School district benefits from bond refinance
GERMAN TWP. — Albert Gallatin School Board directors have learned that the refinancing of a past bond issue will save the district about $155,000.
Directors voted Wednesday to lock in a 2.5 percent interest rate to refinance a 2004 bond issue after representatives from PNC Capital Markets explained a savings of about $54,000 in 2011-12 and $94,400 in 2012-13.
In other business, directors voted to table a motion to pay nearly $20,000 to architects Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates of Mechanicsburg who are overseeing the George J. Plava Elementary School renovation project.
According to Michael Dunham, school board president, directors wanted more clarification about the money owed before voting on the matter.
At the meeting, board members set the custodian substitute rate at $9.50 per hour effective Oct. 31.
In personnel moves, the board:
n Appointed Dr. Beth A. Hutson, current district curriculum coordinator, to the assistant superintendent position.
n Reappointed Col. Ulysses R. Winn as the district’s JROTC Senior Army instructor and Staff Sgt. 1st Class Barbara Harmon as instructor of the program.
Compensation for both positions will equal the minimum instructor pay as from time to time established by the United States Army, plus $2,250 for extra curricular. Director Ken Plisko opposed both hires.
n Hired Rhonda Muha as a custodian at Friendship Hill Elementary School.
n Hired the following athletic positions: Ron Moore, girls assistant basketball coach at the high school; Mike Revak, head ninth-grade boys basketball coach at the high school; Jared Plisko, assistant ninth-grade boys basketball coach at the high school; Joe Embacher, winter athletic director and head wrestling coach for North and South middle schools; Scott Goletz, head boys basketball coach for North and South middle schools; Jeff Kopas, assistant boys basketball coach for North and South middle schools; and Darwin Stalnaker, assistant wrestling coach for North and South middle schools. Directors Plisko and John Kopas III abstained from votes on new hires of the same last name.