Charleroi school board passes final budget with tax increase

CHARLEROI – The Charleroi Area school board unanimously approved a $25.18 million budget, which will include a tax increase of .55 mills.
The 2019-20 budget reflects an increase of a little over $1 million, or 4%, over the current spending plan.
Business manager Crystal Clark said raising the proposed millage rate to the index will increase taxes to 16.9306 mills or $16.94 for each $1,000 of assessed valuation of taxable property. This increase will generate an additional $313,000 for the district. Residents who have property assessed at a value of $100,000 will pay approximately $55 more in taxes.
“The board and administration have reviewed this budget very carefully to ensure that each dollar spent is working to educate our students and prepare them for college and careers in an ever-evolving global society,” Clark said.
She added that the district continues to look for opportunities to cut expenditures, despite rising costs for retirement, cyberschool tuition and special education services.
“We have successfully implemented cost-reduction initiatives over the last five years,” she said. “That has allowed us to continue to keep jobs by utilizing attrition.”
Superintendent Ed Zelich said the district remains committed to reducing the budget gap while maintaining the integrity of its academic programs.
“We have made incredible progress over the past few years, but there’s still work to do,” he said. “We are hopeful this budget will enhance our work with families, volunteers, businesses and nonprofits so we can ensure every child had access to a quality education.”
Added board President Ken Wiltz, “While budgets get more difficult each year, we have to establish our priorities. The board has done an excellent job working with administration to plan for areas such as school safety, special education costs, technology and STEAM educational opportunities.”
In other business, the board:
n Recognized Terry Planton, a local grant writer, for helping the district to obtain a $521,898 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for security vestibules, exterior door replacement, a social worker, identification fob and badge system door lock entry system, and a global positioning system for the district’s bus fleet.
n Recognized Rob Lenhart from Nutrition Inc., for helping the district to provide its students with a wide range of nutritious meals during the school year.
n Approved a memorandum of agreement at no cost to the district with SPHS Behavioral Health Services and an agreement with Southwest Behavioral Care Inc. for a family advocate representative/outreach coordinator in the amount of $63,875 for the 2019-2020 school year.
n Approved a letter of agreement with Washington Drug & Alcohol Commission Inc. for student assistant services for the 2019-2020 school year, at no cost to the district.
n Approved Barbara Pepper as board treasurer and Heather Keranko as assistant board treasurer.