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School District budget passes with no tax hike

Fourth straight year Mifflin?County School Board approved budget without tax increase

LEWISTOWN — Residents of Mifflin County will not see an increase in their tax bills following the final passage of the Mifflin County School District General Fund Budget on Thursday.

The district’s board of directors voted by an 8-0 margin to approve the 2018-19 spending plan, which totals $75,814,750, the same number that was presented in tentative form during the board’s May meeting. Voting in favor were Robert Hammond, John Knepp, Beth Laughlin, Julie Maidens, Mary Lou Sigler, E. Terry Styers, Michelle Terry, and Noah Wise. Board member Kristen Sharp was not in attendance at Thursday’s meeting.

“I’m pleased to report that this is the fourth consecutive year we have been able to present a budget without a tax increase,” Superintendent James Estep stated following final passage. Prior to the vote, Estep noted that the Pennsylvania State Legislature already has the state’s 2018-19 budget completed and on time.

“We’re happy about that,” he stated. “And we’re obviously happy the $100 million (proposed increase by the governor) was in there for basic ed subsidies as well.”

Estep said the state did reduce the increase in special ed funding by a marginal amount, approximately $14,000 less than projected in the county’s spending plan. Those monies can be made up through district reserve money, he added.

Another addition to the state budget is $60 million to be earmarked to districts in the form of grants to increase security efforts. Estep said the exact procedures on how to apply for the extra funding have yet to be ironed out. “We’re keeping an eye on that every day,” he said. Estep said if the district is successful in obtaining a portion of those funds, more money would be available for an additional school resource officer and possibly for licensed social workers who would be able to visit homes of chronically truant students in an effort to get them back to school.

In other business Thursday, Joe Gagliardo, director of buildings and grounds, presented a brief update on a host of renovation projects currently going on around the district as a result of the recent bond issue passed by the board. Numerous buildings are receiving face lifts, including Lewistown Intermediate School, which is getting air conditioning to alleviate extremely hot temperatures that have been occurring at the beginning and end of each school year. Several other buildings are receiving new boilers, windows and security upgrades.

When asked how the progress of the work is coming, Gagliardo said he was very pleased.

“We’re off to a good start,” he said. “I think we’re right on schedule. I’m very comfortable and satisfied. The contractors have been ripping and tearing. They are working well together and have the right attitude, which is, ‘We’ve got to get ‘er done before school starts.’ I’m comfortable everything will be complete by the start of the school year.”

In other action Thursday, the board:

¯ Approved curriculum maps for the following subjects: Spanish, health and phys ed, chemistry, social studies, and English Language Arts and Reading. Three others, math curriculum for grades 6-8, music curriculum for grades 6-12, and math II curriculum, were tabled for further review.

¯ Approved the bread bid for 2018-19 from Angelo Pacifico & Sons.

¯ Accepted the milk bid for 2018-19 from Valley Farms Dairy LLC.

¯ Accepted the resignation of van driver Sherry Wagner effective May 17.

¯ Hired Mandy Zook as a van driver effective August 23.

¯ Approved the 2018-19 athletic regulations.

¯ Appointed as teacher mentors in the full induction program: Angela Dolin, Allison Gerwick, Lauren Runk, Joseph Eckenroth, Matthew Torquato, Nicholas Wilson, Karin Muir, Kaylee Moore, Shashona Baker, Amber Elsesser. Also Becca Zook as a Lewistown Elementary School only mentor. Mentors for the full induction program receive a $1,000 stipend and mentors for the partial program receive a $350 stipend.

Hired the following: Kelley Yoder, fifth grade teacher; Dawn Berrier, learning support teacher; Gavin Calgaro, Title I math teacher; Lucas Showers, third grade teacher; Brittany Graybill, school nurse; Diana Miller, general music teacher; Amber Oliver, first grade teacher; Amber Fuller, third grade teacher; Billie Jo Heverly, emotional support teacher; Tiffany Walters, Amy Banks, Sandra Eversole, Kimberly Oburn, Cherrie McMohon, Rayona Baker, Brenda Hutchinson, Tracy Bastress, Brittany Ruble, and Kaleena Beers, cafeteria workers; and Zachery Snyder, custodian.

¯ Approved the following paraprofessionals for Extended School Year that runs from July 10 to August 2: Lori Aultz, Lisa Damicantonio, Cheryl Himes, Victoria Beasom, Debra Fisher and Stacey Wertz-Mann.

¯ Approved the following teachers for Extended School Year: Nikki Bailey, Korie Bubb, Brandy Erb, Amber Fuller, Shaneen Gramley, MaryAnn Haines, Brett Leister, Jennifer Myers, Kaby-Ann Speck, Becca Zook, Makayla Pearce, Kylee Baublitz, Janel Catherman, Andrea Fosselman, Kelsey Gill, Joshua Grimes, Billie Heverly, Zanna Matthews, Amber Scaringi, Alison Treaster and Melissa Zilch.

¯ Approved a memorandum of understanding between the secretarial and paraprofessional association and the district to reflect allowing more flexibility of moving paraprofessionals positions as needs arise.

¯ Approved a ceiling tile replacement project at the Indian Valley Elementary Center auditorium with Indoor Air Technologies Inc. at a cost of $76,120, with funding taken from capital reserve monies.

¯ Hired Colleen Snook as junior high field hockey assistant coach.

¯ Approved Christopher Tatom as a volunteer cross country coach.

¯ Approved Anthony Everly as a volunteer junior high football coach.

¯ Adopted the following tax resolutions for the 2018-19 fiscal year: Real estate tax at 33.4511 mills; $5 inhabitant tax for all residents over 18; $5 and $10 flat rate local services tax; One percent real estate transfer tax; and 1.35 percent earned income tax.

¯ Approved the 2018 Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion Resolution.

¯ Approved the Federal Programs Homeless Liaison and Parental Engagement Stipends.

¯ Approved the Licensed Social Worker job description.

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