Hanover Area OKs final budget with no property tax hike

Jun. 7—HANOVER TWP. — The Hanover Area School Board passed a final general budget at Tuesday's Monthly meeting with no property tax increase, approved a new contract with the teachers union through August 2028, and reconfigured grades in the elementary school buildings.

The budget balances with spending just below $39.7 million and the property tax rate staying at 18.7743 mills. A mill is $1 tax on every $1,000 of assessed value.

The contract covers 146 professional employees, primarily teachers but also counselors, therapists and others. It runs from Sept. 1 of this year through Aug. 31, 2028, and provides raises of 2.25% the first year, 2.5% the second year, 3% the third year, and 2% each of the last two year. It also increases the percentage of the health insurance premium teachers will pay: 2.5% the first two years and 3% the next three.

The grade reconfiguration leaves grades 7-12 at the junior/senior high school building but alters the others. Lyndwood, which currently has grade 6, will house pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. Hanover Green, which has kindergarten and first grade, will have grades 1 and 2. Lee Park will change from grades 2 and 3 to grades 3 and 4. And Memorial will change from grades 4 and 5 to grades 5 and 6.

After the meeting Superintendent Nathan Barrett said the move is, in part, an effort "to replace outdated district placement as a cost saving measure," and that it will allow the district to have "embedded classrooms that will include etiquette and improve support for students with the highest needs.

In relation to the budget, the board accepted proposals for tax billing. RBA Professional Data Systems will prepare 2023 real estate tax bills, interim real estate tax bills and per capita tax bills at a cost of 29 cents per bill. Infocon Corporation will print and mail the real estate and per capita tax bills.

During the public comment section near the end of the meeting, the board heard criticism of the softball coaching from six parents and at least two students, one of whom starting tearing up talking about being benched despite her performance being better than some other players. Board President John Mahle promised the School Board athletic committee would meet with the athletic director to discuss the concerns, and Barrett promised to arrange for that meeting to be public so the parents and students could attend.

The board also:

—Approved membership with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association for 2023-24 at a cost of $12,239.

—Authorized an agreement with Justice Works Youth Care for Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth (AEDY) services at a daily rate of $131 for regular education and $143 for special education. Luzerne County used to have two Alternative Education schools for students too disruptive for regular classrooms, but both closed in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic but also because of changes in state rules regarding AEDY services. Barrett said AEDY, which operates in most Pennsylvania Counties, is working on setting up a center serving the Wyoming Valley. The company has offices in Hazleton.

—Approved an agreement with the Luzerne County Department of Probation Services for a school/community-based probation project from July 1 through June 30, 2024.

—Renewed the contract with Food Service Management Company through June, 2024.

—Awarded the contract for 87-Octane ethanol gasoline and B2 2% Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel to the lowest responsible bidder, Button Oil, for 2023-24. The contract buys 30,000 gallons of gasoline at $2.6885 per gallon and 20,000 gallons of diesel at $2.5552 per gallon.

—Ratified an agreement with Hanover Township to jointly complete the Hanover Area Community Recreation Project, which involves the reconstruction of Fellows Avenue to create the Fellows Avenue Recreation Trail and rehabilitation of the district's Memorial Stadium. Barrett said this is another step in acquiring a grant for the stadium work.

—Approved a dual enrollment agreement with East Stroudsburg University. Barrett said he was particularly pleased with this arrangement because of the cost, $50 per credit for online courses. He said dual enrollment agreements with local institutions are up to five times that cost per credit.

—Accepted the resignations of crossing guard Sheila Balas, assistant nurse Betty Jo Kelly, girls varsity soccer head coach Stephanie Gover, Safety Coordinator Mason Woldridge, and paraprofessional Jordan Zagora.

—Appointed Luke Westaski as part-time night cleaner at $15 per hour, Alissa McMickens as constable at $30 per hour, Brittany Owens as certified school nurse,

—Accepted the retirement of William Arthur Davis Jr., and intent to retire with the 2023 Voluntary Employee Separation Plan (VESP) incentive byteachers Cathy Angradi, Terry Dravage, Alfred Michalec Jr. and Wendy Yedlock.

—Appointed Jennifer Guesto as attendance outreach officer at a salary of $60,000. Barrett said the position is intended to move the district away from punitive actions for absences or tardiness and to visit homes to learn what issues there may be and to stress the need to meet state requirements for days and hours in school.

—The board voted to notify the Northeast Pennsylvania School District Health Trust that the district intends to withdraw from the Trust June 30, 2024. The Trust is a consortium of area school districts formed to lower health care insurance costs through greater buying power. The Trust requires a one-year notice of intent to withdraw, and many member districts have routinely submitted such notices to keep the option open, deciding later to remain in the Trust.

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Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish