SCSD seats new board members

BY STACI WILSON

Newly elected Susquehanna Community school directors Jamie Koziol and Ashley Depew took their seats at the Wednesday, Dec. 2 board meeting.

As part of the reorganizational meeting, Steven Stanford was re-elected to serve as the board president; and Clay Weaver was chosen as vice-president. Weaver was not present at the meeting.

In the regular business meeting, Superintendent Bronson Stone commented that it is now December and the state has not yet passed its budget. The state budget is supposed to be passed by July 1.

He explained to board members and the public in attendance at the meeting that the state owes the district not just $6.5 million for basic education in this school year, but also $1.3 million in reimbursements from the 2014-15 year. Reimbursements run a year behind, Stone said. Districts pay up front and receive the payback from the state at the passage of the budget at the start of the fiscal year in July. “Not getting any money in the coffers is difficult.”

Business director Gary Kiernan said the district should be able to whether the budget impasse until March and April before needing to borrow money.
Stone said that the “line in the sand” is Jan. 31. If a state budget is not in place by that time, the business office will be authorized to take out a line of credit.

And without a state budget in place for the current year, Stone said the district will begin preparing its 2016-17 budget in January.

Stone told the board the district will again call a one-hour delay on morning’s when there is an official “windchill warning.” The delay is to make sure buses will start and run, he said.

With new policy guidelines drafted by the Pennsylvania School Board Association, chaperones will be required to have volunteer clearances.

The board approved a resolution to not raise taxes over the approved Act 1 index, set at 3.5 percent for the Susquehanna Community School District, for the 2016-17 year.

Nearly $5.5 million in designated fund balance was approved for future retirement payments, future employee health, dental and vision benefits, and future early retirement incentives. The board also designated $500,000 to be used for capital improvements and $100,000 was unassigned to be used as the board deems necessary.

In other business, $100 was donated to the Susquehanna Fire Department;
*Will Szili resigned as archery club advisor to take on the position of junior high boys basketball coach;
*Kim Legg will act as the archery club advisor;
*Jacob Johnson was approved as the varsity baseball coach.

Regular monthly school board meetings will be held in 2016 on the following dates:
Jan. 20; Feb. 17; March 16; April 20; May 11; June 15; Aug. 3; Sept. 21; Oct. 19; Dec. 7.
Information and deliberation sessions will be held:
Jan. 19;l Feb. 16, March 15; April 19; May 10; June 14; Aug. 2; Sept. 20; Oct. 18; and Dec. 6.
No meetings are scheduled in the months of July and November.
Meetings will be held in the Administration office, located in the elementary school, at 7 p.m.