Sentinel photo by BROOKE CROUSE
The Mifflin County School District Board of Directors discusses the district’s 2026-27 budget at a special voting meeting on Thursday.

LEWISTOWN — The Mifflin County School District Board of Directors approved a general fund budget of more than $105 million with a half-mill tax increase, bringing the millage to 35.0215 mills. Also at the Thursday meeting, board President Zeb Harshbarger resigned, vacating his seat during the regular voting meeting.

Before directors voted on a tax increase, Superintendent of Schools Vance Varner stated that a tax levy increase is necessary and recommended that the board approve at least a 1-mill increase.

Treasurer Melinda Kenepp echoed Varner’s sentiments and added that, while no one wants a tax increase, the mindset toward it should be one of building community. “Strong schools build a strong community. Strong communities build strong schools,” Kenepp said.

During the special voting portion of the meeting on budgetary items, directors approved a 2026-27 tax resolution to adjust the millage from 34.5215 to 35.0215 mills in a 5-4 roll call vote, with Directors E. Terry Styers, Mark Baker, Erin Barlup and Paula Dickson voting against the motion.

This Mifflin County School District levies the real estate tax, and this levy is to be enacted at a rate of $35.0215 on each $1,000 of the assessed value of the property.

This resolution also states that the district levies a $5 tax on each resident or inhabitant of the district who is over the age of 18 for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The final statement in the resolution reads that also levied is a resident tax of $5, a $10 flat rate local services tax, a 1% real estate transfer tax, and a 1.35% earned income tax.

All taxes listed in this resolution are effective July 1, 2026.

Directors then approved the 2026 Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion of $324.49, which corresponds with their decision to adjust property taxes by a half mill.

Kenepp said this exclusion decreased by $2.42 from the previous year, and the decrease is due to the district having 76 more parcels apply for the exclusion.

Directors also approved the 2026-27 general fund budget in the amount of $105,673,888 and the following disbursements from the capital projects fund for 2026-2027:

• Food Service Warmers $10,220

• Food Service Coolers $27,400

• LES Carpeting $6,000

• Fiber Infrastructure $30,000

• Pole Vault Package $31,000

• Cable Crossover $5,625

• Timing System $8,745

After the special voting meeting for the budget, the board held its regular voting meeting.

Directors reached the final item on the list of roll call items when Harshbarger made a motion to bring a resolution to publicly censure Barlup back to the table.

This resolution reiterates board policy 011, which establishes guidelines for the board’s principles of governance and leadership. The policy states that board members will work together with civility and cooperation, respecting that individuals hold differing opinions and ideas.

The resolution also alleges that Barlup did not act in accordance with this policy on April 23.

In Director Cody Wian’s absence for the regular voting meeting, all directors present agreed to bring the resolution back to the table.

All directors then approved to add the updated resolution from the Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday, June 18, to the Thursday, June 25, agenda.

The board engaged in a prolonged and divisive discussion about a censure resolution addressing a board member’s violations of the conduct policy.

Ultimately, the censure resolution did not pass in a 5-3 vote, with Harshbarger, Styers and Baker in support of the motion.

Harshbarger promptly exited the meeting, stating, “I know where this board stands.”

Harshbarger sent a press release of his resignation letter to The Sentinel immediately after the meeting. The release reads, but is not limited to the following statements:

“Today, I am announcing my resignation as president of the Mifflin County School District Board of Directors and as a member of the school board, effective immediately,” Harshbarger said in the release.

Harshbarger went on to write that he no longer has “confidence that a majority of this board shares that commitment” to be “transparent, accountable and willing to follow the same rules they expect others to follow.”

More information regarding the regular voting meeting will appear in a future edition of The Sentinel.