The Mountain View School Board is offering its community a new budget for the fiscal year beginning in July that projects spending at over $21.6 million, paid for in part by a property tax increase of 2.8%.  Some of that spending will cover payments on new debt for a major renovation project this summer that will cost just about $10 million.

At the Board meeting on May 21st, Business Manager Thomas Witiak outlined the new budget proposal that will be formally adopted at the next meeting, on June 11th.  He said that expected revenue of $19.8 million leaves the budget short by some $1.8 million.  The shortfall will be paid out of accumulated fund balances, leaving a mere half million dollars remaining.

Mr. Witiak said that the budget is only about $100,000 higher than the last one, and contains some uncertainties, not the least of which is salaries and benefits, because a new teacher contract is yet to be finalized.  Of the total package, about $15 million goes to salaries and benefits.  Health insurance will rise by 7.3% and costs the district $21,400 for each staff member on a family plan.  A large annual uncertainty is the claim of so-called cyber-charter schools.  Some $500,000 is set aside for that.

Property taxes are the major revenue source for the Mountain View School District.  The Board voted earlier in the year not to increase taxes beyond the state-defined "index," which this year is 2.8%.  That means a boost to 41.4780 mills.  Board member Kenneth Decker declared that "Mountain View is good to the taxpayer."

According to Superintendent Karen Voigt, total enrollment is expected to remain stable at just over 1,000, for a per-pupil expenditure of about $21,000.

Some of the money will go for larger debt service payments, some $250,000 per year.  The District has issued an additional $10 million in bonds at between 1.9% and 5% to pay for the renovation project this summer, contracted to Energy Systems Group (ESG) that will see upgrades to heating and air conditioning systems, roof systems and a number of other areas.  The project will require relocation of many functions to designated areas in the high school for the duration, including the "extended school year" and "summer kindergarten readiness" programs.

Food service will cost just over $400,000 next year, yet still remain in the red by as much as $200,000.  According to Mr. Witiak, the contract renewal with Nutrition, Inc. includes a management fee of some $95,000, of which about half represents the salary of the Mountain View manager, Melissa Hatala.  This is the last renewal under the contract.  Next year the District may choose to solicit bids from others for the service.

The District managed to spend a fair amount just in April, $1.2 million, according to Edward Napierkowski's Treasurer's report.  Food service spent almost $50,000, and took a loan from the District's general fund of $30,000, leaving it in hock to the District by over $76,000, whatever that means.

Mr. Decker was interested to know how much the District receives in gas royalties, and where it goes.  According to Mr. Witiak, payments generally total about $10,000 per month, into the general fund.  Mr. Decker and a few other Board members would like that money earmarked for "whatever the kids want."  It remained unclear how Mr. Witiak would arrange for that in his accounting system.

Mr. Witiak asked that the Board finalize the tax rates at the next meeting so that the bills can go to the printer the next day.  Not altogether coincidentally, the Board also approved a measure to renew the District's contract with Government Software Services, the firm that does the printing.  Mr. Witiak said that the company's rates remain unchanged from the prior year.

The Board approved an agreement with Merakey, a Scranton organization, to provide supplemental behavioral health services as successor to the outfit known as NHS.  It also approved the "intergovernmental agreement" with the Instructional Unit for the new fiscal year.

Among other items, the Board also approved:

• Matthew Voda as homebound/home studies teacher.
  
  
• Alison Bluhm as Elementary School nurse.
  
  
• Excused religious instruction offered by Child Evangelism Fellowship;
  Board member Daniel Very questioned this item, and subsequently voted against.

The Board gave final approval to a new policy covering "School-Related Booster Organizations".  When the policy committee first offered this measure a month or so ago there was some consternation that it imposed too much bureaucracy on what were supposed to be simple support groups, one of which had all of two members.  The new policy, adapted from one for Lake Lehman, still imposes some regulation on such groups, including fairly extensive documentation requirements.  The full policy should soon be available from the District's website.

The Board heard some updates on the string music program offered by Marywood University.  The elementary-level program is ending, but there doesn't appear to be a path for the 15 or so students to intermediate-level instruction, at least not at Mountain View.  Board member Christine Plonski-Sezer, who has funded the program so far, said that she couldn't afford to fund another teacher and pleaded with the Board and administrators to find a solution.

With recent mass shootings still in the news, the Board, like Boards of school directors around the country, is searching for ways to improve security.  Mountain View expects to sign on to the county District Attorney's initiative to place "school police officers" in every district.  These would likely be retired State Troopers hired by the DA, but paid with school funds.  There is also a suggestion on the table about installing metal detectors, perhaps as part of the renovation project this summer.

On a lighter note, outgoing student liaison to the Board, Matt Dougherty, introduced his successor, Sydney Barhite, who just happens to be the daughter of Board President Michael Barhite.  She blushed appropriately at the joshing she received following her joint report with Mr. Dougherty.

The Board also welcomed Stephanie Anuszewski to the table.  Ms. Anuszewski, the new Director of Special Services, on the job just 2 weeks and attending her first Board meeting, reported that she was happily surprised that her department's "paper work is in very good shape."

