Eric Kurtz

"It is not illegal because it's a supplemental payment," School Attorney Monica Conrad said. "Supplemental payments do not need to be negotiated."

Hammond School Board members' request for a forensic audit of the district's finances remains at a standstill.

Chief Financial Officer Eric Kurtz wants to know specifically what fraud is being suspected, when it allegedly happened, which funds were believed to be involved and any other possible evidence, according to an email read during Tuesday's school board work session.

Hammond School Board members may look at making another attempt at renewing the district's operating referendum, but they also wonder how much good it would do to fix its financial problems.

The School City of Hammond has set a timeline for staff reductions, as it tries to improve its financial situation. The school board unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday directing Superintendent Scott Miller to implement a "corrective action plan."

A Hammond School Board member's efforts to oust the superintendent continue to come up short. Carlotta Blake-King wanted to notify Superintendent Scott Miller that the board didn't plan to renew his contract. But that didn't make it onto Tuesday's meeting agenda, after Blake-King's motion to add it ended in a two-to-two tie.

The School City of Hammond's bus transportation is on the chopping block, as district leaders look for ways to cut spending.

The Hammond School Board approved the district's 2024 budget Tuesday, but where to cut spending remains a topic of debate.

The School City of Hammond is bracing for more financial struggles, as it puts together its 2024 budget. Cash reserves have dropped from $13 million in early 2022 to just over $3 million this summer, with the operations fund taking the biggest hit.

The Hammond School Board is urging school leadership to come up with ways to fix the district's financial problems. Chief Financial Officer Eric Kurtz told board members Tuesday that the school corporation's cash reserves dropped from roughly $13 million to just $3 million over the course of 2022.