With a final vote on the district’s proposed $20.9 million looming before the end of the month, the Elk Lake School Board took care of other pending business Wednesday concerning personnel and other contracts.

The school board must approve its $20,928,946 preliminary budget for the 2017-2018 fiscal year by June 30.  The board is next scheduled to meet June 22.

That budget is a $1.1 million increase over last fiscal year’s $19.8 million budget. If passed, that budget will likely see Susquehanna County property taxes increase 4.98 percent and Wyoming County property taxes increase 3.62 percent.

On Thursday June 9, the school board accepted the resignations of two educators, Denise Churchill and Iris Hoffman, effective the end of the school year.

The board also approved a 12-month business secretary position for Laura Mitchell at $11.65 an hour and three special education extended school year positions as well as a 2017 summer student worker.

In other business, the board approved a $42,000 boiler removal bid from A.R. Poppell of Wilkes-Barre and renewed its annual agreement with Highmark Health Care.  The board also agreed to send out for bids a window replacement contract.

The board also approved Policy 246, which is directed at improving the health, welfare and nutrition of students.

Votes on Policy 203, which relates to Immunizations and Communicable Diseases, and Policy 204, regarding attendance, were withheld until the board’s next meeting.

The Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center board, last Wednesday recommended the allocation of $174,756 for capital projects and equipment for Plan Con reimbursement, a state Department of Education program which reimburses school districts for construction projects.   The board also approved a $3,800 salary for SCCTC board secretary Jeannie Rogers at no increase in cost to taxpayers.

The technology center board also renewed contracts for two clinical nurse supervisors who visit local hospitals and clinics one on a one-year, part time, three day a week contract, the other year-to-year.

In other business, the technology center board accepted a $35,000 grant from the Adult Learner Training Initiative to fund cross-training in the construction, electrical and plumbing industry and voted to authorize the application for a $100,000 Perkins Grant to help fund technical and vocation education.

A $2,500 donation from the Tulsa Community Foundation specifically for the SCCTC welding program was also accepted.

Grading the roads in Thompson Township were put on hold with the daily dose of rain reported Supervisor Alex Komar at the Supervisors meeting held on June 7th.  The road crew will continue grading and raking during dry days and they’ve been using the time to cut back the brush from the side of the roads.  Supervisor Komar said they have been studying the roads during the rain and some pipes need to be replaced, while others are added. He said they are able to install the pipes in the rain, as long as it wasn’t heavy.

Supervisor Susan Jenkins stated she attended the mandatory Susquehanna County meeting on Tuesday, June 6th in Montrose.  She said County Emergency Management Officials reviewed how communities should react during a disaster, and be self sufficient to survive for seventy-two hours on their own without help from the County.

Supervisor Rick Wademan said the Township issued two building permits in May.  One was for a boathouse on Wrighter Lake, and one was for a resident on Rt. 1001 to build a ramp.

The supervisors spoke for a few moments about boundary issues on Wrighter Lake and residents of the lake community not applying for permits as required by Ordinance.

A requirement of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) states a person should be appointed as an Assistant Road Forman, reported Supervisor Komar.  It was discussed for a few minutes amongst the Supervisors, and Clyde Gorton was selected for that role.

Secretary Kim Wallace stated Invoices paid late due to checks being cut once a month were costing the Township money with late fees.  Ms. Wallace and the Supervisors discussed what could be done to rectify the situation.  It was motioned by Supervisor Komar and unanimously approved to adopt a Resolution stating Invoices will be paid every two weeks, or as needed, to avoid attaining late fee charges.

The next Thompson Township Supervisors meeting will be on Wednesday, July 12th due to the 4th of July Holiday.