HAMMOND | School leaders are still waiting to hear whether a visit from state officials earlier this month will prove to be a positive move for them.

The Indiana State Property Tax Control Board rejected a $165 million proposal from the School City of Hammond in July that includes building a new Hammond high school.

Superintendent Walter Watkins said Indiana Department of Local Government Finance Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave, along with three members of the board which turned the request down, were in Hammond for several hours on Aug. 6.

"We got a chance to go over the plan with them, take them around and talk to them about what we want to do," Watkins said, after a regular School Board meeting Thursday.

"They did not ask us to scale the plan back. They listened. I have not heard anything from them yet," he said.

The DLGF initially heard the plan in July, and questioned whether taxpayers could afford the project when they already have a hefty debt load. Musgrave has six months from the July hearing to make a final decision.

Supporters are pushing for the plan to be approved, while detractors want voters to have their say by putting the request for a new high school on a referendum.

At least one Hammond resident asked that if the plan eventually gains approval, the board not forget about the other school buildings, which also need some renovation.

The name of former Morton High School Principal Christine Pepa also cropped up at the meeting, as speaker after speaker questioned exactly what happened to cause the district to remove her after one year as principal.

Pepa, 37, of Crown Point, replaced Theresa Mayerik last school year as principal. Mayerik became director of Secondary Curriculum, Instruction and Student Services.

Doug Friend was named to replace Pepa, who is spending the second year of a two-year contract working on special projects in the business office, Watkins said.

At least one Morton school employee told Hammond School Board members that the issue, whatever it is, was not handled well.

Watkins and School Board President Anna Mamala declined to discuss the issue, saying it was a personnel matter.