MAHANOY CITY — Mahanoy Area Business Administrator John J. Hurst provided an update on the passage of the state budget and the governor’s veto of the state’s fiscal code during Thursday’s meeting of the school board.
Hurst presented his comments during his administrator’s report, saying that the lack of the fiscal code will hurt school districts, including Mahanoy Area. Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the fiscal code legislation on March 25, which is connected to the state budget that Wolf decided not to sign but also said he would not veto.
“As regards to the state budget for the current fiscal year, there are two items on a good note,” Hurst said. “One is that we have a budget now and, two, it included $50 million more for education funding. However, the two negatives associated with it is, one, the fiscal code was vetoed. Unfortunately that fiscal code included how that money was going to be given out to school districts. We don’t know as of yet how much money we’re going to get.”
Hurst added, “Secondly, the fiscal code also includes the authorizing legislation for the PlanCon borrowing. That was vetoed as well, so as of right now, there are no plans to borrow money for the PlanCon funding that all schools across the state get.”
The PlanCon, Planning and Construction Workbook, fund is administered by the state Department of Education and reimburses school districts for school construction project.
“What that means to us, as I mentioned last month, is $440,000 that may be in jeopardy of the district not getting this year,” Hurst said. “So, I would encourage everyone here and in the audience to contact your legislators and Governor Wolf and let them know what kind of a significant impact it could have to our budget. That money is 5.3 mills in taxes to us that we could lose next year. Please contact our legislators.”
In another financial matter, Hurst said the school district received some good news on the cost of health care premiums.
“Back in November, I indicated that we had a preliminary increase of about 8 percent for our health care for next year. Today, we had our final meeting for the consortium and the rates will be 6.3 percent,” Hurst said. “With the rate being 1.7 percent lower, that will be about $38,000 less than what we anticipated. I know it’s not $440,000, but it certainly helps.”
In other business, the school board approved the retirement request from Robert A. Killian, Mahanoy City, effective the end of the current school year. He is the middle school remediation teacher and has worked for the district for 35 year. District Superintendent Joie Green spoke about Killian’s tenure.
The school board approved the amended school calendar, which included three snow makeup days. The Feb. 16 snow day will be made up on June 3, which will be the new graduation date that was originally June 2. The last for teachers is June 7. The snow days of Jan. 25 and 26 were made up on March 29 and March 24, respectively.
The school board acted on the following agenda items:
• Approved the sale of the former Assumption BVM Church rectory for $12,001 to Orlando Currie, Tamaqua. Currie’s bid was the only one received. The school district purchased the church building, rectory and land from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown in April 2010 for $110,000. The church was closed by the diocese in 2008. The district subdivided the property in order to sell the rectory, since the district has no use for it.
• Approved the 2016-17 Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 operating budget
• Approved the filing of PlanCon K as a result of the refinancing of the general obligation bonds, Series 2009 and 2010
• Approved a contract with Pepsi Bottling Group LLC from April 1 through March 31, 2021. Two of the highlighted benefits for the school district will be a $700 annual scholarship donation and a 25 percent commission on the sale of all products from vending machines
• Authorized administration to advertise for diesel fuel bids for the 2016-17 school year
• Approved the purchase of a new pole vault pit and cover, and a new high jump cover with pads from Aluminum Athletic Equipment Co., Royersford, for $15,830. The cost will be paid through a donation from the Herman Yudacufski Charitable Foundation.
“They (foundation) have been very generous to us,” Hurst said. “They did the scoreboard out there, they did radios one year and other donations.”
Board President Jay Hanley and other board members expressed their gratitude for the generous donation.
“It’s a great organization and we’re thankful to them. We appreciate it,” Hanley said.
• Accepted the resignation of Sharon Fritz, Barnesville, as a special education teaching assistant effective March 9
• Approved the middle school summer school program that will be held June 8 to 28, Monday through Thursday, with sessions from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with specific schedules developed closer to the summer. The instructors are English/language arts, grades 7-8 — Shannon Golanoski; science, grades 7-8 — Jon Shirvinski; social studies, grades 7-9 — Rob Wiscount; math, grades 7-8 — Tyler Mroczka; and core, grades 5-6 — Tracy Dudash. Substitutes or replacements are Bo Rogers and Emily Kesselring.
• Approved the creation of a secondary life skills classroom and gave administration permission to advertise to hire a secondary life skills teacher and two teaching assistants to begin in the 2016-17 school year
• Approved a National Honor Society and Student Council field trip to Baltimore, Maryland, on May 19 by chartered transportation to tour Fort McHenry, the Inner Harbor and attend a Baltimore Orioles baseball game. The bus will leave the school about 6:30 a.m. and return about 10 p.m. The request was made by adviser Nancy Brylewski.
• Accepted the retirement of Marie Styka, Mahanoy City, as a special education teaching assistant
• Approved a memorandum of understanding between the school district and the Mahanoy Area Education Association for district reimbursement for teachers taking classes
• Approved the use of the district stadium for the annual Sen. Rhoades Youth Track Meet from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 21. The request was made by James J. Rhoades Jr. of the James J. and Mary Edith Rhoades Foundation
• Appointed John McGroarty, Mahanoy City, and Brian Ouly, Barnesville, to share the duties of assistant baseball coach. Both will split the salary of $3,089.34, with each receiving $1,544.67.
• Appointed Kris Bet, Barnesville, and Troy Kimmel, Mahanoy City, as volunteer baseball coaches pending receipt of all clearances and trainings