MILLBURY – A little more work means a little more pay for a Lake School District principal.Lee
Herman’s annual salary was boosted 0.35 percent at Wednesday’s board of education meeting. Before the raise,
he was earning $83,762, which reflects a 2-percent raise given in September, when most Lake administrators
got salary hikes.The eighth grade has moved into the high school building, giving Herman additional
responsibilities, said board President Tim Krugh.There are 150 eighth-graders using the six new classrooms
at the high school.Over the next two years, Herman will get raises of 1.95 percent annually, up from 1.25
percent in the September contract.After the meeting, Krugh said the board discussed several topics at a
workshop held earlier this month, including putting a levy renewal on the ballot next year.The board also
discussed possibly asking for a tax to fund all-day, everyday kindergarten.The popular program was cut in
March 2012 as part of $1.15 million in reductions, including 43 positions."We did discuss the
possibility of giving that option of a very small, 1 to 1.5 mill, levy to support that," Krugh
said.After the cuts were made, voters in August 2012 approved a new 6.75-mill operating levy that generates
$1.47 million annually. It expires in 2015.The renewal will be a priority for the board, Krugh said, with
the issue probably going on the ballot in November.Another workshop topic was forming a group to study turf
and track replacement. Over time, the maintenance can be expensive, Krugh said, and the funding needs to be
planned.The track needs work every seven to eight years, at a $40,000 to $70,000 cost.The stadium turf
replacement is in 10-12 years at a $300,000 to $400,000 expense. Krugh said the stadium turf pricetag is
still reasonable over time, considering the costs of a regular field, which include watering, seeding,
mowing and painting.Also at the meeting, the board:• Set the annual organizational meeting for Jan. 15 at
6:45 p.m. in the middle school media center. The regular monthly board meeting will follow.• Accepted
donations of $500 for flags from Dunberger Post 537, $65 in books from Mandy Lindhurst, $20 in U.S. flags
from Ralph Mussehl, and books and VHS tapes valued at $35 from Connie Pindoley.