Jun 23, 2015 4 min read

MAPLETOWN – Southeastern Greene School Board has not raised taxes for more than 10 years, and it continued on that path Monday, adopting a budget that holds the line on taxes but requires the district to leave several vacant positions unfilled.

The board adopted a $10.71 million budget under which property taxes in the district will remain at 23 mills.

In making the motion to adopt the budget, board member Sam Cossick noted in the last 10 years, not only had the board not raised taxes but twice reduced them.

The tax rate in the district 11 years ago was 26.23 mills, according to business manager Pat Sweeney.

The budget adopted Monday is about $65,000 greater than the current year’s budget. Most of the budget is similar to this year’s and maintains the “status quo,” Sweeney said.

However, the district did budget for a large increase for state retirement costs, an amount exceeding $200,000, he said. Sweeney said the large increase in retirement costs will be offset by a reduction in staff through attrition.

Four positions, two teaching and two administrative, will not be filled, he said.

The loss of the two teaching positions will not have an impact on the instructional program because of the smaller class sizes the district is now experiencing in some grades, acting Superintendent Richard Pekar said.

“Our education team would not do anything to sacrifice instruction or the education of our students,” Pekar said. The number of students expected in kindergarten and first grade, for instance, is down, which will allow the district to have two classes in each rather than three, he said.

“We will still have small class sizes,” Pekar said. Each kindergarten class is expected to have 13 or 14 students and each first grade class 16 or 17 students, he said.

The two administrative positions are a special education director, whose work will be assumed by other administrators, and a position in technology, he said.

The board also voted Monday to continue to offer a break to property owners who pay property taxes early by setting the discount rate at 7.5 percent; the normal rate offered by other districts is 2 percent.

Those who pay taxes between July 1 and Sept. 30 will receive the 7.5 percent discount.

In other business, the board appointed acting Superintendent Richard Pekar administrative director, effective July 7, at his current salary and benefits.

Pekar was hired as acting superintendent last June and was only permitted to serve a year in that position without receiving his superintendent’s certification. Since then, he has been completing the required course work for certification at Edinboro University. He already passed the required exams and expects to complete the program in early July.

Board President Joe Spiker, explaining the board’s action, said the board is “looking forward” to keeping Pekar as the district’s superintendent and hopes to approve that action at its next board meeting. The board appointed Sweeney to acting superintendent for the interim.

Elementary Principal Rick Menear reported the district received a $15,000 grant from the Energy Corp. of America to help fund its SMALLab classroom at Bobtown Elementary School.

The lab creates an interactive learning environment through sound and projectors that allows students to learn by carrying out physical activities, as opposed to simply listening to a lecture. Only seven other districts in Pennsylvania now have the labs, Pekar said.

Energy Corp.’s grant as well as a $20,000 STEAM grant received through the Intermediate Unit paid the full cost of purchasing the lab, Pekar said.

A donation from resident Dave Phillips also will help buy additional equipment to supplement the lab room, he said.

The board accepted the low bid of $84,800 from Costabile Construction Inc. to replace the front entrance at Mapletown Junior-Senior High School.

It approved a change order reduce the cost by $9,745 on a project now underway to replace the heating and air conditioning system at the Bobtown Elementary. The board awarded a contract for the project in February to Hranec Sheet Metal Inc. of Uniontown for $1,245,000.

The board approved Christine Menear as head varsity volleyball coach; Dominic DeCarlo as head varsity baseball coach; and Doug McIntire, head varsity softball coach.

It also honored three employees who retired, each with more than 30 years of service to the district: elementary teachers Donna Billetz, 36 years, and Deborah Dawn Hall, 35 years; and custodian David Garrison, 35 years.