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Derry Area eyes 4-mill hike
(The Blairsville Dispatch Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) May 9--DERRY -- Derry Area School District property owners could face a four-mill tax hike during the coming school year to help pay for proposed renovations to Grandview Elementary School and district athletic facilities.
The school board will consider the increase when it votes on a tentative 2008-09 budget in a special meeting at 6 p.m. May 22. The increase would boost the district real estate tax to 74 mills.
Business Manager Joe Koluder unveiled the proposed tax hike and $29.8 million spending plan at last week's school board meeting.
According to Koluder, the tax increase would generate about $490,000, to be set aside in a capital project fund. The fund would pay for architectural fees and other up-front costs associated with the estimated $20 to $27 million in facility improvements. It also would help to retire bonds that would be issued to finance the project.
Koluder said work on the project is at least a year away, with school officials still undecided on the extent of improvements warranted for athletics. Options include renovating the middle/high school gymnasium and upgrading wrestling rooms.
The proposed tax increase is just shy of the 4.3-mill maximum hike the board could enact without requiring voter approval under Pennsylvania's Act 1 taxpayer relief legislation.
Based on property assessment data from Nov. 30, Koluder indicated a four-mill increase would cost the average residential taxpayer an additional $46.32 per year.
Koluder said the district will not need to increase taxes to pay for ongoing district operations in 2008-09. It is planning to tap into a $2.5 million fund balance for $1.1 million needed to supplement anticipated revenues.
Expenditures are expected to increase by $946,045, or 3.3 percent, from the current year's budget.
Transportation costs are pegged at about $1.7 million next year, reflecting an increase of $130,050, or 8.2 percent. Included in that figure are nearly $69,000 in increased diesel fuel costs, Koluder said.
District costs associated with the Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center are expected to jump by $60,000, due to increased Derry Area enrollment at the school and creation of a new administrative post there, he said.
Other planned cost increases: $108,000, for special education services provided by the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit; $70,000 for increased district enrollment, from 11 students to 18, at Adelphoi Village's Dr. Robert Ketterer Charter School in Latrobe; and $47,000, due to an increase of personal care assistants for students, from 14 to 18.
Uncharacteristically, costs tied to employee salaries and benefits at Derry Area are expected to decrease in 2008-09.
"In normal years, that's a driving cost for the budget," Koluder noted.
But, for 2008-09, Derry Area is projecting a net decrease of $121,630 in salary and benefit expenditures, to just over $19 million.
Koluder explained the district will save about $370,000 in health insurance costs as a result of some employees opting out of Derry Area's plan since they are covered by a spouse's plan. Also, the district will receive a $230,000 distribution from a health consortium in which it participates.
Other costs savings are expected due to the retirement of 11 veteran instructors. Koluder said those positions are to be filled, but he pointed out the newly hired teachers will not be paid near the top of the district's salary scale.
Also at last week's meeting, the school board awarded a contract for technology infrastructure improvements to Chestnut Ridge Communication Services, the lowest bidder meeting specifications, at a cost not to exceed $343,389.20. Koluder said the district's middle and high schools will be wired with a fiberoptics network. The cost will be met with district capital improvement funds.
Additional bids will be sought for network equipment and for driveway sealing.
Also, the board agreed to proceed with test boring for Field House Site A.
In personnel matters, the board hired Christopher Campbell as the high school associate principal, effective July 1. He will receive a salary of $77,650 and also will be paid $298.65 per day for any training dates the district establishes in June.
Steven Williams was employed as a personal care assistant at an hourly rate of $8.75 for 20 hours per week, retroactive to April 14, while Suzette Weinell was approved as an extended day-to-day substitute, effective April 21, for the remainder of the current school year.
DeeAnn Waters was named head girls' basketball coach for the 2008-09 school year, with her salary determined by a negotiated point system. Lauren Hamilton will receive a $100 stipend for serving as the high school ensemble's choreographer, in preparation for the school's spring concert.
The board accepted the resignation of food service worker Anna Monteparte, effective May 29.
In accordance with the state school code, Derry Area agreed to eliminate tuberculosis testing requirements for students entering the district or beginning grade 9.
Karen Egner received permission to organize a student trip to Mexico in April 2009, at no cost to the district, contingent upon world conditions at the time and review by the school board one month prior to the trip.
The board approved purchase of various district supplies for 2008-09, through a Westmoreland Intermediate Unit consortium, at a total cost of $59,845.97.
School directors made the following appointments for 2008-09:
--Solicitor Ned J. Nakles Jr., at a retainer of $6,000 and an hourly rate of $115, unchanged from the current year's fees;
--Dental examiner Dr. John Rawa, at a cost of $2 per exam, up by 25 cents;
--Derry Medical Associates, continuing as school doctors, with the $20,000 cost representing a $1,000 increase;
--Doctors Francis Meyers, James W. Sillaman III, George M. Gavin, Robert L. Davoli and Donald A. Monack, continuing as medical examiners, at a rate of $2.50 per pupil exam, up by $1.
--Sarp & Company, continuing as district auditors. The firm will charge a total fee of $16,250, an increase of $1,500 from the current year; extra work will be billed at $70 per hour, up from $68;
--The Derry offices of Ameriserv Financial and S&T Bank, PA Local Government Investment Trust and PA School District Liquid Asset Account, continuing as depositories for district funds.
Jeff Himler can be reached at jhimler@tribweb.com or 724-459-6100, ext. 13.
To see more of The Blairsville Dispatch or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/blairsvilledispatch/.
Copyright (c) 2008, The Blairsville Dispatch, Pa.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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