And finally, Mountain View student Ben Galvin, of Nicholson, asked for the support of the Board for a proposal to restore the District's nature trails as his Eagle Scout project.  He would oversee the work that would involve local volunteers, as well as his own Troop 98.  With liability concerns disposed of, he received the Board's blessing.

The Mountain View School Board will meet next in public session on June 11, 2018.  There is some question about where these meetings will be held over the summer, since the offices will not be accessible during construction.  This first one may still be held in the conference room in the Elementary School.  Meetings begin at 7:00pm, usually.

NOTE: The writer owns property, and pays associated taxes, in the Mountain View School District.

Harford Township has been without a Roadmaster for some time now.  The Supervisors don't seem particularly concerned about it, more interested, in fact, in finding qualified equipment operators.  But some attending their meeting on May 22nd expressed the importance of supervision over the work assigned to the township's crews.  The meeting itself was a week late, the office having sustained some damage from the historic hailstorm the week before.

Supervisor Dustin Walker has acted from time to time as "assistant" Roadmaster, but said that he considers himself a Township Supervisor, not Roadmaster.  Both he and colleague Kyle Payne monitor work on the Township's 60+ miles of roads as they have time.  They have been interviewing candidates, but so far have had no luck finding a suitable operator for the grader.  A few months ago the Township contracted with Express Employment Professionals to supply workers on a temporary basis, but they have not been able to provide a qualified grader operator either.

The Supervisors are still considering the purchase (or lease) of a roller.  Auburn Township is said to have one available for less than $70,000.  Commercial vendors might offer as much as $11,500 for Harford's old one, but a township-township transaction would not have that advantage.  And, there again, does Harford have a qualified operator for the machine?

One problem with finding qualified staff is that the natural gas operators in the area can pay more for trained people.  In fact, the gas companies have been maintaining many of the roads they use, most recently Stephens and Tyler Lake Roads.

Mr. Walker will also be serving as the Township's Emergency Management Coordinator, now that Steve Smith has announced that he is leaving.  Aside from a few downed trees here and there, the recent hail storm apparently did not rise to the level of a "disaster," so none was declared.

Mr. Walker also reported on the latest efforts to remove a beaver dam causing flooding on Bartholomew Road.  The state Game Commission won't allow the Township to shoot the critters, and trapping would be permitted only for land owners with a local interest in the area.  So the Township will be trying to erect a fencing structure with PVC pipe to try to keep the animals from building their homes near the sluice under the road.

Supervisor Sue Furney has been collecting information about establishing a "Parks & Recreation" committee as suggested by the local youth baseball organization that has said it would be interested in sharing the Harford ballfield as a community resource.

A project to refurbish Oliver Road would benefit from fill from a nearby quarry.  That would require crossing Fair Hill Road, which is a state highway.  So the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) wants the Township to provide a bond to protect its interest in the road.  The Supervisors signed the paperwork for the bond which would be temporary, only for the duration of the project.

Pursuant to a recommendation by the Township's auditors, the Supervisors adopted a resolution transferring $150,000 from an account designated for revenue from "impact fees" to the equipment account in the general fund.  Presumably the money would be used for the new roller, or perhaps for the new truck that has yet to be delivered.

Mr. Walker reported that JHA, the Township's engineers, and operators of its sewer system, have found 3 "vents" in the main line that need to be replaced.  The Supervisors decided to purchase 5 of the vents at about $500 each, including 2 for spares.

The Supervisors are also trying to find out from PennDOT how long the closure of Route 547 is expected to last.  Stay tuned on that.

The Harford Township Supervisors are scheduled to meet next in public session on Tuesday, June 20, 2018, beginning at 7:00pm at the Township office on Route 547 south of the Interstate.  Insurance will pay for repairs to the township buildings, but there's no telling when that work might take place.  So watch for announcements for a possible change of venue.

Nearly two dozen people turned out on the beautiful evening of May 23rd for the second cleanup this spring at the First Congregational Church of Harford. Raking, sweeping and mowing, the crew did what they could to spiff up the property for the insurance adjusters expected later in the week.

Some of the crew working at the cleanup

The historic church, thought to be among the oldest in Susquehanna County, has weathered many storms both inside and out since the 1820's when it was first erected. The latest, a storm of hailstones some said were the size of oranges, blasted all of the large windows on the north side of the main church, as well as the lecture hall next door. Church Secretary Judy Mitchell was in the office on the south side when the storm struck and took shelter in the ladies' room as glass flew about the entire 2-story sanctuary.

Windows were boarded up by volunteers following the storm

Many in the community were hard hit by the storm, losing windows and screens, roof shingles and outdoor furniture, not to mention smashed vehicle windshields and hundreds of dents large and small.

The intense hailstorm also pulverized newly forming limbs and leaves on trees, and that was the detritus the church's crew, assembled for the occasion by active member Kandy Wellman, were clearing away.

Glass covered everything in the sanctuary, including the organ

The inside of the building will be cleaned up by a contractor once an insurance adjuster has surveyed the damage. With glass still covering everything in the sanctuary, services have been relocated to the Harford Township Fire Department's hall on Fair Hill Road for the foreseeable future.