The Canton Area School District Board of Education held its June meeting with President Jared Wilcox, Directors Mike Herman, Eric Anderson, Melony Taylor, Gary Black, Judy Sourbeer, Dennis Sourbeer and Ryan Allen, Superintendent of Schools Matt Gordon, Elementary Principal John Rimmer, High School Principal Craig Coleman, Business Manager Mark Jannone, Special Education Supervisor Dan Coran. Solicitor Dick Sheetz and an audience of seven.
The minutes of the May meeting were approved.
The minutes of the May meeting were approved.
The board approved the District's final 2015-16 budget with revenues equaling $14,458,269 and expenses of $15,513,630, with the deficit coming from the fund balance.
Tax rates are unchanged, although some slight modifications in real estate millage occur due to the equalization formula: Bradford County, 32.2292 mills(-0.2643) Lycoming County, 14.4352 mills (+0.4079) Tioga County, 16.8728 mills (+0.0074)
Other taxes are the same as last year: Occupation Assessment Tax: 200 mills (Bradford County System) Category 1 = $0 Category 2 = $15 Category 3 = $30 Category 4 = $60
Earned Income Tax: 1% levy (.5% effective rate due to sharing) Real Estate Transfer Tax: 1% (.5% effective rate due to sharing) Per Capita Tax per School Code 679: $5 per person
Per Capita Tax Act 511: $10 per person levy ($5 effective rate due to sharing)
Discounts and Penalties: Occupation, Per Capita and Real Estate taxes will be subject to a 2% discount if paid within 2 months of bill date and a 10% penalty if paid after 4 months of the bill date.
There will be no discount or penalty for payments made between 2 months and 4 months of the bill date.
A three (3) month installment plan is available. Payments will be due on August 31st, September 30th, and October 31st.
The board accepted the resignations of Lyle Wesneski, Assistant Baseball Coach, and Weldon (Jake) Shaffer, Assistant Softball Coach.
Abigail Williams was hired as a 5th grade English Language Arts teacher, effective August 24, 2015. at a salary of $51,568 with benefits.
The board approved these additions to the High School Student Assistance Program: Casey Aylesworth, Don Cron, Jennifer Martin. Debbra Keppler was approved for the Elementary School Student Assistance Program, (retroactive to January, 2015).
Jenna Boyce and Angela Kelly attained tenure.
A list of updated support staff job descriptions was approved.
Dr. Andrew Mack was named as district dentist
The board voted to approve: the Treasurer’s Report; Bills lists; transportation changes; authorized the Superintendent and/or Business Manager to sign contracts related to budgeted items for the 2015/16 school year; authorized the administration to transfer budget funds to cover year-end accounts and pay July bills.
The board passed a resolution approving the homestead and farmstead exclusion real estate tax assessment reductions in the amount of $199.68 beginning July 1, 2015.
Dual Enrollment Agreements between the Canton Area School District and Lackawanna College and Keystone College were approved.
The Letter of Agreement between Canton Area School District and The Meadows for educational services during the 2015/16 school year was approved.
A Memorandum of Understanding between the District and Canton Borough Police Department was approved.
The Board approved the Occupational Therapy Services Agreement between the district and Lisa Inman through June 30, 2016.
The board voted to set the cafeteria prices for 2015/16 school year as follows: elementary breakfast $1, elementary lunch $2, high school breakfast $1.25, high school lunch $2.25, milk 40¢ and reduced meal prices for qualified students in both buildings breakfast 30¢ and lunch 40¢. Adult breakfast $2 and adult lunch $3. There are no changes in any of these prices from the 2014-15 school year.
During the meeting the Board held a hearing to discuss the proposed Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) Ordinance. Mr. Sheetz explained the provisions and intent of the law. He said that some County agencies and other taxing entities were notified and he received one letter of support from Tony Ventello, Executive Director of the Central Bradford Progress Authority. The LERTA would apply only to the new Watson Building (former Swayze building) on Troy Street in Canton. Canton Borough approved a LERTA granting 100% abatement for ten years on the property tax increases due to higher assessment because of improvements made to the Watson property. After some discussion, Mr. Black said "Mr. Watson is deserving of 100% abatement for ten years …I have no problem mirroring what the Borough has done." Mr. Allen agreed, saying, "The adjustments the Borough made were what we were looking for." Mr. Sheetz emphasized that the district would continue to collect the tax on the base amount of the property, but not on the tax increase for the first ten years.
The board voted to direct Mr. Sheetz to prepare a resolution for a LERTA on the 100%, 10-year terms for the Watson property.
Audrey Bear of R W Baird and Kevin Reid of King Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, gave presentations on a parameter resolution for the proposed refinance of the 2010A bond issue (High School renovation) and the Bond Purchasing Agreement.
This is similar to other refinancing s that the board has taken in recent years, which have saved the taxpayers several hundred thousand dollars of interest payments. Mr. Reid said, "This board is veterans at this. We have used this technique successfully over the last couple of years." The call date of the 2010A bond is November 15, 2015, and August 15 is the first date if can be paid off. A motion was approved to take $500,000 from the fund balance and apply it to refinancing. This will augment the savings appreciably. The board approved the Parameter Resolution, setting the minimum savings of $100,000 for the refinancing. Actual savings could be higher.