MAHANOY CITY — The Mahanoy Area school board will consider a request from a borough fire company and ambulance service in accepting services in lieu of annual tax payments.
Mark Bernardyn, a trustee with the Citizens Fire Company No. 2/Mahanoy City EMS, spoke to the school board at its Jan. 28 meeting about providing free services to the school district in place of paying its annual payment of about $1,600 that it makes in lieu of real estate taxes.
“We are a volunteer organization, so regardless if your answer is no, we’re not going to stop coming to the football games. We not going to stop if you’re requesting us for a sporting event or another school activity,” Bernardyn said. “We wouldn’t stop because that’s what we do. That’s our life of voluntary service. It would be easier for us to have this one less bill in our budget.”
Bernardyn said costs to provide emergency services continue to rise, but income does not keep pace.
“Every year we have less money coming from the houses in Mahanoy City in the annual fund drive that we have,” Bernardyn said. “Only about 32 percent of the households in town pay. This is one way that the school can help us and mutually do stuff. Even if you wanted to have stop, drop and roll class for grades K through 5, or anything like that, we’ll do it.”
Bernardyn asked the board to approve the suggested agreement, but district solicitor John G. Dean asked to review the agreement before board action.
“Before this can be put on the agenda, I need the chance to review this agreement and give guidance to the board,” Dean said, who also asked for a copy of the lease agreement between the fire company and St. Luke’s Physical Therapy, which operates in the building.
The following agenda items were acted on:
• Appointed James Burns, Tremont, as a high school special education teacher, effective Jan. 21, at an annual salary of $46,150, which will be prorated for the balance of the 2015-16 school year. Burns has a master’s degree equivalence plus 40 credits and nine years of teaching experience. He will receive all benefits associated with the Mahanoy Area Education Association contract.
• Approved medical family leave of absence to Molly Neifert from Jan. 8 to April 8; Connie Jarrard from Jan. 21 to April 21; and Adriene Kessler from Jan. 29 to March 11.
• Subcontracted with Progressive Pediatric Therapy LLC for occupational therapy evaluations and consultative therapy services at $69.50 per hour as needed.
• Approved a request by Ski Club adviser Sara Flexer for a ski trip to Smugglers Notch, Vermont, on Feb. 17 to 20. District transportation — one van — will be used.
• Appointment of James H. McCabe, Tamaqua, as a volunteer wrestling coach pending receipt of all clearances and trainings.
• Approved the sale of one iPad for $100 to elementary Principal Susan Scheeler. District Business Administrator John Hurst said that Scheeler upgraded to a newer unit and traditionally the old unit is sold to the user. The older iPad is about five years old.
• Approved the sale at $10 each of four church pews (from the former Assumption BVM Church that is owned by the school district) to Jennifer Holman, Barnesville, and three pews to James Rhoades, Mahanoy City. Hurst said all church pews have been sold.
• Approved the sale of three obsolete LifePak 500 AED (automated external defibrillator) to Richard Ney, Tremont, at $25 per unit.
“We had received notification last year that they were coming to the end of life and were no longer recommended to be used for actual emergency purposes,” Hurst said. “They still work, but the company doesn’t support or guarantee them. This gentleman (Ney) uses them in his AED training.”
• Authorized district Superintendent Joie Green and Hurst to sign a contract for electricity purchasing beginning with the July 2017 meter read when an agreement is reached. The current contract for purchasing electricity expires in 2017, Hurst said, and proposals are being received for a new contract through a consortium of about 200 school districts.
• Approved the donation of surplus tables and chair to the Mahanoy City borough for use at the teen canteen.
• Approved three budget transfers to different accounts following new state Department of Education accounting guidelines. The total amount of transfers is $67,000.
Green thanked the school board members for their service to the school and community as part of School Board Recognition Month, which is January. Each member received a certificate of appreciation.