The Forest City Regional School District regular board meeting held on May 15th started with Dr. Michael Elia recognizing the outstanding seniors for May.
Corryn Price was recognized as having a positive attitude and a high honor student among other achievements. Miss Price will be attending Penn State Scranton campus taking studies to become a forensic scientist.
Jordan Non was noted as being ambitious, dedicated, and among one of the strongest leaders. Dr. Elia stated Mr. Non achieved high honors all of high school and was accepted to the Drexel University to study Economics & Business. He would like to continue his education attending law school. He aspires to be a corporate lawyer in Philadelphia, New York City or on the West Coast.
Mr. Brian Kelly presented Aaron Winans as the Super 6th Grader for May. Aaron was described as ready, respectful, responsible and very personable. He is a great role model, and recognized by his teachers. Mr. Kelly said Aaron has achieved Honor Role all year.
A member of the audience stated he received an alert the school was on lockdown a few days earlier and would like to know the reason. Superintendent Dr. Jessica Aquilina informed him the Susquehanna County Drug Canine was on hand to make a sweep of the high school locker area and parking lot. There were two cars searched by Dr. Elia after the canine alerted officers the cars possibly contained some type of illegal drug. The search did not find any drugs or paraphernalia.
Superintendent Aquilina presented the proposed budget to the board and all present. She reviewed the four goals of the school board, and stated until there is a meaningful government charter and retirement reform, school districts will continue to have budget deficits.
The 2018-2019 school budget was presented at fifteen million, one hundred fifteen thousand, one hundred forty-two dollars ($15,115,142). The highest costs to the district are salary and benefits, charter schools, debt service and transportation.
Salary and benefits, which is 71.21% of the total operating budget, included the following costs: Health Insurance $109,976, Retirement $119,136, Full time psychologist, $50,000, School police officer $37,000.
The addition of an in-school Police Officer will be a retired State Trooper, fully employed by the Susquehanna County District Attorney. Superintendent Aquilina stated many State Troopers retire at a fairly early age and wish to continue with their career. The Officer will take a proactive approach as role model, build relationships and support mental health of students. The Forest City Police Officers have been very supportive and they have been onsite in the mornings and afternoons when available. The in-school Officer would be on site forty hours a week, at a cost of twenty dollars per hour.
There are twenty-nine students from the Forest City district who attend Fell Charter, and twenty-three Cyber Charter students. Superintendent Aquilina stated the charter schools are not free, they are subsidized by the school districts and the distributed cost for Fell Charter is three hundred sixteen thousand, seven hundred five dollars (316,705), and Cyber Charter is twenty eight thousand, six hundred seventy dollars (28,670). She has started a community outreach program to try and achieve getting the children back to the FCRSD campus.
Transportation increased dramatically for the early intervention program by over ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per month, due to the relocation of the Northeastern Education Intermediate Unit (NEIU) from Peckville to Dunmore.
Estimation of revenue is six million, nine hundred twelve thousand, five hundred twenty-nine dollars ($6,912,529) from local sources; seven million, nine hundred thousand, five hundred twenty-four dollars ($7,900,524) from state sources; and six hundred eighteen thousand, seven hundred thirty-two dollars ($618,732) from federal sources. Which brings the total to fourteen million, five hundred forty thousand, seven hundred eighty-five dollars ($14,540,785).
The estimation of expenses is $15,115,142, so they are looking at a deficit of five hundred seventy four thousand three hundred fifty seven dollars $574,357.
Superintendent Aquilina stated they are looking at cost saving measures to reduce the deficit. One of the measures is reduction of staff; as employees leave the district each position will be scrutinized to see whether or not that position needs to be filled. Line item budget decreases such as staff travel expenses, general supplies and field trips are other measures. They are conducting an analysis of transportation costs; a campaign to return charter and cyber students to the school; and exploring an addition to house a NEIU classroom to decrease transportation costs.
