The state board that’s overseeing Muncie Community Schools until at least December says it plans to hire an emergency financial manager for the district by the end of June.  And, as IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, community members who attended a Monday night public meeting don’t want that manager to be the MCS superintendent.

“If you would ask teachers in this corporation, we don’t feel any hope and we have no trust.”

It’s no secret that Muncie Teachers Association President Pat Kennedy and Muncie Community Schools Superintendent Steve Baule have been working at odds lately – especially after a state fact finder was called in to break a stalemate over the teacher’s contract.  On Monday night, Kennedy wasn’t the only one to tell the state Distressed Unit Appeals Board her thoughts on Baule.  Most, like Democratic Representative Sue Errington, didn’t use his name.

“We don’t need someone who knows what to do but doesn’t have the skills or the temperament to engage stakeholders in a productive way.”

Of course, that didn’t stop retired Muncie teacher Sondra Seibold.

“Please do not give Dr. Baule the unprecedented powers outlined for our corporation in Senate Bill 567.  We need an unbiased emergency manager who will be transparent, fair, and respectful.”

Under a bill signed into law last week, the DUAB board needs to hire an emergency manager to make financial decisions for the newly designated “financially impaired” MCS through December.  The bill says Baule could be named as that manager.

Baule did not speak to reporters after the meeting.  But he did present a picture of the school corporation’s finances – what has been done and how much more needs to be cut.

“We’ve got about $12 million [in] reductions made.  We’ve got another $900,000 that are still in question tied to the negotiations with the teachers’ union.  And right now we’re still looking at needing about $4.5 million in reductions.  Some of those are pretty simple big pieces. Some of those are going to be, you know, $100 – 200 items one at a time, trying to add all those numbers up.”

The state board says it will advertise for and interview candidates for the manager job, with hopes to have someone begin on July 1.  MCS’s emergency manager will then need to show progress on reducing the school corporation’s debt.

DUAB Chair Micah Vincent says exactly what progress means will continue to be discussed for the rest of the year.

“We’ll need to distill those down as we look forward.  But I think we’re going to be looking for is ‘Is the school corporation on the trajectory to both continue to provide a quality education and also be able to be in a sustainable financial position for the long haul?’”

After July 1, the emergency manager will have broad control over financial issues – including the power to renegotiate contracts, outsource services, and close and sell school buildings.  The DUAB board will require monthly reports.  Vincent says it will then hold a public hearing – likely in November – to decide whether a full state takeover is necessary.