Apr 30, 2003 By April Straughters 3 min read

DEEMSTON – Bethlehem Center School directors could not agree on the district’s open records policy because of the amount charged for copies. Directors Don Bartolomucci, Patsy Jean Ross, Karen Drill, Daniel Symcheck and Denise Duvall all voted no to a motion to accept the open records policy.

“I think (the policy) should make things more accessible, increasing costs does not make (information) more accessible,” Symcheck said.

“I know we have to cover our costs, but it (the cost) has to be reasonable,” Ross said.

Director John Sloan said that the policy, which levies 50 cents per copied page, charges that price to pay for district personnel’s time gathering information.

Solicitor Dennis Makel said that he believe 25 cents is an appropriate price. He said most boroughs, townships and school districts charge that price.

Director Joan Caputo suggested a “graduated scale,” based on the time it takes for employees to prepare the documents through research and copying.

Superintendent Dr. Herman Jackson said he believes that 50 cents is “very reasonable.”

According to Jackson, documents will be free to board members, requesting information for board related matters, but the public will be charged.

He said a lot of time is invested researching and locating documents requested by the public.

The board did not come up with a solution that satisfied the entire board on that matter.

Makel said the policy, in addition to setting costs for documents, also outlines the time frame in which the district has to provide requested documents and the procedure one must take in order to receive information from the district.

He said the policy conforms to the current state laws regarding open records.

In other business, the board tabled a motion to accept the district’s tax abatement application at the recommendation of Jody Nepa, business manager.

Caputo said during a discussion of the matter that she feels the tax abatement was being considered to bring business and growth to the area. But she said she does not agree with giving tax breaks to companies and businesses and burdening the local residents, especially the area’s senior citizens, in order to make up that difference.

But Ross said the tax abatement is “based on economics to expand the tax base. This is so we don’t have to increase taxes. If we expand the tax base, we don’t have to go after the same pocket books every year,” Ross said.

Bartolomucci said the board should make a decision on the matter. “We’ve been screwing with this for two or three years now. We are always spinning our wheels,” he said.

Ross said there has been some confusion on the matter because the local municipalities have not all been on the same page.