Jan. 9—PLAINS TWP. — At Monday's regular board meeting, the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board awarded a contract for partial roof replacement at GAR Middle School to Detwiler Roofing LLC at a cost of $738,000, approved the formation of girls wrestling program and voted to keep any tax increase for the 2023-24 fiscal year under a state maximum of 5.9%

Superintendent Brian Costello opened the meeting with what he calls his annual "State of the Union" address, updating changes and plans in the district. Financially the district has increased its fund balance, completed major construction projects and kept annual debt service payments still near the statewide average for other districts, The $120 million borrowed for the high school and stadium will increase debt service from about 4% to about 7% of the district budget.

High school consolidation has helped lower salary averages, Costello said. He touted a maintenance management workflow system that has reduced the number of concerns that were not being addressed. And he talked about roof replacement at the Solomon Complex and the Kistler school, as well as new LED lighting at GAR Middle school.

Upcoming projects include a new administration building across the street from the main high school entrance, heating and air conditioning upgrades and repaving at all facilities. The district expects to complete the new administration building, being done around an existing building, in 2024.

Heating and air conditioning work as well as LED lighting upgrades throughout the district will be funded with federal COVID-19 relief grants, which leaves the capitol reserve fund available for expansion of athletic facilities at the high school, including two new multi-purpose fields, tennis courts and a baseball field. Costello pointed out that, thanks to the boards decision to build a capitol fund since 2016, the athletic fields could now be done without a tax increase or any new borrowing.

He stressed that while the two new fields have been board approved, the baseball field and tennis courts have not been acted on.

And he talked about academic changes, including that all students now have Chromebook computers, new textbooks for all major subjects, new science lab equipment and new elementary reading and remediation programs. Art has also been returned to elementary schools as an elective.

Costello said the vote to approve formation of a high school girls wrestling program for the 2023-24 season does not automatically mean a team will be fielded, though he said interest is strong. The vote shows the district supports the idea of having the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association approve girls wrestling as a sanctioned sport.

And the board approved a resolution promising to keep any tax increase for the 2023-24 fiscal year within a state limit known as the Act 1 Index. The index varies, and Wilkes-Barre Area's index this year limits any property tax increase to 5.9%. Districts can only exceed the index with voter approval or limited exceptions approved by the state. Agreeing to stay within the index does not mean taxes will increase, but it gives the board additional time to approve a preliminary budget.

The board also:

—Renewed the flood insurance coverage for the former Meyers High School on Carey Avenue at a cost of $7,714, and for nearby Kistler Elementary School on Old River Road at a cost of $11,703. The district sold the Meyers building but must maintain coverage until the transaction is complete. In a related move, the board approved an extension of the due diligence period for the buyer to Feb. 22.

—Approved an agreement with Integra Realty Resources in Philadelphia to appraise the Wilkes-Barre Township Marketplace on Highland Park Boulevard at a cost of $17,500. Solicitor Ray Wendolowski said the district is initiating the appeal because it believes the current appraisal is low.

—Approved an agreement with Cintas Fire Protection to provide a variety of services: 77 annual fire extinguisher inspections at $4.95 each, 77 tamper seals at $1.75 each, semi annual kitchen inspection at $105, semi-annual remote tank (kitchen) at $70 each, semi-annual annual fusable links for the kitchen at $9.95 each, semi annual air tests for a kitchen at $75, and a service charge of $26.24 per visit.

—Approved the installation of a new generator at GAR by the Generator Guys of Trucksville to provide emergency power to district servers at a cost of $14,950.

—Approved three change orders totaling $12,111 for Everon Electrical Contractors Inc. for work on the new stadium, and five change orders totaling $14,038 for Panzitta Enterprises.

—Ratified work already completed installing two Trane Odyssey air handlers and related hardware for Kistler Elementary School grade 5 at a cost of $16,850. The work was done by Ralston Mechanical Systems.

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