SMETHPORT — The directors of Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit 9 heard a report Tuesday night on the status of the Seneca Highlands Insurance Trust and Premium Stabilization Fund that covers medical and prescription insurance premiums.
Bill Hartz, of First Niagara Benefits Consulting, reviewed the changes in the trust as recommended by a task force comprised of members of the insurance committee of the IU9 Insurance Consortium.
According to Hartz, the insurance trust has a balance of $5.7 million.
IU9 employees more than 150 full-time and part-time employees who provide services, such as special education, adult education/General Education Development, Early Intervention, career and technical education, cooperative education, curriculum support and support for non-public schools in McKean, Cameron, Elk and Potter counties.
The IU9 board, comprised of one school director from each of the 14 school districts in the four counties, as well as representation from the IU acts as the Seneca Highlands Health Consortium, which establishes insurance plans and rates and facilitates funds in and out of the trust.
The insurance consortium set a deposit rate for the districts over the last ten years, and since deposits during that time and claims were greater for some districts, refunds.
At Tuesday’s IU9 board meeting, directors approved an amendment to the insurance trust agreement to allow districts additional time to notify the Trust of its intent to withdraw, one of three recommendations from the task force.
Also approved was a memorandum of understanding to distribute refunds to Kane, Johnsonburg, Northern Potter and Oswayo Valley.
The remaining two recommendations from the task force: Variable renewable pricing and plan design flexibility are to be included on the board’s January agenda.
The St. Marys Area School District has notified IU9 that it intends to withdraw from the Seneca Highlands Insurance Trust, effective June 30, 2017.
Meanwhile, Cameron County and Kane school districts have stated their intent to leave the trust as of June 30, 2017, pending the outcome of the insurance task force recommendations.
In other news, the IU board will continue past practice and elect directors by mail ballot. Then, in March, a single ballot will be prepared for the election, as well as considering approval of the agency’s general operating budget.
According to the Act 93 Compensation Plan I the directors approved in January 2016, salary increases will be adjusted annually by the greater of 1.5 percent or the 12-month average Consumer Price Index in August with a maximum or 3 percent. The increase for the 2017-18 school year is 1.5 percent.
Under the memorandum of understanding, also OK’d in January 2016, the salary increases for the executive director and assistant to the executive director for the 2017-18 academic year are to be 1.5 percent.
Directors approved a budget revision for the 2016-17 State Early Intervention budget to show an additional allocation of $125,000.
Also gaining approval was the agreement with Elk County and the IU for the Intensive Outpatient Program.
The contract is between IU9 and the Johnsonburg, Kane, Ridgway and St. Marys school districts from Aug. 22, 2016 and June 2017, during which time the IU will provide educational emotional support programming/special education in partnership with Dickinson Mental Health within an Intensive Outpatient Program located at the Community Education Center Building. Each district will be charged $23,000 per student.
The Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit 9 Career and Technical Center’s Comprehensive Plan also received approval. The document was designed to provide for the personal professional growth of staff members and meet the staff development needs of the IU.
In a report to the board, Shelly Carson, director of special education, presented a brief description of the Community Based Vocational Instruction, which offers students with disabilities opportunities to participate vocational training in real-life situations.