School board members voted unanimously to adopt and advertise the proposed 2018-2019 budget and will formally adopt it at their next meeting, to be held on June 18th.
Other actions of the board consisted of approving the agreement with Government Software Services, Inc. (GSS) to print the tax bills for each county. The cost from GSS is based upon how many copies of the Real Estate and the Occupation/Per Capital duplicates are needed for Susquehanna, Lackawanna, and Wayne Counties.
A proposal was approved for A New ERA Security, Inc. to upgrade the existing burglary/fire equipment at a cost of five thousand, seven hundred fifty dollars ($5,750).
Brynne McGovern was approved as a substitute support staff for the 2017-2018 school year; Ben Monahan as a substitute timekeeper (boys) for 2017-2018 school year; the resignation of Ann Marie Martzen, Custodian, and the resignation of Ann Marie Brothwell for retirement at the end of the 2017-2018 school year was approved.
President Emmett said she would like to wish Ann Marie Brothwell all the best in her retirement. Ms. Brothwell spent more than twenty years at the school, teaching Family and Consumer Science.
Superintendent Aquilina stated she attended a meeting to discuss challenges in the school system. A member from Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA), State Representative Jonathan Fritz, and Senator Lisa Baker were in attendance. Superintendent Aquilina stated unless government instituted a meaningful charter school and pension reform, the schools were going to be in serious monetary deficiencies in the future. They were able to share the great things happening at schools in Susquehanna County, but they also shared the negative, based on the impact of the Cyber schools.
No one showed up to complain about the roads at the May meeting of the New Milford Township Supervisors on the 16th, so the township's crews must be doing a good job with the equipment they're getting. The township just bought a new grader for $166,000, they'll be getting a used loader as a backup, and Roadmaster Jack Conroy has his colleagues considering a new roller.
It was a long meeting for New Milford Township – nearly a full half hour – entertaining only two observers: yours truly; and Emergency Management Coordinator Ken Bondurant, who reported on a good state conference in Hershey last month. Mr. Bondurant also noted that New Milford experienced none of the hail damage that occurred in neighboring communities during a storm the day before.
The township received one offer of a used loader, from Five Star Equipment, a 2000 John Deere model 444, for $26,000. The Supervisors agreed to the purchase provided an inspection found the machine acceptable. The major consideration is that its "reach" is high enough to load the township's trucks.
The township was notified that Adams & Hollenbeck Waterworks LLC will be applying for a Water Management Plan to withdraw up to 720,000 gallons a day from Salt Lick Creek at a property owned by Scott Adams.
The township originally leased the property on which stand its office and garages to Cabot Oil & Gas 5 years ago. That lease has expired, and Southwestern Energy has offered to renew the lease for 5 years for $500 per acre with a royalty of 15%. The lease on the 12.8 acre property doesn't allow for surface operations, so it's not likely to yield much revenue to the Township.
Asked if any of the natural gas infrastructure in the Township (wells, pipelines, compressors, etc.) generates any revenue from property taxes, Secretary Julene Graham said that she had not seen any substantial increase in property tax income over the past 5 years, but allowed that it was a good question that could bear some scrutiny.
Supervisor Don Shibley read a letter from the company installing the Constitution pipeline reporting that follow-up restoration work along the pipeline's route would continue through the coming summer.
The Township has scheduled its trash pickup days for the 2nd week of June (Monday-Thursday, June 11-14). There is no charge for the service. You must call the office to arrange for a pickup. Materials not accepted: furniture, household trash, tires, chemicals, paints, oils, other biohazard materials. They will accept appliances and electronics ("big or small") and scrap metal.
The Township office will be closed on Monday, May 28, for Memorial Day.
The next public meeting of the New Milford Township Supervisors is scheduled for June 20, 2018, beginning at 7:30pm at the Township office on U.S. Route 11 north of the borough. Let's get a good crowd.
