Pittston Area School Board passes proposed budget

YATESVILLE — With President Frank Serino stressing the numbers can change by hundreds of thousands before a final budget is passed, the Pittston Area School Board approved a proposed final budget for 2022-23 at Wednesday’s regular monthly meeting that increases property taxes 4.4%. That’s the maximum allowed under state law without voter approval or special exemptions from the state.

Business Manager Tom Melone laid out three options:

• No property tax increase with a shortfall of about $1.6 million covered by money from a fund balance expected to be about $6.9 million by the end of June,

• A 2.2% tax increase with a shortfall of about $1 million,

• A 4.4% increase with a shortfall of about $402,000.

Serino asked if anyone on the board had a preference, noting that he would prefer a proposed budget include the maximum increase until various questions about state funding and insurance costs are settled. The board could reduce or eliminate the tax increase when passing a final budget, which by state law must happen by the end of June. The board voted on the maximum increase 8-1, with Katherine Healey voting no.

Melone had mostly good news about district finances. Health care costs for this fiscal year, running from July 1 through June 30, are about $700,000 less than budgeted. Property valuations have increased, as has money from both the property tax and the much smaller income tax levied by the district. Federal COVID-19 relief money has also helped the district this year and should help with one-time spending plans next year.

The bad news: The amount the district pays to cyber charter schools when students in the district enroll in them increased by about $1 million this year. Some of the health care savings were used to offset that. The district has also negotiated new contracts with all unions, and increases in those contracts are included in the proposed budget.

But the proposed budget does not include any increase in state basic or special education funding. Last year the state money for both increased by about $460,000, Melone said. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed 2022-23 education budget would increase the district’s state subsidy by $2.6 million, easily wiping out any need for a tax increase, but the Republican-controlled legislature is unlikely to approve the whole package.

The district’s proposed budget sets spending at $65.2 million and raises the property tax rate to 17.2691 mills. A mill is a $1 tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

Melone also noted the district had enough money last year that the board was able to transfer $3 million into the capitol fund account without raising taxes, and that it should be possible to transfer more money into that account this year. Building up the Capitol fund is important, Superintendent Kevin Booth said, because the district wants to expand the Primary Center so second grade can be moved into that building, which in turn would allow the district to move fifth grade from the Middle School to the Intermediate Center. The reconfiguration would more closely align with how grades should be arranged in each building, he said.

The board also:

• Approved an annual agreement with the Luzerne Intermediate Unit to provide contracted services for the 2022-23 school year at a cost of $630,260. The LIU provides a variety of services to local schools, primarily special education.

• Authorized advertising for bids to supply duplicating paper for the 2022-23 school year, and for yearbook bids for the three years beginning 2022-23.

• Accepted the retirement of part-time custodian Robert Wilber and maintenance mechanic Richard Prebish.

• Accepted the resignation of Gina Elmy as junior high field hockey coach effective April 21.

• Appointed Joe Giardina as maintenance mechanic, Kaylee Copp as part-time cleaner, and Britany Willis as part-time cafeteria worker.

• Appointed as basketball coaches Al Semenza, head boys coach; Pat McGoff, John Walsh and Jamie Armillay, assistant boys coaches; Zach Rovinsky, 8th grade boys; Joseph DeLucca, 7th grade boys; Jeff Gregory, head girls coach; Natalie Winters, Greg Ratchford and Jimmy Clancy as assistant girls; and Paul McGarry and Greg Noone as junior high girls basketball (grades 7 and 8).

• Appointed Maria Lussi as cheerleader and assistant competitive cheerleader instructor, Kathryn Wynn as assistant cheerleader and competitive cheerleader instructor, and Jacqueline Rocha as ninth grade cheerleader instructor.

• Appointed Dave Krantz as head wrestling coach, Andrew Healey as assistant wrestling coach, Hank Aftewicz as junior high wrestling coach, Heather Clancy as head girls swimming coach and Sarah Robinson as assistant girls swim coach.