They were relatively small, but every little bit helps.  Several grants were announced at the Mountain View School Board meeting on November 13th.  The Board also heard a pitch by one of the firms competing for a large energy-related project, and gave final approval to a policy that will keep homemade cupcakes out of the schools.  That is to say, a mixed bag.

Following the Lord’s Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, the Board heard first from Ellen Holdredge and John Manchester representing the Susquehanna County chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees (PASR) who presented checks for $150 each to paraprofessional Veronica Thomas to help in her programs for visually impaired students; and to Jamie Lee White, for use in her emotional support programs.  The grants were made in memory of Joan Peters, Mary Ketterer and Hendrick Marr, who all taught at Mountain View.  The money is made possible by donations from PASR members and other sources and is intended to support services that might be subject to budget restrictions and potential threats to personal tax deductions.

PASR awarded  grants to Mountain View staff. Pictured from left to right are: Superintendent Karen Voigt, Ellen Holdredge of the local PASR chapter, Jamie Lee White, Veronica Thomas, PASR chapter president John Manchester, Board president Michael Barhite.

The Board then recognized Mark Gallick, representing the McClure Company, a mechanical and architectural firm based in Harrisburg that provides a variety of services statewide, and only in Pennsylvania.  McClure is one of 2 “ESCo’s” (energy services companies) vying for a major project at Mountain View that have been asked to respond to a “request for qualifications” (RFQ) that will help the District to choose a general contractor.  A major goal of the project is to reduce energy consumption and cost.  Mr. Gallick showed a list of all of his company’s clients, covering some 120 projects, many of them for schools, including Wallenpaupack and Lackawanna Trail ranging from $4.8 million to over $12 million.

The District has yet to define the scope of the project it has in mind.  Mr. Gallick said that its project plan could be divided into phases, and segmented so that the District could decide, for example, how much it could afford.  He said that a contract would have to be approved by about March for work to be completed over the following summer.

The other grants were announced by Superintendent Karen Voigt.  The Giana Foundation, through the Susquehanna County Community Foundation, will provide $3,675 for the purchase of additional equipment for the District’s sound system.  The Giana Foundation prefers to fund “durables” rather than more ephemeral programs.  And Peoples Security Bank will provide $4,275 for scholarships for student dual enrollment programs.

Among more routine items, the Board approved the following:

• Exonerations for real estate, per-capita and occupation taxes recommended by the county and the District’s tax collectors.  Business Manager Thomas Witiak said that the county has requested that these measures be reviewed monthly in future, rather than once a year.
  
  
• The bill list for the month, covering both the general fund and food service, totaled $272,887.01.
  
  
• An agreement with the Northeastern Intermediate Unit #19 for Title I services provided by Faith Mountain School.  Faith Mountain Christian Academy is a Christian school in New Milford.
  
  
• A dual-enrollment agreement with Keystone College.
  
  
• A trip by 40-50 students and staff to attend a performance by the Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton on November 15.  An anonymous donor has covered all costs except for $250 for bus transportation.

The Board gave final approval to major amendments to its wellness policy that will conform it to recent changes in state requirements.  “Shared classroom snacks” (read, cupcakes) will no longer be permitted.  Board member Monica Miller asked if the policy could eliminate “energy drinks” from the schools.  Mr. Witiak and Ms. Voigt said that such beverages are no longer sold in the schools, and that such specifics in a policy could be difficult to maintain.

Director of Buildings and Grounds Robert Taylor reported that the wood-fired boiler was out of service for a couple of days waiting for failed parts to be replaced.  He also said that 4 HVAC units had recently failed; parts for the old units will take time to arrive.

Board President Michael Barhite announced that there will be another meeting with the teachers on a new contract on November 20th.  He also reported that an executive session prior to the Board meeting had discussed a student expulsion waiver and 2 staff positions.

High School Principal Robert Presley reported that the Student Government is developing a bid to host the state SGA conference in 2019.  He wouldn’t disclose yet how they thought it could be done.  Mountain View has hosted regional and district SGA conferences in the past, but they were only for a single day.  The annual state conference brings in more than 1,000 people for 3 days.  The school doesn’t have the facilities for an event that large, and there are no suitable accommodations in the immediate area.

Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Dr. Chris Lake, reported that the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) had already collected $800 worth of box tops, on the way to a goal of $1,500.  He also said that some 50 veterans had attended the Elementary School’s event the previous Friday.  And there is an “Angel Tree” in the school, inviting the school community to make Christmas special for an underprivileged child.  Dr. Lake also announced that he and Ms. Voigt will be bringing back the D.A.R.E. drug-awareness program for the March-May timeframe in the 5th grade.  He also reported that a broad effort is under way to collect surveys supporting the “school climate” assessment required by the state. 

Dr. Lake invited any and all to the annual Thanksgiving dinner offered at the Thompson Hose Company beginning at 1:00pm.

The Mountain View School Board is expected to meet next in public session on Monday, November 27, 2017 beginning at 7:00pm in the Board room in the Elementary School.

Among the more routine items on the agenda for the 15-minute November meeting of the New Milford Township Supervisors on the 15th was a preliminary budget proposal for 2018.  The public will have until the December meeting on the 20th to review and comment on it.

New Milford Township Supervisors take the pledge

The budget seemed almost an afterthought … after hearing about the usual notices of pipeline extensions, well-pad modifications, and “consumptive use” declarations.  RHL Companies reported approval by the state Department of Environmental Protection to operate the mulch “storage” facility off the Gibson exit of Interstate 81.  And AT&T announced its intention to relocate an optic-fiber cable during reconstruction of the Norfolk Southern railroad bridge next to the bridge on U.S. Route 11 now undergoing replacement by PennDOT.

Supervisor Don Shibley also read a letter from Robert Klein commending the township and its staff for its attention to the roads and their excellent maintenance.  While the letter was as if from a private citizen, it is notable that Mr. Klein is the county District Attorney.

Bill Friedah, a director of the Page Lake Owners association, reported on analysis of some financial estimates to help support the petition of property owners at the lake to be connected to the community sewage system through the New Milford Municipal Authority (NMMA).  Mr. Friedah has been meeting with the NMMA and with the Hallstead-Great Bend Joint Sewer Authority (HGBJSA) to gather information and good will for a project that he estimates could cost over $4 million.  His figures show that the cost per “equivalent domestic unit” (EDU – a single dwelling) could range from $58 per month to as much as $139 per month.  His monthly presentations, at least so far, are informational only.

The proposed budget as presented doesn’t actually balance, showing expected revenue totaling $1,473,500 with total expenses of $1,441,000.  On the expense side, this would be an increase of about 3% over 2017.  Income is estimated to rise about 2%.  With no increase in tax rates, property tax income is expected to decline from $280,000 to $250,000.  In fact, the largest increase in revenue is expected from the Act 13 “impact fee” collected from natural gas operations and distributed by the state.  The budget is headlined with the caveat that “IMPACT FEE INCOME IS NOT A GUARANTEED FIGURE AT THIS TIME.”  That is, what the state gives, the state can take away.

According to Township Secretary Julene Graham, the budget is based on the 2017 budget, with adjustments based on actual expenditures.  As of November, the Township has spent $1,318,231.19.

The largest single item in the budget is for “EQUIPMENT.”  Asked if any major purchases are expected, Ms. Graham said that the Township bought 3 major in 2017, but the Supervisors did not indicate just what they might buy in 2018.

The next largest expense item, payroll for road work, is allocated $250,000, barely $2,000 more than for 2017.

New Milford Township depends, for fire protection on the Columbia Host Company, based in New Milford Borough.  The Township collects about $51,000 from taxpayers for the service.  The Township also expects to pay $67,000 into the pension fund for its employees.

Residents should take note that the Township office will be closed for holidays on November 23, 24 and 27, and December 22, 25 and 26.  The next public meeting will take place at the Township offices on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 beginning at 7:30pm.  The Supervisors will reorganize themselves on Tuesday, January 2, 2018 beginning at 7:00pm, and conduct their January meeting immediately following.