Scholarship established in name of West Branch athlete

By LEONARD GLENN CRIST
BELOIT — A college scholarship has been established in the name of Ryan Johnson, the 17-year-old West Branch runner who unexpectedly died after running a relay race last month.

The West Branch Local Board of Education Thursday accepted a donation of $3,360 from staff, students and community members for the scholarship fund. Much of the donations were gathered in lieu of flowers at Johnson’s funeral services, Elsner said.

The scholarship was set up in Johnson’s name at the request of his parents Roy and Linda Johnson, of Damascus, said Superintendent Scott Weingart.

Details regarding how the scholarship will be awarded, to whom and how much have not yet been worked out yet, but Weingart said somebody will receive scholarship money from the fund this year.

The Johnsons will have input on the scholarship’s award criteria, Weingart said.

Also at the meeting:

The board approved an emergency measure to purchase two buses. A price will be negotiated, with the district expecting to spend about $69,000 or less per bus, Elsner said. The busses will be 2009 models. Several of the district’s existing buses are in “less than good condition,” Elsner said, and there is a fear they may not pass inspection for the start of the 2008-09 school year.

The board approved a five-year financial forecast that projects a budget surplus of $3.13 million at the end of this fiscal year. The forecast projects surpluses through 2011. In 2012, the board is projecting a deficit of $559,000. In the previous three years, the district has maintained budget surpluses of more than $3 million each year.

The board accepted the resignation of Fredlee Votaw, a high school art teacher. Votaw had spent one year under a retire-rehire plan but is now retiring for good, Weingart said.

Leonard Glenn Crist can be reached at lcrist@salemnews.net'>lcrist@salemnews.net