May 24, 2007 By Patty Yauger 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – Despite a shortfall of $1.065 million in the 2007-08 preliminary budget, Connellsville Area School District board members adopted the plan Wednesday, stating the deficit should be trimmed by the time the final figures are presented next month. District business manager Eugene Cunningham said that a key to paring the figure would be what vacancies may or may not be filled.

“If we hire a replacement teacher, we will save about $30,000,” he said. “If we do not replace a teacher, we save $65,000, plus the related benefit costs.”

Approximately 50 district personnel, including elementary and secondary teachers along with administrators and support staff submitted retirement letters to the board.

Cunningham speculated that the deficit should be reduced to approximately $200,000 when the board of directors considers the final budget at its June 27 meeting.

Cunningham added that the board has only two options to balance the spending plan with a deficit amount – raise taxes or tap the fund balance.

“I would expect the board to take the money from the fund balance,” he said. “That is what they have done for the past five or six years.”

As a precautionary measure, the board also approved Cunningham to seek rates for a tax anticipation note.

“It will be a cushion until the state funding arrives,” he said. “Our payroll totals nearly $1.5 million each pay period. If something would happen, the money would be there.”

The board and the state Department of Education must approve the securing of the note.

The board also adopted a balanced $2.184 million budget for the Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center (CACTC).

In hiring matters, the board approved Melissa Loy and Lisa Mumau as elementary guidance counselors and Diana Bruno as a secondary guidance counselor for the upcoming school year. The three positions were vacated earlier by retiring staff members.

The board also took action to fill the director of security/facilities manager position vacated by Charles Matthews, who also opted to retire at the end of the school year.

By a vote margin of 5-to-4, Connellsville Police Department Sgt. Michael Parlak was tapped for the post and will receive a salary of $35,059.

Neither Parlak’s name nor the salary was included on the Wednesday agenda, which routinely is filled before the meeting takes place.

Board member and chairman of the personnel and review committee Jeffrey Harvey said that the three top candidates for the position ranked “very high” in the opinion of the board, with Parlak garnering the majority consensus when the directors met in executive session prior to the regular meeting.

In addition to the director of security responsibilities, Parlak will also oversee the use of the district facilities.

“This is something that has been needed,” said Harvey. “We’ve often had double bookings at some of the buildings because too many people had the authorization. Now any requests will be referred to (Parlak).”

Parlak is the third member of the police department to retire and then take a position with the school district. Matthews at one time served as police chief before being hired by the district while former police Sgt. Vincent Traynor is now an emergency services instructor at the CACTC.

In addition to Harvey, board members Francis Mongell, Loretta Lint, Thomas Dolde and Richard Galand supported Parlak’s hiring with board members Kevin Lape, Kenneth Nicholson, Karen Blocker and Ed Zadylak casting dissenting votes to the measure.

In related matters, the board also hired Nick Bosnic as senior high school boys basketball head coach; Kimberly Jacobs, senior high girls basketball head coach; Danny Hough, senior high football defensive coordinator; Greg Pastors, senior high football offensive coordinator; Ryan Hiles and Robert Malia, senior high football assistant coach; and Kevin Harrison, Junior High West football assistant coach.

In other matters, the board:

– Renewed an agreement with Dr. Paul Means as athletic physician at a cost of $4,800.

– Approved CACTC instructor Daniel Komarinski and four students to participate in the National Project Grass Contest in Springfield, Mo., June 4-7 at an approximate cost of $2,000 for one substitute, lodging and transportation.

– Re-elected Eugene Cunningham as district treasurer and Cherie Routzahn as district assistant treasurer.

– Approved food service director Junie Clawson to attend the National Food Service Management Institute Financial Management Information System Workshop June 27 and 28 at a cost of $150 for registration, travel and lodging.

– Named Linda Shearer as senior high activities fund director and Dr. Justin Guess as senior high PJAS sponsor.

– Recalled the 13 furloughed CACTC instructors.

– Approved the rates of $7.85 for each student physical examination and $11.20 for each bus driver physical examination to be made by district physicians Paul Means, Rachael Fasson-Esposito, Mary Beth Krafty, William Kozak and Margel Guie.