EMPORIUM — Members of the Cameron County School District Board of Directors continue to look into ways to cut additional expenditures from the proposed budget.
As of last week, expenditures were still expected to come in at more than $360,000 over the amount expected to be received through taxes, state funding and other revenues. Board secretary Carl Mitchell said the budget gap has been closed, somewhat; expenditures are typically estimated quite high as an effort to plan for a worst-case scenario.
Some cuts actually came from maintenance items estimated into the total but unlikely to be completed this year. Dr. Keith Wolfe, superintendent of the district, said that those new numbers more accurately reflect what will actually be spent throughout the coming school year, and at least some of that work can be paid for with money from the capital fund.
Board members are discussing adding the position of curriculum coordinator, though no official action has been taken and no further information on the topic released. Decreases also came from a $70,000 decrease in required special education expenditures as compared to last year.
A bid placed by Tettis Plumbing and Heating of Ridgway was rejected. The bid would replace the boiler in the high school at a cost of $77,700, which included purchase and installation of the new boiler and removal of the old boiler.
Wolfe said these costs were not included in this year’s budget, as the boiler recently cracked and is now unusable.
Board members Paul Abriatis, Christy Bennett, Marilyn Erickson, Kelli Farabaugh, Shelia Guisto and Sylvia Homan voted against the measure, believing the quoted cost was too high.
The required specifications will be advertised again in the local papers and Bradford, where such ads are usually placed, plus in publications in the Olean and DuBois areas.
Woodland Elementary student Sabina Hoffower gave a presentation on her “Loot for Luna” fundraiser, which raised $2,653 for the family of a Woodland teacher whose daughter has suffered from a serious illness.
“We’re just one big family here at Woodland and I wanted to show how we all work together,” said Hoffower, who was given the first Little Raider Leader Award for her efforts.
Hoffower and several of her fellow sixth-graders put out buckets for each grade to place their change in. Weekly, the money was counted and credited to each grade, and the students were charged with organizing and promoting the event with help from faculty.
Board members voted to hire and re-hire fall and winter sports coaches for the 2018-19 school year.
Members discussed evaluations for coaches. For head coaches, the athletic director completes evaluations, and the head coaches evaluate the assistant coaches. In the case of an athletic director also serving as a coach, the principal is tasked with completing the evaluation.
Robert Lininger inquired about an old provision that allowed for a needs-to-improve box on the evaluation form, stating that coaches would be easier to get rid of, when necessary, if it could be proven that they had not performed to expectations.
Farabaugh took issue with hiring the coaches in a blanket motion, stating that “there are some coaches that should not be in charge of groups of children, in my opinion,” citing issues including morale problems and discipline issues.
The coaching list was approved, with Guisto and Abriatis abstaining from the vote due to conflicts, and Farabaugh voting against. Clarification was made prior to the vote indicating that if a coach is hired and a sport does not have enough to put together a team, the coach does not need to be paid.
Chandra Reed was hired as the clerk/receptionist at Woodland Elementary School at a salary to be determined by the support professionals collective bargaining agreement.
The board approved adoption of a resolution approving the 2018-19 proposed operating budget of the Seneca Highlands Career and Technical Center with expenditures in the amount of $2,122,738, with CCSD estimated at $109,914.
Rental agreements were approved with the Cameron County Family Center for a one-year period from through June 30, 2019, in the amount of $1,200 per month, and with Seneca Highlands IU#9 Pre-School Early Intervention classroom through June 30, 2019, in the amount of $4,000 annually.
Board approval was given to purchase a diving board with rails and stand from Barber’s Chemicals at a cost of $5,320.28. Shipping costs have not yet been determined. Approval was also given for a purchase of a chemical analyzer system from the same company at a cost of $3,833.80. Installation is included in the cost.
Craig Wentzel was hired as assistant softball coach for the remainder of this school year. Mary Celeste Smith and Bonnie Bauer were added to the substitute support list for this school year.
The next regular meeting of the board will be held at 7 p.m. May 9. A workshop meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 3.
