LH hires new business manager
The Laurel Highlands School Board Wednesday hired a district business manager to replace one who is retiring in June. The board voted 5-4 to hire Greg Hensh as business manager to replace Joyce Estocak, who has 42 years of service with the district.
Hensh’s salary was set at $65,000 per year, with the earnings remaining the same the following year, said Jim Tobal, co-chairman of the board’s human resources committee. He will undergo a training period from April to June and a one-year probationary period will follow, said Tobal.
Voting against the hiring were Mary Conway, who also co-chairs the human resources committee, Edward George, Beverly Beal and school Board President Cathy Rice.
Beal cited Hensh’s hiring as business manager at the Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School as the reason for her vote of disapproval. Hensh was hired at that school in February 2006.
He also has been employed as a certified public accountant with McClure & Wolf in Uniontown.
Dr. Ronald Sheba said Hensh was one of several “sound” candidates for the position, which he said made the board’s decision on whom to hire difficult. There were five finalists for the position, Sheba noted.
In other business, the board voted 9-0 to refinance a 2004 bond issue, money borrowed for the Hutchinson Elementary School renovation/addition project. The refinancing will cause the district to save $90,000 to $100,000, said Sheba. A member of the district’s bond counsel of Thorp Reed & Armstrong presented the board with the resolution at the evening board meeting.
The board also conducted the following business:
– Scheduled school snow make-up days for Monday, April 9 and Tuesday, May 15 and noted all other make-up days will be placed at the end of the school year. June 6 is the revised date for the high school graduation ceremony, the board noted.
– Announced next month’s board work session will be held March 12 and the regular board meeting will be held March 13.
A hearing to garner public input into a proposed referendum question will be held prior to the board meeting. The board could approve placing the question on the May 15 ballot.
If approved, voters will decide whether to levy an additional .8 percent earned income tax to reduce property taxes by approximately $260 per year.
The current municipal/school district earned income tax rate is 1 percent. If voters favor doing so, the total earned income tax rate would be bumped up to 1.8 percent effective July 1.