District Event
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
SCHOOL BOARD MONTHLY BUSINESS MEETING
The February Business meeting of the Board of School Directors will be held at 7:30 pm in the LGI Room on Wednesday, May 25, 2011.
Time: 7:30 pm
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tech School Board Approves $20.9M Budget
Board approves $20.9M budget
Posted: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 12:00 am
bucks county technical high school
The proposed spending plan will have to be approved by the Bristol, Bristol Township, Bensalem, Morrisville, Neshaminy and Pennsbury school boards.
The Bucks County Technical High School joint school board Monday approved a 2011-2012 budget of about $20.9 million.
The proposed budget will have to be approved by the Bristol, Bristol Township, Bensalem, Morrisville, Neshaminy and Pennsbury school boards - whose districts send students and funds to BCTHS - in order to be finalized.
The final numbers come in at $580,956 less than the current 2010-2011 budget, officials said Monday.
Twenty staff positions would be eliminated from all levels and departments, including three teachers.
"These are tough times, but we'll fight through this," said administrative director Leon Poeske. "This is a place where careers do begin."
Some of the other cost savings featured in Monday's budget presentation include about $42,000 resulting from modified contracts with copy machine vendors and $185,000 coming from an early retirement incentive plan offered to certain employees.
A motion to approve the budget passed 8-4, with joint board members John Buckman of Morrisville, Rick Eccles and Mike Morris of Neshaminy and John Doyle of Bristol voting no.
Eccles objected to an amendment to the budget motion from Pennsbury board member Gene Dolnick that called for any Social Security funds that might be restored in Gov. Corbett's proposed state budget be used for paying for any increase to the Public School Employees Retirement System.
Eccles added that it would be irresponsible to think of making decisions "based on ifs" and money that might not come in.
In other business, Dolnick moved that the board pursue a lien against the Morrisville School District to secure the district's scheduled payment to BCTHS for 2010-2011.
Morrisville is holding most of its $767,000 payment in escrow in protest over the technical school funding formula and other concerns.
The issue is currently in litigation.
Morrisville school board member John Buckman said that, among other concerns listed in the court complaint, Morrisville wants more representation on the technical school's joint board.
Only one representative each from Bristol and Morrisville sits on the joint board, while the other, larger districts each have three members.
Dolnick's motion failed after only seven board members Monday voted in favor of the lien. A motion needs eight votes to pass, according to joint board policy.
Christian Menno can be reached at 215-269-5081 or cmenno@phillyBurbs.com Follow Christian on Twitter atTwitter.com/cmenno_courier
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Whaddaya Know, the Budget's Balanced
Balanced budget means no tax hike
Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2011 12:00 am | Updated: 9:00 am, Sun May 22, 2011.
Morrisville schools - What was expected to be more than a $2 million deficit in the Morrisville School District's 2011-12 school year budget ended up being far less: Zero dollars.
The district now has a balanced budget, thereby avoiding any tax increase, officials said. The school board is expected to vote on the final budget in June, a day before the state's June 30 deadline.
The district's expenditures are expected to total $17.22 million, and revenues $16.97 million, leaving a difference of $250,000, which will be covered with savings, district business administrator Paul DeAngelo said at last week's board work session.
DeAngelo said the $2 million gap presented earlier this year as part of the proposed budget included the district's wish list, but most of the wishes were removed.
About $1 million from the special education budget also was removed. Tony Gesualdi, acting supervisor of Pupil Personnel Services, said that the number was set high in January because projecting the special education enrollment and the special programs that students will need is hard.
The district's recommendation for a final budget includes a spending and salary freeze for the 2011-12 school year and central office administrators - about 10 support staff reductions - three early teacher retirements and severance packages.
The district administration also is considering the elimination of some extra-curricular activities, including a combination of high school and middle school programs, district spokeswoman Pat Wandling said.
She added, "The gap came in part by the revenue reduction of about $675,000 from the commonwealth and a proposed 21 percent cost increase from the Bucks County Technical High School" for the approximate 50 students who attend the Bristol Township school.
Parents and school board candidates told the board that they believed the numbers were inflated earlier this year.
They also criticized the district for not communicating the budget progress better with the tax payers, arguing that without budget details parents can't offer any suggestions.
The 2011-12 school budget is not in its final stage and may be altered before final adoption once the district finds out if it'll get additional revenue from the state, according to DeAngelo.
To review the budget, log on to www.mv.org and click on Business Office.
Gema Maria Duarte can be reached at 215-949-4195 or gduarte@phillyBurbs.com Follow Gema on Twitter attwitter.com/deadlineduarte
MESPA, MESPA Read All About It
Board refuses to extend contract for support staff
Posted: Sunday, May 22, 2011 12:00 am
morrisville schools
Morrisville School District will not extend the contract for its custodial, secretarial and maintenance staff.
The 6-0-1 school board vote came at a special meeting last week. The motion was to extend the current contract of the Morrisville Educational Support Personnel Association's 13 members for one year, until June 30, 2012.
School Director Yvonne Ruthrauff abstained without providing a reason. School Director Marlys Mihok wasn't at the special meeting, which followed a board work session she had attended Wednesday night. And school Director Gloria Heater wasn't at either meeting.
Not voting to extend the contract had nothing to do with a proposal to outsource custodial services, according to Paul DeAngelo, the district's business administrator. Instead, the vote was based on the fact that the contract was not financially neutral because it called for employee health care contributions to remain the same.
"The membership was willing to maintain a pay freeze for 2011-12 if the contract was extended; however, the district's health care cost increased 15 percent for 2011-12 school year," DeAngelo said.
He added that, "The district has performed a (request for a proposal) for possible outsourcing of our custodial services; however, and I stress, we continue to bargain in good faith with this group. Our next negotiation session is scheduled for June 2."
Board President Bill Hellmann has said that the district needs to go out to bid on custodial services in order to determine what the cost would be per the market, allowing the district to be in a better negotiating position.
The board considered outsourcing when preliminary estimates had the district facing a deficit of more than $2 million for the 2011-12 school year. That gap has since been closed and a budget vote will be held June 29 meeting, a day before the deadline.
Gema Maria Duarte can be reached at 215-949-4195 or gduarte@phillyBurbs.com Follow Gema attwitter.com/deadlineduarte
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