WBA School Board passes proposed budget with no tax increase

PLAINS TWP. — At Monday’s monthly meeting, the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board approved a proposed final budget setting spending for the 2023-24 fiscal year at $159.6 million, with the property tax remaining at this year’s rate of 18.4332 mills.

It is the fourth consecutive year without a tax increase. A mill is a $1 tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

Regular board critic and write-in School Board candidate Sam Troy said during the work session public comment that he appreciated the lack of an increase, but suggested the board should go further and either cut taxes or at least give those who pay early an additional 1% discount. He noted the district has a “very high poverty rate” and it is hard for many to pay their property taxes “especially now with inflation.”

But several board members noted the district is also dealing with inflation and still managing to keep taxes unchanged. Board Member Shawn Walker said the board “made a conscious decision at the start of the pandemic” to try to avoid any tax increase.

Superintendent Brian Costello gave an overview of the budget at the regular meeting noting about $11 million in federal COVID-19 grant money has substantially boosted the percentage of income coming from Washington, but added 2023-24 is the last year to spend that money and the federal share will likely drop the following year.

With an agenda heavy on contracts for the coming school year and for ongoing construction of additional athletic fields, the board:

• Approved letting two students and one teacher attend the Future Business Leaders of America national conference in Atlanta, Ga., from June 26 to June 30 at an approximate cost of $3,242. The board had opened the meeting praising the FBLA team and other students who had succeeded in a wide range of competitions.

• Approved an agreement with the Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA for a Power Scholars Academy Summer Program for up to 240 kindergarten to fourth-grade students, to be held at Heights Murray Elementary school June 26 through Aug. 4, at an approximate total cost of $209,959, with the district paying up to $80,000.

• Approved an agreement with Specialized Education of Pennsylvania Inc. at the Graham Academy to provide educational services Aug. 1, 2023, through July 31, 2024, at the following rates: $267 daily for the regular school year, $173 daily for the extended school year, $138 per hour for occupational, physical and speech language therapies, and $188 per day for one to-one aides.

• Approved an agreement with John McElwee to provide Applied Behavior Analysis duties for autism support classes from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, at $125 per hour not to exceed $12,500 for the year.

• Approved an agreement with New Story of Wyoming, Pa., for the 2023 extended school year program at a daily rate between $274 and $510 depending on acuity level of the student.

• Approved an agreement with the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf at the Scranton School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children for the extended school year running from July 10 to July 27 at $1,800 per student.

• Approved the purchase of 17 hours of Academic Specialist service from Varsity Tutors at $81 per hour, totaling $1,377.

• Approved an agreement with The Nutrition Group for food service management for the 2023-34 school year.

• Renewed an agreement with InegraONE for Lightspeed Filter Software for student computers from July 23 this year through July 22, 2024 at a cost of $42,700.

• Renewed an agreement with Raptor Technologies LLC for Raptor Visitor Management at an annual cost of $6,875.

• Renewed seven licenses with Skyward for management of various student digital records for one year through June 30, 2024 at a total cost of $55,262, and added the Skyward Transparent Database Encryption Extension at a total cost of $4,200.

• Added the new field house, lighting and fencing for the additional athletic field at the high school to the Utica Property/Liability insurance policy at an additional premium of $1,345.

• Approved change orders to contracts with Green Valley Landscaping for lawn fertilization for the 2023 season at a total cost of $128,292, with Stell Enterprises Inc., for snow removal in December, January and February at a total cost of $5,262, with Detwiler Roofing LLC for the GAR Middle School roof project at a cost of $27,481, with Scranton Sheet Metal Inc., for air system filter replacement at $36,709, and with Keystone Sports Construction Inc., for revised ambulance access and fencing, pole assemblies and conduit for a camera for the new fields at a total cost of $153,166.

• Amended the agreement with Cintas Fire Protection to include clean agent suppression inspection semi-annually at $400 and a one-time cost of $454 for a new K class system for kitchen fires.

• Approved a planned services agreement with Johnson Controls Fire Protection LC to provide services of the fire alarm panel and related equipment from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 at a cost of $14,950.

• Approved an agreement with the Luzerne Intermediate Unit for special education services at a total estimated cost of $3.3 million for the 2023-24 school year. The LIU generally bills per pupil per service, and estimates cost at the start of the year, reconciling the estimate to actual costs at the end of the year.

• Rescinded the retirement of Cecelia Baltusavich and accepted the retirements of Judy Hislop and Barbara Watlock.

• Hired Jacqulyn Miles as an elementary teacher, Marc Krebs as head custodian, Saul Wilkins as grade I custodian, Sarah Huffman as custodian funded through federal grant money until August 31, 2024, and Amanda Fenner, Anna Hannan and Lamar Redcliff as housekeepers.

• Accepted the resignation of Mary Mushock-Namey and hired Dale Rapson as girls basketball varsity head coach and Abigail Schaal as cheerleader associate advisor.