Jan 24, 2017 3 min read

Belle Vernon School Board Monday hired a new business manager but delayed passing a preliminary budget.

The board voted 7-0 to remove the resolution for approving a preliminary general fund budget and the resolution to display and advertise a proposed preliminary budget from the agenda. Board President Joe Grata said since district officials are still waiting for cost estimates for multiple factors that could affect the budget, such as state funding and district expenditures, the board would like to wait to introduce a budget until it is in a better position to know what the financial picture will be

Grata said the district’s transition between business managers is also a factor. He said by removing the resolutions from the agenda, the board will have more time to find ways to cut the budget and lower any millage increase.

The board voted unanimously to add a resolution to the agenda stating that the district will not raise the millage rate beyond the state-approved index for the 2017-18 school year.

At last month’s meeting the board accepted the resignation of business manager Eileen Navish, effective Jan. 27. Dr. John Wilkinson, district superintendent, said she is leaving to accept a position as human resources director at Penn Hills School District. At Monday’s meeting, Navish thanked the board and Wilkinson for a wonderful 16 years as business manager. Grata said Navish offered the board conservative financial projections and kept the district viable.

The board unanimously voted to hire James R. Dzurica as the new business manager at a salary of $95,000 per year for five years effective Monday through Jan. 23, 2022. Dzurica is currently the business manager at North Allegheny School District. Dzurica said he has 20 years of government accounting experience.

After graduating Mercyhurst College with a degree in accounting, Dzurica began his career working for Sarp and Co., where he served as an auditor for school districts and local municipalities for six years. He said he also worked for the Westmoreland County Housing authority for 10 years, serving as the chief accountant of their business office. He then went to the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit, where he served as the assistant business manager for three years, before joining North Allegheny.

“The chance to come back into Westmoreland County and work in a great district like this was too good of an opportunity to pass up,” Dzurica said. He also said during his time with the IU he got to know Wilkinson and gained a lot of respect for him. Dzurica said his job is to provide the most accurate and useful information so the board is able to make the best decisions and that he plans to continue the excellence that Navish has set forth.

Brent Filak was approved by the board to serve as interim business manager at $80 per hour, three days per week starting Jan. 26. Filak will serve in this position until Dzurica is confirmed to start.

In other business, the board voted to authorize Rick Lignelli, of Merico Lignelli Real Estate in Monongahela, to begin the appraisal of property at 1181 Fells Church Road at a cost of $2,800. Grata said this property was deeded back to the district by Westmoreland County Community College. He said the property of roughly five acres needs to be appraised for future planning considerations.