May 24, 2016 5 min read

Belle Vernon School Board on Monday decided not to vote to open the head varsity girls’ softball coach position after the team had to forfeit three games, causing it to lose a spot in the WPIAL playoffs. Tom Rodriguez will remain employed as head coach.

The team was forced to forfeit those games because two players from the junior high/freshman team were moved up to play on the varsity team in the middle of the season. According to the letter sent to Principal Jason Boone, by WPIAL Executive Director Timothy O’ Malley, this was a violation of the PIAA bylaws.

Superintendent Dr. John Wilkinson said the violation caused the team to be publicly censured and placed on probation for the 2016-17 season. He said the district will have a set of criteria, outlined in the letter, to follow and complete, including drafting a plan to ensure this does not occur again. This plan will be submitted to the WPIAL office by June 7.

Rodriguez, who has been the head softball coach for Belle Vernon for 15 years, spoke to the board. “Mistakes were made. No one did anything intentionally,” Rodriguez said. He said he feels terrible about what happened and he apologized to his players, especially the seniors. Rodriguez said he plans to be more proactive in preventing future issues.

Many people rallied behind Rodriguez and spoke to the board with their praise of his coaching history and dedication. Dan Kovatch, who was raised in the district and volunteers for the BVA basketball organization, said he has known Rodriguez for almost 40 years.

“I just hope that more than 40 years of him dedicating his time would be put into consideration,” Kovatch told board members. After Rodriguez and others spoke on his behalf, the board held an executive session to discuss the matter, resulting in removing the proposal to open the position from the agenda.

Casey Phillips, head girls softball coach for West Mifflin, also addressed the board, saying he has known Rodriguez for nine years. Phillips said Rodriguez is a mentor to him both inside and outside of coaching. “I am here because Tom is what interscholastic sports is all about,” Phillips said.

Kelsey Lynn, a junior softball player, asked the board why the team is in this position. She also asked the board why the district doesn’t have an athletic director.

“Why are we put in this position to have it all taken from us?” Lynn said. President Joe Grata told Lynn the board is trying to resolve the situation.

Mark Pohlot, athletic trainer for Connellsville Area High School and father of a BVA middle school student, also questioned the board about the absence of an athletic director. “The young lady is right. Where is the athletic director?” Pohlot said. He said the athletic director helps to prevent situations like what occurred.

Grata said the board received Jesse Cramer’s resignation from the position of athletic director on Jan. 25. He said the position was posted in-house prior to this violation being brought to light. Vice President Lou Rood said the board will be conducting interviews for the athletic director position and hopes to have recommendations for the hire by the June board meeting.

The board also voted to delay the preliminary vote for the $37.8 million general fund budget that would raise taxes in its communities in both Westmoreland and Fayette counties.

The delay will give the board an opportunity to reduce or eliminate the tax increase. The budget is up from the 2015-16 budget of $37.6 million.

Wilkinson said the budget has increased because of many factors including higher insurance costs, teacher salaries, and retirement contribution increases. Wilkinson said the cost of everything has been on the rise and administrators haven’t added anything. “We’ve kept a lot if things out of the budget to keep it palatable,” Wilkinson said.

The preliminary budget contains a millage rate of 79.24 mills, with a 2.88-mill increase in Westmoreland County, up from 76.36 last year and 18.85 mills, with a .39-mill increase in Fayette County, up from 18.46 last year. Eileen Navish, business manager, said 1 mill brings in $1 for every $1,000 of assessment. Navish said the total assessments in Fayette County are larger than in Westmoreland, making the millage rate lower compared to Westmoreland County. She said the same amount of taxes will be paid in each county.

Grata suggested the board hold a workshop meeting and dig deeper into the budget to get more updated and accurate figures before approving the preliminary budget.

“Nobody wants to raise taxes. Period. If we do, we don’t want to raise them any more than we have to,” Grata said. He added the tax increase can be attributed to the short all of state revenue in the past few years, which he said did not even cover the district’s increase for pensions.

“It’s not what the board has failed to do. It’s what the Legislature has failed to do,” Grata said.

Grata said the board will hold a public budget finance meeting to vote on a preliminary budget at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the district administration building.

The budget will then be available June 1 for public inspection. In order to allow for the required 30 days of public review, the board also approved changing next month’s board meeting from June 27 to June 30 at 7 p.m. in the district administration building.