No Tax Increase in Shen. Valley 2017-18 Budget
SHENANDOAH – The Shenandoah Valley School Board held it’s April meeting on Wednesday night, and among the agenda items was the final 2017-18 budget. The budget, which doesn’t include a tax increase, was approved in an 8-0 vote.
The general operating budget for 2017-18 stands at $17,860,608, an increase of $18,.955 from 2016-17. Real Estate taxes remain at 56.975 mills.
Prior to the vote, Board Member Thomas Twardzik read a statement written by the late Board Member Richard C. Zimmerman. Zimmerman outlined the state of the system the Commonwealth uses to fund its public schools, noting how it doesn’t fairly fund schools which need more funding for special education, ESL, and other programs. Zimmerman also noted in the statement the exponentially rising cost of district contributions to pension plans, and the effect it has on budgets.
“Public Education must have more money and fewer mandates to fulfill its mission of educating our children. We also need a more equitable distribution plan for that money so all school districts in Pennsylvania have a fair shot at providing a comparably fine education. Without addressing fairer funding, creating an adequate overall tax plan to fund public education, and enacting serious pension reform, the rally cry of eliminating property taxes is a magician’s misdirection.” the statement continued.
The vote included the following tax schedule with no changes from the current fiscal year. Taxes marked as “shared” are divided for distribution, with 50 percent to the school district and the remainder to the school district’s municipalities, Shenandoah and West Mahanoy Township.
- Earned income tax (Act 511) — 1 percent (shared). Levied on salaries, wages, commissions and other compensation.
- Realty transfer tax (Act 511) — 1 percent (shared).
- Per capita tax — $5 (As per Section 579).
- Per capita tax — $5 (As per Section 511).
- Local services tax — $5.
- Occupational assessment — $50 (As per Section 579).
- Five percent tax upon gross of any person/entity engaging in culm processing business.
- Ash disposal fee of $5 per ton for any cogeneration facility, person or other entity engaging in the activity in the school district.
Also at the school board meeting, several students from across the district were honored for various accomplishments.
Devin Davis, 18, Weston Place, a senior at Shenandoah Valley High School, was recognized at the meeting for becoming the first Eagle Scout from a Shenandoah troop in 36 years.
In order to earn the distinction of Eagle Scout, Davis had to complete 12 elective merit badges and a community service project. His project was one which benefits the entire athletic department at Shenandoah Valley.
“My project was to remodel, refurbish, and reuse all the weights and equipment up in our weight room so that people had a nicer weight room and help show our school spirit and pride, so that everybody could come up there and enjoy weightlifting too.” Davis told those gathered at the school board meeting.
Also recognized at the board meeting were two students who won awards at the Schuylkill County Regional Computer Fair, one of whom will be travelling to Carlisle to compete in the Pennsylvania State Fair.
Kaitlyn Hepler won first prize in the regional computer fair for her animation project A Day on Mars: Stop-Motion Animation. The award advances her to the state fair, held on May 23rd at Dickinson College.
Hepler also placed 2nd in Web Design at the regional fair, as part of a team with brother Gabe Hepler and Justin Tietsworth
The website was designed as a photography portfolio for Tietsworth.
It was also revealed that the meeting would be the the last Shenandoah Valley board meeting covered by John E. Usalis from The Republican-Herald.
“I appreciate your integrity, your honesty, and your fair reporting towards this board at all times. Thank you, John.” Board President Daniel Salvadore said during the meeting.
In other business, the Shenandoah Valley School Board
- Approved filing for a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture for a new plow truck and handicapped accessible van.
- Approved the following staff in-services:
-Gifted/Reading Intervention Teacher Lauren Wood and Gifted Instructor Allison Rizzo to Gifted Forum/Gifted Bootcamp.
-Elementary Principal Brooke Wowak and Elementary Teachers Nina Delluso and Sheena Micklo to the 2017 Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Annual Conference
-ESL Instructor/Coordinator Debbie Stivers and ESL Instructor Diann Belsak to Introduction to the PA English Language Development Standards Framework - Appointed Helene Creasy as the Schuylkill Technology Center/Intermediate Unit Representative for Shenandoah Valley for the term ending June 30th, 2019.
- Approved the 2017-18 Step By Step Learning, LLC Services Agreement.
- Retroactively Approved Tara Davidson/Schuylkill County Guest Teacher Program.
- Approved the Election of School Board members to the Intermediate Unit Board of Directors
- Approved June 13th and 14th as Act 80 Days
- Approved the 2017-18 School Calendar
- Approved Jamie Buriak as Elementary Health/Physical Education Teacher effective April 27th, 2017 at a salary of $41,480
- Approved Michele Bereschak as Transportation Supervisor/Administrative Assistant to the Business Office at a salary of $27,000 effective April 27th, 2017.
- Approved bonus pay for Girls’ and Boys’ Basketball Coaches as follows
Boys (3 weeks)
Rob Miller – $225.00
Tom Erbe – $150.00
Mark Kufrovich – $150.00
Girls (2 weeks)
Chris Conroy – $150.00
Mark Mikita – $100.00
Kristin Malloy – $50.00
Nina Tedesco – $50 - Accepted letters of resignation from Junior High Cheerleading Coach Noelle Pinchot and Head High School Football Coach Kevin Bolinsky,
- Approved the following appointments
Danna Mazack – Class of 2019 Advisor
Jordan Franko – Assistant Band Director at a salary of $2,500, effective July 1st 2017.
Chris Swantek – Marching Tech at a splitting salary of $2,500, effective July 1st, 2017 - Approved the following building usage requests:
Shenandoah Girls Basketball Boosters (High School Cafeteria)
Shenandoah Library and Brain Cancer Alliance (Rotary Way)
Shenandoah Teener Organization (Baseball Field) - Accepted letter of resignation of Matthew Rainis Jr, as substitute bus driver.
- Approved the following support staff appointments:
David Loftus – 3rd Shift Custodian, retroactive to April 24th 2017
Arlen Hummel – Substitute Maintenance/Custodian, pending receipt of clearances - Approved Summer Work Applicants.
- Approved Summer Work OVR applicants with reimbursement from the PA Department of Labor and Industry.
- Approved Loan Resolution with USDA for Handicapped Accessible Van and Truck.
- Approved Disposition of Outdated and Unrepairable Computer Equipment.
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