5 day forecast
West School News
Share with others:
School directors approved a $23.79 million budget that lowers taxes by 1 mill for property owners in Carnegie, Crafton and Rosslyn Farms. Directors Sandra Hughan and Patti Schirripa voted against the plan. The board set the tax rate at 23.15 mills. This is the second year for a tax decrease. The board also dropped the tax rate by 1 mill last year.
Directors voted 8-0 to employ Hosack, Specht, Muetzel and Wood LLC for auditing services for fiscal years ending June 30, 2012, June 30, 2013 and June 30, 2014. The cost will be $14,600 for each of the first two years and $15,000 for the third year. The firm also will provide an audit of the Rosslyn Farms income tax collector for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, for $585.
• Although athletic director David Oddi's contract was not on the agenda, 10 residents spoke on his behalf. Mr. Oddi has been with the district since 2005. He is paid an annual stipend of $6,668 and his contract expired June 30.
A motion was adopted 5-3 to table voting on Mr. Oddi's contract. Sandra Hughan, Patti Schirripa and Raymond Walkowiak dissented.
Director Sharon Wilson said everyone's thoughts were very moving and the board would need time to discuss the matter in a private session.
• Director Patti Schirripa made a motion to refund the Carnegie Parent Teacher Association's gift of $6,500, saying that because the district had $500,000 left in its general fund, it should refund the money to the parents.
Interim superintendent Joseph Dimperio disagreed.
"My recommendation is to accept the gift," he said. "These people were generous enough to come forward. I don't feel comfortable refusing the gift."
Director Joseph Appel also said he wasn't comfortable giving back the gift.
The district has used the gift to buy 25 iPads and a storage cart for them. A $2,000 contribution from the district allowed the district to buy five more iPads than planned.
Robert Mickolay, district director of technology, said the iPads have an inscription on them that says they were a gift from the Carnegie PTA.
The vote to refund the money was defeated with Sandra Hughan and Mrs. Schirripa supporting the motion.
School directors voted June 28 to approve paying $4,800 to Gateway Engineers Inc. for geotechnical evaluations of three potential sites for building a new elementary school.
The sites are at the high school campus in Robinson, the David E. Williams Middle School campus in Kennedy and the Forest Grove Elementary site in Robinson.
Superintendent Donald Boyer said preliminary surveys have been completed.
• School directors on June 28 appointed Schneider Downs Co. Inc. of Pittsburgh to perform the audit for the 2011-12 fiscal year at a cost of about $20,000. The same accounting firm performed last year's special forensic audit of the district's finance office that found potentially criminal problems between 2003 and 2010.
• The receptionist/clerical support job in the central administration office was abolished June 28 by board members. They also approved a job description for roving resource teachers. Human resource director William Addy said one teacher per building will be hired for a one-year assignment to provide substitute teaching and principal assistance as needed.
• Several policies have been revised to comply with the state's Safety in Youth Sports Act, which establishes standards for managing concussions and traumatic brain injuries to student athletes. Among the new requirements are coach training and parent review of an information sheet. Board member Dean Caliguire said he wanted the school to quickly develop a plan for implementing the new guidelines with coaches.
Correction/Clarification: (Published July 17, 2012) Carlynton School District did not change its property tax rate of 23.15 mills for 2012-13. A report Thursday on the district budget incorrectly stated that the tax rate had been changed.
First Published July 12, 2012 12:00 am
