Uniontown warned about budget
After the Uniontown Area School Board passed a tentative budget last month for the 2003-2004 school year, director William Rittenhouse said Tuesday that while the budget based on current information could be balanced, some areas could cause problems for the district. “There are some issues that we may have to discuss next week,” Rittenhouse said.
According to Rittenhouse, who heads the finance/personnel committee, the district receives about $160,000 in amusement taxes, but that might change with rafting companies in Ohiopyle challenging the legality of an amusement tax for transportation along waterways.
While solicitor Michael Brungo said he disagrees with the position taken by the rafters, Rittenhouse said that revenue could be lost.
He also noted that the district’s worker’s compensation is up 22 percent this year, costing the about $10,000 more than last year, and he added that the Fayette County Vocational-Technical School has yet to pass its budget. The vo-tech board will meet this evening and is expected to vote on its budget.
“There may be additional money that we must come up with,” Rittenhouse said.
Last month, the board unanimously approved a $31,862,078 tentative budget that includes $17,441,621 for instruction, $10,969,593 for support services and $2,924,602 for other financing uses.
In other business, the board heard a report from construction manager Sam Denny about projects throughout the district.
Denny said renovation project at Wharton Elementary School is progressing and that a dramatic increase in work has begun since school ended Monday.
“All in all, it has been progressing a lot better, and there has been a dramatic improvement in the last 24 hours,” Denny said.
He said demolition and abatement are both progressing and that electrical and plumbing contractors are on site. He also noted that all the work – except the kitchen renovation, which is expected to be complete in October – should be complete before the start of school in August.
The board also heard from Mark Altman of district architect Altman and Altman about the stadium and pool renovations.
After the board approved $957,000 worth of construction costs to upgrade the stadium last month, Altman told the directors Tuesday that, according to the state Department of Labor and Industry, the district does not have an occupancy permit for the stadium and that he had to apply for a variance to try to continue the upgrades.
Altman said he never anticipated this snag and that without the occupancy permit, the project will be delayed and could cause some inconvenience at the end of the summer. He noted, however, that the district still can complete the work.
The project calls for a new concession stand and ticket booth, the installation of handicapped-accessible facilities, new seating on the visitor’s side of the stadium and new lighting.