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LEWISTOWN -- The Mifflin County School Board approved the 2023-2024 General Fund Budget in the amount of $107,923,615 at the Regular Board meeting on Thursday.
The budget has no tax increase.
A school district's general fund budget covers a wide range of expenditures necessary for its day-to-day operations.
These may vary depending on the specific needs and resources of the district but generally include salaries and benefits, materials and supplies, maintenance and operations, transportation, student services, professional development, technology, administrative costs, and debt service.
The final vote was 5-2, with Diane Stewart, Mary Lou Sigler, Don Wright, Terry Styers, and John Knepp voting yes. Mark Baker and Fredrick Nickel voted no. Mike Mowery and Noah Wise were absent.
The proposed sports stadium complex is factored into the budget, which is expected to cost $15 million and be financed by federal and state grants, community donations, reserve money in the current budget, and long-term borrowing.
Superintendent Vance Varner indicated the Board would have the project's final costs at the August 17th meeting and then decide later in the fall for final approval of the stadium plan. The exact timeline for the project will be mapped out as well.
Also, the Board adopted the following Tax Resolutions for the 2023-24 fiscal year:
Levy a real estate tax of 34.5215 mills upon the assessed value of all real estate within the District. This levy will be enacted at a rate of $34.5215 on each $1,000 of the estimated value of the property so taxed.
Levy a tax of $5.00 upon each resident or inhabitant of the District over the age of 18 years.
Levy a resident tax of $5.00, a $10.00 flat rate local services tax, a one percent real estate transfer tax, and a 1.35% earned income tax.
All said taxes are effective July 1, 2023. The vote was a unanimous 7-0.
In other news, the Board:
• Reviewed and approved the Federal Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG) for Travel Reimbursement Procedure-200.474.
• Approved the following curriculum maps in draft form:
2.1 6th Grade ELA
2.2 7th Grade ELA
2.3 9th Grade English
2.4 9th Grade – Exploring Young Adult Literature
2.5 9th Grade – Murder Mysteries and True Crime Literature
2.6 9th Grade – Stephen King Elective
2.7 Nutrition and Wellness
2.8 Sports and Entertainment Marketing
• Approved the Cafeteria Financial Report for May 2023.
• Approved authorization to pay Cafeteria Bills for May 2023.
• Approved Clint Aurand as Acting Chief Operations Officer retroactive to June 9, 2023, through June 30, 2023, with no additional compensation.
• Approved hiring Deanna Patel, sub-contracted Interpreter, to begin June 7, 2023, through June 6, 2024, at a $40/hour rate.
• Approved Fiscal Technicians Hope Baker and Gina Snyder to carry over all unused vacation days from the school year 2022-2023 through June 30, 2024, with no provisions on when they must be taken, other than they must be used by June 30, 2024.
• Approved the following Financial items: Review of Treasurer Reports for the month ended May 31, 2023, Review of listing of bills for payment, Review of Revenue and Expense Summaries. Real Estate and Per Capita Tax Collector Reports, 2022/2023 Budget Transfers.
• Approved Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MCESPA for the private contracting of one Educational Interpreter for MCSD beginning in the SY 2023-2024.
• Approved the 2023 Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion Resolution.
* Approved the following event staff for the 23-24 school year: Art Belfiore, Mark Baylor, Bret Treaster.
• Approved the following coaches for the fall 23-24 school year: Nicholas Wolfkiel (Jr. High Football Assistant), Lindsay Wagner (Volunteer Volleyball), Victoria Moon (Volunteer Girls Soccer), Abigail Martin (Volunteer Girls Soccer), Aubrey-Jo Jordan (Volunteer Volleyball), Kimberly Bennett (Volunteer Assistant Jr. High Cross Country), Joy Galbraith (Volunteer Cross Country).
• Approved the following coaches for the winter 23-24 school year: Tamara Sechler (Head Indoor Track), Brett Leister (First Assistant Girls Basketball), Dick Gingrich (Volunteer Assistant Girls Basketball), Elena Eckley (Volunteer Assistant Girls Basketball), Marissa Gingrich (Volunteer Assistant Girls Basketball), Olivia Fishbaine (Volunteer Assistant Girls Basketball), Andrew Baker (8th Grade Girls Basketball), Danielle Craig (Assistant 7th Grade Girls Basketball), Dale Searer (First Assistant Wrestling), Tyler Bedelyon (Assistant Wrestling), David Wray (Volunteer Assistant Wrestling), Trey Hartsock (Volunteer Assistant Wrestling), Kristopher Rahn (Volunteer Assistant Wrestling), Colton Spade (Head Jr. High Wrestling), Cole Kellison (Assistant Jr. High Wrestling), Seth Yearick (Assistant Jr. High Wrestling), Mark Cavanaugh (Volunteer Assistant Jr. High Wrestling), Tim Davis (Volunteer Assistant Jr. High Wrestling), Isabella Retherford (Assistant Winter Cheerleading), Adrienne Witters (Volunteer Assistant Winter Cheerleading), Mackenzie Erb (Head Jr. High Winter Cheerleading), Charles McConaughey (Volunteer Assistant Bowling), Denise Lane (Assistant Bocce Ball), Glen Franklin (First Assistant Boys Basketball), Don Lepley (Volunteer Boys Basketball), Noah Wright (Volunteer Boys Basketball), Dave Sheetz (Volunteer Boys Basketball), Adam Sheetz (Volunteer Boys Basketball), Cade Penepacker (Volunteer Boys Basketball), A.J. Hartsock (Volunteer Boys Basketball), Christopher Lehman (Head 9th Grade Boys Basketball), Nathan Poche (Volunteer 9th Grade Boys Basketball), Kevin Walker (Assistant 8th Grade Boys Basketball), Josh Parson (Assistant 7th Grade Boys Basketball), Tanner Hepner (Volunteer Jr. High Boys Basketball), Andrew Baker (8th Grade Girls Basketball).
• Approved changing the Table of Organization of Coaching Staff in the 2023-2024 Athletic Program Regulations to include only one Head Coach for the Spring Track and Field season with four assistant coaches.
• Approved Young, Oakes, Brown & Company, P.C. to perform an agreed-upon procedures engagement for real estate and per capita tax collectors for the year ended June 30, 2023, at an estimated cost of $18,750.
• Effective for the 2023-2024 school year, approved to reimburse the five (5) transportation contractors' mileage to and from their bus garages to the sending school for all transportation services related to athletic trips, field/activity trips, and ski trips. This reimbursement will be at a rate of $1.94 per mile plus fuel adjustment. Reimbursement would apply to the bus garages in Mifflin County only.
• Approved to authorize MCSD Administration to solicit transportation services from new bus contractors to provide transportation services related to athletic trips, field/activity trips, and ski trips.
• Approved the following updated policies for second/final read: Policy 003 - Functions, Policy 351 – Drug, Substance and Alcohol Abuse, Policy 701.1 – Naming Rights.