School directors to trim budget
CONNELLSVILLE – School directors plan to trim a $1.8 million deficit from the 2009-2010 proposed budget that calls for $64,839,000 in revenue and $66,640,100 in expenses. Gene Cunningham, business manager, said if left untouched the deficit would require a 6.1 percent tax increase, which is the maximum index that school directors can raise taxes in accordance with the state. According to Cunningham, the district would only collect $750,000 if the board took no further action, still leaving a shortfall.
Cunningham said taxes in the district have remained at 12.6 mills since 2004.
Cunningham noted a $2 million increase over last year in teachers’ salaries and health insurance that comprise the bulk of the budget amounting to $1.2 million and $800,000, respectively.
While the board has followed the same pattern of dipping into the district’s fund balance to help offset prior deficits, Cunningham said the district would have $6 million in that account at the beginning of next year.
Additionally, the board approved a proposed and balanced budget for the Connellsville Area Career and Technical School of $3,143,900 that includes $170,000 for teachers’ salaries and $50,000 for health insurance.
In an unrelated matter, the board voted 5-4 to implement a citizen advisory committee in accordance with school district policy following a request from board member Ed Zadylak.
The purpose of the committee will be to keep the board and administration informed of community opinion and to represent the community in the study of specific school issues.
Zadylak, along with board members Kevin Lape, Jon Detweiler, Jeffrey Harvey and Karen Blocker supported the measure, with Dr. Sam Martin, Denise Martin, Jim Fabian and Francis Mongell voting against it.
“It’s been on the books a long time and rarely used,” said Zadylak, who referred to the previous committee that fizzled out in the 1990s.
Under the policy the majority of the board would appoint people to the committee and provide them assignments if necessary otherwise their suggestions would be considered an opinion.
“I think that a citizens advisory committee is a good thing, but I’m not supporting it because of the format,” Mongell said.
The board also gave approval for Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates to develop a construction budget for renovations or additions at the senior high school at a cost of $120,603.
Turning to other business the board hired the following each at a salary of $34,251 at John Hamman, electronic technology instructor; Pat Mullaney, computer network security instructor; and Bill Shipley, HVAC instructor.