Dec 10, 2013 3 min read

MAPLETOWN – Southeastern Greene School Board held its reorganization meeting Monday and elected longtime board member Joe Spiker president.

Spiker was nominated by Janet Pennington. He was the only candidate nominated, though other nominations might have been made had a motion to close nominations not been introduced, seconded and subsequently approved in a 5-3 vote.

Those who voted against closing the nominations were Virginia Eberhart, Rick Barzanti and Shirley Howard. Sam Cossick abstained.

A motion to elect Spiker president was then approved. Spiker and Eberhart both abstained. Spiker has served on the board for 25 years.

The board elected Janet Pennington vice president with Eberhart abstaining on the motion. Pennington had been nominated for the position by Spiker.

The board re-appointed Tim Berggren board solicitor at a rate of $100 an hour. Gary Moser was appointed Pennsylvania School Board Association representative and later, during the regular meeting, Tom Howard was re-appointed board representative to the Career and Technology Center Joint Operating Committee.

The board agreed to meet at 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month, except in November, when it will meet Nov. 17, and in December, when the board will meet Dec. 8. Committee meetings will be held at 6 p.m. the third Monday of each month.

Two new board members were welcomed to the board after being elected in the November election: Shirley Howard, who is no relation to Tom Howard; and Gary Moser, who served on the board for about 20 years up until 2006.

Cossick and Pennington also won re-election in the November election and began new terms on the board.

During the regular meeting that followed, the board approved the low quote submitted by Rite Fence Co. to install gates and a fence around the lower staff parking lot at Bobtown Elementary School at a cost not to exceed $9,822.

Business manager Pat Sweeney said the fence would address complaints of people being in the area during the evening.

The board approved a resolution to have the Keystone Collections Group collect the local service tax in Monongahela Township and Greensboro Borough. Keystone now collects the tax in Dunkard and Greene townships. It also collects the district’s earned income taxes.

Eberhart suggested the board thank Leonard Novak for his service to the district. Novak served on the board about 12 years and for many years was board president. His term expired last month.

The board appointed Novak volunteer consultant to the administration and negotiating committee for negotiations with the district’s non-professional employees.

The board, at Spiker’s suggestion, held a moment of silence in honor of Arnie Bowser, who was a coach and aide in the district and who died last month.

The board approved George Messich as volunteer assistant athletic director. It appointed Brian Lewandowsky head varsity baseball coach; Leah Bennett, head varsity softball coach; Nicole Vanata, head middle school softball coach; and Brianne Scears, head middle school volleyball coach.

Adrienne McCreary was appointed assistant middle school volleyball coach and Chris Bates was appointed volunteer assistant girls varsity basketball coach.

Motions to approve bids received by the Greene County Tax Claim Bureau for five properties in Dunkard Township all failed to receive seconds, with no discussion or explanation from the board.