Vigo Commissioners Pause School Funding Talks Until 2027

Vigo County commissioners have taken school facilities funding off their November and December agendas and plan to revisit it after the new year, Commissioner Chris Switzer announced at the board's Nov. 10 meeting.

The three commissioners "agreed it's probably best for us to remove the school discussion from our November and December agendas and revisit it after the first of the year," Switzer said, according to the Tribune-Star. The posted agenda for the meeting did not list the school item.

Switzer said the county's new budget had changed the financial picture, WTHI reported. He told the Tribune-Star that the pause would give Crowe, the consultant hired by the Vigo County Oversight Board, and Baker Tilly, the county's financial adviser, time to review county finances after the council passes a salary ordinance. Hoosier First reported Nov. 3 on the council's adoption of the 2027 budget.

"We are not stepping away from the conversation, just taking a pause and stepping back," Switzer said, according to the Tribune-Star.

Switzer told WTWO the effort had stalled among local officials.

"I would say it's a tremendous lack of progress between county officials working together," Switzer said. "It seems to be hung up in the political world of he said, she said or just conversations happening around this idea, but not directly with each other."

Commissioner Mike Morris called the pause due diligence, the Tribune-Star reported. Commissioner Mark Clinkenbeard said he hoped that "in the next two months we not only get the information that we need, but we also work together to come up with a solution and not see some of the rhetoric that we've had over the past few months."

The Terre Haute Casino Resort Foundation's pledge, which Hoosier First described Oct. 27, had depended on a significant county commitment by Dec. 31. That deadline has now moved, WTWO reported. Switzer said the foundation was receptive to moving its deadline into next year, according to WTHI. The Tribune-Star reported that the foundation's commitment is $10 million in cash up front and $4.2 million a year for 20 years. WTWO put the pledge at $95 million over 20 years, and WTHI put it at about $94 million. The Tribune-Star said it had asked the foundation for comment.

"I think they're willing to work with us as long as it takes honestly, my personal opinion, but I think the school corporation needs to make a decision sooner, rather than later," Switzer told WTWO. He added, "I don't believe anybody in this community wants to leave $90,000,000 on the table."

Switzer said commissioners would look to present a plan to the County Council within the first few months of 2027 and could ask for less money than the Oversight Board's recommendation of $15 million up front and $6 million a year, WTWO reported.

"We've never had the opportunity to present what $6 million or $15 million would look like and every resolution is amendable," Switzer said. "It's not like we were specifically asking for six or specifically asking for 15. We knew that was the over the moon request, but we can work down from there."

The Oversight Board's recommendation also seeks about $2 million a year for 20 years from the city of Terre Haute, which would need City Council approval, the Tribune-Star reported. The remaining need of about $62 million could be covered by the school corporation's bonding capacity, according to the Oversight Board.

The recommendation remains before the County Council, which could take it up at its Nov. 16 meeting, the Tribune-Star reported. The council's next voting session is Nov. 23.

Council President Steve Ellis told the Tribune-Star that the commissioners "have the right to do whatever they want to do." He did not rule out a council funding decision in 2026. "I gave my commitment that we'll try to have something done by the end of the year, and I'll try to hold to my commitment," Ellis said. He indicated he would likely call a vote this year if he believes four council members support a funding measure, the newspaper reported.

Ellis also said the foundation's extension did not surprise him because "the people on the Casino Foundation generally answer to the commissioners," according to the Tribune-Star.

The council's membership changes in January. Council member Randy Gentry, one of four members who have not backed the current request, did not seek reelection. Democrat D. Mark Minnick, who won the seat, has said he supports the current request, the Tribune-Star reported. Ellis said he likely will not remain council president after the January reorganization.

The school board's preferred plan, Option 6.2, would reduce the number of schools from 23 to 16, with two high schools, four middle schools and 10 elementary schools, according to the Tribune-Star.

The Vigo County School Corp. said in a statement that it appreciated the commissioners' continued support and that, based on information from the meeting, the foundation's offer had been extended into 2027. "This extension gives the VCSC Board of School Trustees, along with its new members, time to further discuss options for funding the modernization plan," the district said.