

Monroe Township Board of Trustees Phil Cox announced that the recently formed water and sewer district is now its own entity. The district now has its own board with five members, which is now in the process of selecting an engineering firm for future projects.

“It’s a totally separate political entity,” said Cox. “We’re no longer involved except for funding.”

The board meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Monroe Township building.