SE Greene OKs committee to oversee service-sharing proposal
MAPLETOWN — Southeastern Greene School Board agreed Tuesday to create a standing committee to oversee the action plan for the implementation of sharing services between the Carmichaels Area, Jefferson-Morgan and Southeastern Greene school districts.
The action was recommended by the superintendent.
Dr. Thomas Howard was the only board member to vote against the motion, while proposing an alternative.
“It isn’t clear, especially concerning the role of the superintendent,” said Howard.
Howard said that he feels there is confusion about what the committee is assigned to do.
Instead, he proposed to create a school board committee that would meet with the other districts to discuss cooperation between them.
“I don’t think this opens up the topic of cooperation as it should be,” he said.
While directors Virginia Eberhart, Edward Kamenos and Howard voted for the alternate idea, Howard’s motion failed.
However, Director Janet Pennington, chairwoman of the standing committee, said that the superintendents already do meet. The approval of a standing committee does not bind the district to any recommendation, she added.
In other business, it was decided that the Mapletown High School will replace the video surveillance system with a PSX system at a cost not exceed $78,806.
“This will be a state-of-the-art upgrade,” said business manager Patrick Sweeney.
The equipment now being used is 10 years old, and is no longer up to date, he added.
“We’ve sat down and looked at equipment from 12 other companies, and we feel this one is really impressive,” said Sweeney.
In matters concerning personnel, four new people have been added to the support and professional staff substitute lists.
Added to the professional staff substiture list were Miranda Britner for health and physical education, and Zach Novak for the Intermediate Unit 1 emergency certification program.
Custodian Betty Cox and cafeteria employee Venona Grim were added to the support staff substitute list.
Amy Buchanan was placed in the six-hour cafeteria position, and Lisa Grim was transferred to the head cook position at the Bobtown Elementary School cafeteria.
The board also accepted two resignations from softball coaches at the meeting — head softball coach Ira Jay and assistant softball coach Kevin Pincavitch.
In other business, the board agreed to extend the district’s agreement with First Energy Solutions by one year to supply electricity for the district until July, 31 2014.
The original agreement is set to expire July, 31 2013.
By extending the agreement an additional year, there will be no increase in cost.
“The first year of this agreement saved the district nearly $12,000 in electric costs,” said Director Sam Cossick, finance commitee chairman.
In another matter, the board approved a resolution to not raise property taxes more than the index amount of 2.5 percent, which is equal to 0.575 of a mill.
The next regular meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 23.