After a unanimous vote, Peter Supko is the new Elementary Principal for the Susquehanna Community School District at a salary of ninety three thousand dollars ($93,000). Mr. Supko will be taking over the duties Superintendent Bronson Stone has been responsible for over the past few years. Mr. Supko stated he has a few years of experience under his belt from the Blue Ridge School District, as a Middle School/High School Principal during the regular School Board meeting held on May 16th.
Superintendent Stone informed all in attendance they conducted a Climate Survey for grades 7th through 12th and also 5th and 6th graders. The Climate Survey was to determine if the kids felt safe in and around school property. Superintendent Stone said he was pleased to announce ninety-eight percent of the children from grades 7th through 12th stated they felt safe, and ninety-four percent was the result from grades 5th and 6th. Hearing the kids feel safe is the greatest message a community could hear.
Developing and implementing a career-mentoring program for seniors is in the works. Superintendent Stone said they would like to see a "career to work" experience developed, to motivate the students. He said it would have a positive effect on students to be able to see people who work at their career and possibly give them a goal to work towards. A hybrid-mentoring program is also being discussed for juniors. He will be presenting the program at the June school board meeting.
Principal Brent Soden stated Bridget Iveson and Morgan Rivenburg were selected as the recipients for the DeWitt Family Healthcare Scholarship. Ms. Iveson will be attending Binghamton University and Ms. Rivenburg SUNY Broome.
Mason Deakin was selected as the Player of the Year for Division 4 from the Northeast Pennsylvania Basketball All-Star Team. Taylor Huyck, Mackenzie Steele and Bryce Baldwin were selected for the first team; Bethany Maby and Eric Lee were selected as honorable mention stated Principal Soden.
Over one hundred students participated in the annual Pride and Polish on May 4th. The students enjoyed a picnic lunch after they worked so hard providing their services to the community.
Career Day provides the students the opportunity to learn about various career paths, and forty students participated in this year's event.
Lackawanna College is offering an opportunity to sophomore students to earn an Associate's Degree in conjunction with completing their high school credits. Lackawanna College Level Up Program would offer students interested in obtaining a college degree substantial savings and time after graduating high school to start their career or continue towards a higher degree. Students will have to complete, by senior graduation sixty-two credits, twenty-one of them earned through Susquehanna's Dual Enrollment Program. The degrees offered through this program are Associate's Degree in Business, Criminal Justice or Human Services.
Business Manager Gary Kiernan stated he is waiting for a few bids to be received before he can finalize the proposed budget. The price of oil has been rising and he would like to capture a true cost, and the other item is the bid for the parking lot. Mr. Kiernan stated the biggest challenge is the unknowns.
The tentative District budget is $15,481,120. The revenue from local sources is $4,264,430; revenue from state sources $10,738,125; and revenue from federal sources $338,967. So far the estimated expenditures have been captured to match the revenue without any deficit noted.
School Board members unanimously approved setting the Susquehanna County District millage at 50.10% and 14.46% in Wayne County for the 2018-2019 school year.
Martha Stanford was unanimously re-elected as Board Treasurer and Attorney Joseph Gaughan was unanimously approved as the Solicitor for the District for the 2018-2019 school year. Two resignations were accepted; the Scholastic Bowl Advisor, and Teresa Corse from Food Service.
Board members unanimously approved the Intergovernmental Agreement for Special Education services between the school and Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit for the 2018-2019 school year.
Lawrence Tompkins was on hand to provide school board members an update from the Susquehanna Community Education Association (SCEA). SCEA selected a graduating senior to receive a two thousand dollar ($2,000) scholarship. The individuals name will be announced at Class Night on Friday, June 1st.
Elections for the executive board positions, which hold a two-year term was held on May 7th with the following results: Lawrence Tompkins, President; Matthew Misiura, Vice President; Dawn Steele, Secretary; Richard Emmons, Treasurer; Kathleen Hinkley, Elementary Building Representative; Tom Adornato, High School Building Representative.
